Evening star., 1912-11-09

journal known as the PINK Un, so c&lleu
from the roseate tint Of the paper. at
tributed by the fanciful to an inherent
sense Of shame in the pages themselves
In no wise shared by their editors. This
was the only thing in the way OF paper
Lionel could find in his pockets, and his
match box was almost empty.
Without a moments hesitation he un-
folded the precious sheet. and. tearing
page after page into remOrseless strips.
folded them quickly into long spills. Then.
striking a match. with the utmost care
he lighted the first Of his paper torches
The flame leaped up. and Harriet saw
that she stood in a grassy. bath-shaped
hollow, at least two heads higher than
herself, but how long it was impossible
to say. Lionel quickly Joined her, light.
ing fresh torch as he came. and giving
her the remainder OF the precious paper
to hold In reserve.
, AS they moved forward cautiously thu
darkness in front of them resolved itsel1
into glistening barrier Of ivy extending
straight upward into the immense black
ness above. This, as Harriet afterward
learned. was the other side Of the ivy
covered ruin whose forgotten origin had
been a perpetual source Of speculation to
Horatio and herself ever since they came
to Ipping House.
"Horatio.' she cried, pressing her face
against the damp leaves. She heard his
familiar little cough.
MY dear Harriet. there must be q
heavy dew. ] hope you remembered your
galoshes. His voice seemed to come
from the depths Of the ivy.
Reassuring as 1t was. the curates calm
ness, his very solicitude was indescrib-
ably irritating to the Overwrought nerves
of his wife.
How can you talk like that" she cried,
'after al I've been through, Horatio.
thinking you were drowned In the lake
and You sit there like alike a mole and
talk about galoshes!''
Suddenly her hand, pushing through a
foot's thickness Of Ivy, encountered cold
stone. Her anger turned instantly to
fear.
Where are you, Horatio? Why don't
you come out? You must come out! Oh.
1 can't bear it," she sobbed. convulsively.
my dear Harriet" began Horatio-
but he got no further. Whatever conso-
lation the gentle curate had to offer was
cut short by a joyful shout from Lionel.
by JOve! I've found the door, His
cry was accompanied by a sound Of rus
Ting leaves.
AS Lionel forced his way through the
ivy tangle his paper torch went out.
Lighting a fresh one at the sacrifice of a
precious match. he found himself in q
low. chimneylike chamber about the
width of his outspread arms, half buried
In earth and smelling Of decayed wood
and fungus. The damp stone sides slanted
sharply inward to where. scarcely yard
rusty iron bolts. loomed the upper half
Of an ancient wooden door Only one
hinge, huge, rusty and fantastically
wrought. was visible above the earth.
Curled close against the door, blinking
yellowly and purring like an automobile.
sat Martin Luther.
Again the torch went out, but Lionel
had seen enough. The door opened In
ward. that is to say, away from him,
and in the grotesaue scroll work Of the
in vnyNtsy noS1 1Nnln
leaving only two entire nails.
He leaned forward and spoke in a low
voice.
as the ground clear on your side. Mr..
Merle? The beastly door opens inward,
you know"
You don't say" came from the curate
It's pitch dark here. have a candle
a perfectly splendid candle, but no
matches"
II have some perfectly splendid matches
and no candle!' laughed Lionel
Merle Joined in the laugh, and Harriet
wondered. fearfully, II the two men had
gone mad.
A minute later crash Of rending wood
stand still. At the same instant came
triumphant shout from Lionel and the
sound OF HoratiO's voice close by, and,
before she fully realized what had hap
ing and scolding in her husbands arms.
I Lionel had kicked in the door.
Martin Luther led the way back, his
tail at the proud perpendicular OF con-
scious rectitude. He had done a good
evenings work. and that, too, under most
trying conditions. Human beings, he re-
flected, were all very well in their way
unquestionably they had their uses. at
times they were even necessary (when
one falls into q canal, for instance). but
their depiorabIe ignorance OF mewing be-
yond such elementary phrases as Please
give me some milk" or "Oblige me by
opening this door," was excessively an
noying. -
Lionel had raced ahead to carry the
joyful news to the countess. Tucked SAFE
ly away In his pocket was remnant,
snatched from the burning, OF the sinful
pink newspaper, not. II Is to be feared,
the portion least deserving Of fiery pun
ishment !
And now Horatio, arriving at the bank
which Harriet had descended with such
unprecedented energy a short time ber
fore, placed the candle upon the ground
to assist his wife up the steep incline.
Here his eye fell upon an oblong piece OF
paper lying on the grass close to the
candIestick and glistening in the yellow
light. AS he picked 1t up the word "Regi-