The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1912-08-29

to help the wounded man, but Farreil
and / moved on across the dead guard
to the open door beyond. Colonel
Mortimer, unable to move. was
proDped up on his pillow, one hand
grasping a pistol. With shaking arm
he leveIled 1t at us.
Who are you? Quick, nowi" he
quavered. I've shot one. and I'm good
for more"
you know me, Colonel" and Far
rell stepped inside. Il am Bull Far
rell; this Is Major Lawrence" He
looked at us with dull eyes, his hand
falling weakly.
Farrell Farrell surely, the black
smith. What Lawrence? The-the Of
ficer Claire knows?"
Yes; he's a rough-looking object
admit, but there has been a fight
down below, sir, In which he had a
share. We've just cleaned out Red Fa-
gins gang. We came up here to tell
the good news to you and your daugh-
ter"
The Colonel's head sank back upon
the mussed pillow.
MY daughter Claire-she is not
here."
mot herel~ / cried, aroused by the
admission. did she not return to
you7s
mo; they came for her to go down
stairs-a tall man with a black beard,
and two others. They took her away
an hour ago. and / have seen nothing
of her since. I--heard the shots, the
sound Of fierce fighting, but could not
move from the bed. Tell me, Major.
what has become Of my little girl?"
II do not know" / confessed, gaz-
Ing about in bewilderment "She came
up the stairs. am sure. 1t was just
as the fight began, and had scarce
ly moment to observe anything be-
fore we were at 1t fiercely. She shot
Fagin down, and then ran
"Shot Fagin! Claire!"
Eyes; she was justified. Had she
not acted so quickly l would have
done so myself. He was forcing her
into marriage
Into marriagei With whom?"
Captain Grant," / answered pas
sionately. 1T was a deliberate plot,
although he pretended TO be innocent,
and a helpless prisoner. Later the
man fought with the outlaws against
US; after Jones was killed he even as
sumed command"
"He has been hand and glove with
those fellows from the first, Colonel, !"
chimed In Farrell hoarsely. "Pve
known 1t, and told Lawrence 80 a
month ago. 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 Wen search them"
We went out hurriedly, leaving the
wounded man lying helplessIy on the
bed. and stepped carelessly 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
reli, / stepped back to inquire. The
Colonel opened his eyes YEARLY at
sound Of my voice.
"He is not here, he explained slow
~. Both Peter and Tonepah were
sent away to find surgeon, and have
not returned. We anticipated no dan
ger here with Captain Grant present"
I 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 villain
through and through and hoped he
had already paid the penalty. If not,
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 ! stood In the door of tho
deserted mushroom staring helpless
" about, sudden possibility occurred
to me. Ayi that must be the truth,
the full explanation Of her vanishing.
She had come flying up the stairs,
frightened, desperate far as she
knew, alone against Fagin's unscrupu-
lous band. She had not returned to
her father, or escaped by way Of the
hall. Where then could she have
gone9 The secret staircase, down
which she had hurried me, and which
was known only to herself, Eric and
Peter. gripped Farrell's arm eagerly.
"You know this house well-did you
ever hear Of secret passages in it7"
Il have heard It whispered In COS
sip, be answered, shat such were
here IN the old Indian days Why2"
because It is true The girl hid
f1e here from Grant. And that is
where we win find her. The opening
Is there By the false chimney, but I
have no conception Of how It 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