The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1912-07-10
Copyright 4. 9. Acciurg 4 Co, lsiI.

lie has been hand and glove wit,
those fellows from the first. Colonel.
chimed In Farrell hoarsely. "Iy
known It. and told Lawrence 80
month ago. ] only hope he was kille,
down below. But what can have be
come Of Glaire?"
She never passed along here" in
sisted Mortimer. for l haven't taker
my eyes from that door"
Then she Is hiding somewhere II
those front rooms. Come on. Law
renee. and we'll search them"
we went out hurriedly, leaving the
wounded man lying helplessly on the
bed. and stepped careIessly across the
dead sentinel lying In the hallway
The memory Of Peter required to me
He was not the kind to desert his mis-.
tress at such a time. Stopping Far.
rell, stepped back to inquire. The
colonel opened his eyes YEARLY at
sound of my voice,
He Ia not here" he explained slow.
IT, Both Peter and Tonepah were
sent away to find surgeon, and have
not returned. We anticipated no dan
ger here with Captain Grant present /"
! ground my teeth savagely togeth.
er, recalling the treachery OF the lat.
ter, his insults to Claire. his deceiv.
ing OF Eric, his stealing Of papers.
hoping thus to ruin his own Colonel.
his alliance with Fagin, his selling Of
British secrets. Here was a villain
through and through and I hoped he
mad already paid the penalty. Ii not.
vowed the man should never escape.
But the thought of the missing cir,
came back, driving all else from INV
mind. She was In none of those rooms
We searched, nor did we discover tha
slightest evidence of her having been
here. AS stood In the door OF the
deserted mushroom staring helpless.
y about, sudden possibility occurred
0 me. Ay' that must be the truth
he full explanation Of her vanishing
'he had come flying up the stairs
frightened, desperate-so far as sha
new, alone against Fagin's inscrupu-
Gus band. She had not returned 10
er father, or escaped by way OF the
all. Where then could she have
oney The secret staircase. down
mich she had hurried me, and which
'as known only to herself. Eric and
'eter gripped FarrelPs arm eagerly.
You know this house well-did Won
yer hear Of secret passages In itg"
i have heard 1T whispered In COS
Ip," he answered. that such were |
ere In the old Indian days. Why?"
Because 1T Is true. The girl hid |
le here from Grant. And that Ia |
here We will find her. The onening
there by the false chimney. but /
i've no conception OF how It works;
lie made me turn my back while she
'erated the mechanism"
He stopped down, and began search
ong the fireplace, and | Joined him.
ogether our hands felt over every
ch OF surface. There was no re.
'onse, not even crack to guide us.
last he glanced aside, and our eyes
ct.
Who knew OF this beside Claire7"
! asked.
Eric and the servant Swanson. She
Id me she and her brother discov-
Cd 1t by accident through reading an
d memoranda"
And the colonel is not aware of
existencew
I understand not. Do you know If
. boy lives?" t.
re left the room, and heard his
Ice calling down the stairs, but did
distinguish the words of reply. l.
8 still on my knees when he re-
ned.
He Is alive, but unconscious, Law
ICE, Do you consider 1t impossible
her to escape from here alone, pro-
ing she took refuge in this place"
] could find no opening. except I'M
ground, and that Is blocked now"
Murdered at the thought. BESIDES, "
} must be In utter darkness, cor q
ID all the candies" p
Then we must get axes, and cut q
way In. Walt here, and win b
ng up some of the men," @ II "
Strengthened up as he left the m
I'M, and my eyes looked into c;
ail mirror above the open CRATE. a
ID Heavens! Could that be my re- m
ton! Bareheaded. my face streaked =
b blood and dirt, my coat rags, my re
It ripped to the waist. ! scarcely In
zed human. In sudden burst of Ii
er reached out and gripped the til
ror.s Jerking 1t savageIy. Then
angs back. Slowly, with d faint W
k OF the mechanism. the rnantel- hi
% was swinging open. M
CHAPTER xxxv. -