The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1909-06-03
CHAPTER Y.


INDOORS kirkwood faced unhappily
the enigma Of fortuity. wonder
ing II this by any possibility were
i No. Q.
The key had fitted. the bolts had
been drawn on the inside. and. while
the key had been one of ordinary pat
tern and would no doubt have proved
effectual with any one Of hundred
common locks. the finger Of probabiiit.
seemed 10 indicate that his luck had
brought him back TO No. 0.
In spite Of all this. he was sensible
Of little confidence. Though this were
truly No. 0. his freedom still lay on
the knees of the gods. his very life. be
Ike. was poised. totteriug on a pima
Gle Of chance.
In the end. taking heart Of despera
ton. he stopped and removed bis
shoes. precaution which later ap-
pealed 20 his sense of the ridiculous
In view OF the racket he had raised IL
entering. brt which at the moment
seemed most natural and in accord
ance with common sense. Then. ris.
ing. he held his breath. staring ana
listening. About him the pitch dark.
ness was punctuated with fading
points Of FIRE. and In his ears was q
noise Of strange whisperings
He went forward glngerly. feeling
his way Ike a blind man on strange
ground. Ere long he stumbled over O
doorsill ard found that the walls q
the passage had fallen away lie had
entered a room. a black cavern o,
Indeterminate dimensions. Thence
progressing over complaining foor'
through what may have been the serv
ants hall. large room with Q tabl'
il the middle and a number u pro
miscuous chairs witness bis tortured
shinsl be finally Numbered into th'
basement hallway.
By now a little calmer. be felt as
sured that this was really No.
Frognall street and a little happieI
about II all. though not even monen
tarily foreetful Of the potential po.ie'
and night watchman However. b
mounted the steps 70 the grOuHd ago
without adventure and fourd hiinsei
az last IN the same dim and ghostl.
hall which be had entered some ST
hours before. The mockery o. dusI
admitted by the fanlight was Jus
strong enough 20 enable him 20 idep
tlfy the general lay Of the land an
arrangement II furniture.
More confidently with each uncon
tested step he continued bis quest
Elation was stirring his spirit whel
be gained the FIRST floor and moves
toward the foot Of the second flight
approaching the spot vhereat he wa
20 begin the search for the missinI
purse. The knowledge that be lacke'
means Of obtaining illumination d.
TERED him nothing lie had som
bore of finding matches in one OF th
adjacent rooms. but, failing that. wa
prepared 10 ascend the stairs on al
tours. feeling every Inch Of their SUI
face II II took hours.
! And thus Il fell out That. AZ the u
slant he was thinking II time 70 begi
70 crawl and hunt. his stocklnged fee
came into contact with somethin
, heavy. yielding. warn-something tina
: moved, moaned and caused bis hair I
J bristie and his flesh 20 creep
We viii make allowances for hin
All along be had gone on the ASSUME
ton that his antagonist o. the dar
stairway would have recovered an
made on with oil expedition IN q
course of ten or twenty minutes q
,. most from the tire 81 his accIden
To End him still there was sofnethln
. entirely outside u Kirkwood's reckor
|. ing. lie would as soon have though
! 10 encounter. shy. Calendar wuEl
have preferred the latter. indeed.
-Poor devIlr murmured the youn
3 man. "Iie must BE- 10 pretty ba
!. way for sure lie knelt. eonpussio
gentIIng bis heart. aud put one hand
! the lnsensient face. A warm swet
J. molstened BIS fingers Ills palm va
D famed b. steady respiration.
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