The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1912-12-21

move from the bed Tell me, Major
what has become Of my little giri?"
Il do not know" l confessed. gaz-
ing about in bewilderment She came
up the stairs. am sure. 1t was just
as the fight began. and 1 had scarce
ly moment to observe anything be
fore We We're at 1t fiercely. She shot
F'agin down, and then ran"
shot Fagin! Claire!"
Yes; she was justified Had she
not acted SO quickly would have
done SO myself. He was forcing her
into marriage"
Into marriage! With whom?"
Captain Grant" l answered pas
sionately. 1T was a deliberate plot,
although he pretended to be innocent.
and helpless prisoner Later the
man fought with the outlaws against
sumed command"
He has been hand and glove with
those fellows from the first, Colonel"
chimed in Farrell hoarsely. I've
known 1t. and told Lawrence SO a
month ago. l only hope he was killed
down below. But what can have be-
come of Claire?"
She never passed along here" in
sisted Mortimer, for | haven't taken
my eyes from that door"
Then she is hiding somewhere in
those front rooms. Come on, Law
renee, and Well search them"
We went out hurriedly. leaving the
wounded man lying helplessly on the
bed. and stepped carelessly across the
dead sentinel lying in the hallway.
The memory of Peter recurred 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 wearily at
sound of my voice.
He ia not here" he explained slow
ly. Both Peter and Tonepah were
sent away to fnd a surgeon, and have
not returned. We anticipated no dan
ger here with Captain Grant present"
l 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
had already paid the penalty. II not
l vowed the man should never escape
But the thought of the missing girl
came back. driving all else from my
mind. She was in none Of those rooms
we searched. nor did we discover the
slightest evidence OF her having been
there. AS l stood in the Coor of the
deserted music-room staring helpless
ly about. sudden possibility occurred
to me. Ay! that must be the truth
the full explanation of her vanishing
She had come flying up the stairs
frightened. desperate-so far as she
lous band. She had not returned to
her father. or escaped BY way Of the
hall. Where then could she have
gone? The secret staircase, down
which she had hurried me, and which
| was known only to herself, Eric and
Peter. l gripped Farrell's arm eagerly
| You know this house well-did you
ever hear Of secret passages in it?"
II have heard 1t whispered in COS
sip." he answered. that such were
here In the old Indian days. Why?"
Because 1t is true. The girl hid
me here from Grant And that II
where We will find her The openins
is there by the false chimney, but !
have no conception OF how 1t works
she made me turn my back while she
| operated the mechanism"
| He stopped down. and began search
| along the fireplace, and Joined him
| Together our hands felt over every
! inch Of surface. There was no re
| sponse, not even a crack to guide US
At last he glanced aside, and our eyes
met.
Who knew Of this beside Claire p
he asked.
Eric and the servant Swanson. She
told me she and her brother discov
| cred it ty accident through reading an
old memoranda"
And the colonel 10 not aware ol
its existence"
Il understand not Do you know Il
the boy lives?"
He left the room. and I heard his
voice calling down the stairs. but did
not distinguish the words Of reply.
was still on my knees when he re
turned.
He Is alive, but unconscious, Law
renee. Do you consider It impossible
for her to escape from here alone, pro
viding she took refuge in this place p
| II could find no opening. except un
derground. and that b blocked now
I shuddered at the thought. Besides
| Ahe must be In utter darkness. for
used all the candies"