The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-03-29
BY CHARLES GARVICE
Copyright. 1909 By George H. Doran Company

PcU O'eE, anu dILer a. moment, IT
 which they looked round them, they
 stole through the shrubs to the house
 but they had not gone far before
 Ronald said:
 l 'I am uneasy about that gate
 Smithers; the man may have heard
 us-may be on the watch. You un. derstand-"
 | Smithers nodded, and his shrew6
 lips grew tight, while the craving :o1 @ fight gleamed in his blue eyes. They
 turned aside, and, crouching low and
 going cautiously. made their way IT
 the direction of the lodge. Wher
 they came close behind it, they stop.
 ped and listened. Not a sound could
 be heard; the keeper was not in sight
 But Ronald was not satisfied, ani signing to Smithers significantly, he 1 led the way, with an increase of eau.
 tion, to the front of the lodge. l There was now sufficient light fol
 them to see distinctly; and, to thei1
 amaZement they saw that one of the great gates was ajar; the door of the
 lodge was also open; there was nc 1 light in the interior. The two men | gazed at each other with mute inter-
 rogation for moment: then Smithers whispered:
 Whats it mean, sir. The gate s
 open, the doors open: there is no one to be seeen. Is it plant, sir?" well see," said Ronald, grimly. Revolvers in hand, they crept up co the lodge, and looked in round the half-open door. The small room was
 so dark that, for a moment, Ronald
 could distinguish nothing; but pres l entity he sprang forward with a 1 smothered exclamation; for, lyins stretched out on the floor, his huge 1 arms bread out his great body limp and still, was the keeper; across his | face was a handkerchief; faint sick l ly smell of chloroform filled the room
 They knelt beside the man, and 1 Smithers took the handkerchief from | his face and, after peering at it a moment in the dim light, whispered 1 huskily:
 ''Ntta! The maid! Her names on it! He's been chloroformed!'
 They rose to their feet, and looked ment; then. recovering himself, Ron-
 aid sprang through the open door way, and sped up the drive towards l the house, his revolver still in his
 hand, and Smithers following close
 at his heeels.
 As they approached the entrance, | lights were burning in the hall, in 1 some of the windows; servants were
 moving about, there was an air of | confusion, murmuring of voices, as ] if something had happened. The
 two men sprang up the flight of mar ble steps and dashed into the hall,
 into the centre of the group of ser
 wants, who were only partially dress
 ed and looked bewildered, as if they
 were only just awake.
 l "The Count!', said Ronald, stern
 ly.
 The frightened herd shrang back and stared at the intruders. l "The Count! I want him!-I must
 see him!'' said Ronald.
 A ior @%
 magnificent establishment, stepped forward, with a frightened air You cannot see his Excellency," he
 stammered; The has given strict or ders--' At that moment the mans voice was drowned by a sound from the | floor above; it was a cry like that of a wounded, maddened bull-a below of rage; and two or three servants ! came tearing down the stairs, as if they were flying in terror. Ronald gained the corridor. The electric | light had been switched on, and, as Ronald looked round with a swift
  glanace, he-was amazed, even at that l moment, at the regal splendour of the place; then, in that same instant 1 it had flashed upon him-actually ,r the first time since he had discov- cred that Cara was a prisoner in the house!-that this Count, this father of hers, was the possessor of the sto- l len treasure. It simply flashed l across his mind ito disappear as in- stantly; for it was Cara upon whom his heart and mind were fixed; the treasure was of no account. | ''The sound came from that room. sir," said Smithers, in an excited whisper.
 Ronald sprang to the door indicat-
 .c +ho Torrof