The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1912-07-11
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NO; not - a. to approach tAo taosa
Miss Denslow thought the sight q ~
would arouse his anger"
Il came in after the revolver belt.
she said. her voice trembling. ~bVe
Lieutenant King did not even enter
the room"
Donald's form Strengthened. his voice
crufer than | remembered hearing II
before
"But you were asleep. Jean. whes !
came down the stairs Lieutenant
King had left his chair and was In the
front of the hail"
took deep breath. realizing afresh
the peril OF my position. The girl
spoke pIeadinsiy. brokenly.
But Lieutenant King could not have
done this. He is not a murderer. but
a soldier"
Donald stood between us. erect. mo-
;ioniess.
Il do not know what to think. Jean"
lie said with grave deliberateness.
Il ONLY know every circumstance
points to this man and leaves no DOUBT
as to my own duty. II Lieutenant
Kin. can clear himself | vii! be first
10 take his hand" His fingers drop
ped to the butt of his revolver You
are my prisoner. unclasp your belt"
The g!rl came between lis. her face
upliftcd. her eyes shining.
Lieutenant King is my prisoner. no
yours" she cried Indignantly. "He
gave me his parole, and l returned to
him his rcvolvers.
She held out her hands. and. scarce
ly ren!izins what l did. impelled to
action by the expression of her face.
| uuclasped the belt and extended 1t
to her.
Miss Denslow Is right" said
quietly. II am her prisoner on pa
role. and keep my pledge to her"
Great as the sacrifice was. the quick
fash Of her eyes repaid me fully. and
l looked beyond her shoulder into
Colonel Donald's stern set f0ce.
Il am helpless to resist. for you are
armed and ! am not" said firmly,
but appeal to you as soldier to
deal fairly with me. pledge you my
word not to attempt an escape. but
wish the privilege of searching the
house for evidence to clear me of this
charge of murder. You are an honor
able man. Give me an opportunity to
prove that l am one also"
He scarcely hesitated.
"And if you fail you will accom-
pany me to the Confederate lines with
| out reSistance!"
Yes Whether I succeed or fail.
am prisoner OF war. l understand
that clearly. But | am not a muir
derer."
1t is hard ito say what influence
worked with me. but the stern lines
of Donald's face relaxed. his hand
falling to his side.
| Lieutenant King" he acknowledged
quietly. ut seems impossible for me
not to believe you. l have always
felt I was Judge Of men. and am
going to trust you now. Perhaps it
is for your sake. and perhaps 1t is be-
cause feel Jean wishes me to-
II do wish It," she interposed softly.
II am informed" began finally.
that this house contains a hidden
room and a secret passage leading
without"
The colonels glance dropped to the
face Of the girl.
"You little traitress!"
Don't say that" the depths of the
gray blue eyes dark with indigna-
tion. ~ told him that because trust
ed him and believed he ought to know
what suspected
But who told you?''
| "Calvert Dunn. But that was all he
told-merely that such things existed"
Even that was enough to ruin their
usefulness when repeated to Yankee.
Miss Denslow gave me no informa-
tfon of value" ! hastened toexplain.
The mere knowledge that such
place exists means nothing so long as
am unable to trace it. have asked
her nothing. but do ask you-is there
such a hidden entry, such a secret
room. and may l search them?"
The man and the soldier seemed
| warning in his mind before he could
reply. but the man Won
Yes. they exist: built with the
house. for protection against feudists.
and with no thought of war. But they
can be Of no service to you. as l came
that way entering the house and met
no one. How could any one who is
an enemy to tfie occupants of this
house have discovered the passage"
THAT do not know. but some one
certainly has been here tonight. Who
ever 1t was. he came by way Of none
of the ordinary entrances. You must
acknowledge that. II am not the
guilty man. and swear in the pres
ence Of God am not. then the assas-
sin must have come by the way Of the
| secret passage. He may have found
1t by accident, but it has served his
| purpose. and Il search of it might give
us his trail. plead with you for this
opportunity to vindicate myself"
What lie saw in the countenance OF
the girl as his eyes fell from mine to