The state herald., 1913-03-21

move from the bed. Tell me, Major,
what has become Of my little girl?"
Il do not know" l confessed, gaz-
Ing about In bewilderment. "She came
up the stairs. l am sure. 1t was Just
as the fight began. and l had scarce
ly moment to observe anything be-
fore We were at 1t fercely. She shot
Fagin down. and then ran"
Shot Fagin! Claire!"
Yes: she was justified Had she
not acted 80 quickly would have
done SO myself. He was forcing her
into marriage"
Into marriage! With whom?''
Captain Grant" | answered pas
sionately. 1T was deliberate plot,
although he pretended to be innocent,
and 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. 1--WE
known it. 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 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 time. Stopping Far.
rell. ! stepped back to inquire. The
Colonel opened his eyes YEARLY at
sound Of my voice.
He is not here" he explained slow
ly. Both Peter and. Tonepah were
sent away to nnd a 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 / hoped he
had already paid the penalty. II not.
| vowed the man should never escape.
But the thought Of the missing girl
came back. driving oil 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 coor Of the
deserted MUSHROOM staring helpless
ly about. n 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. despcrate-so 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
gomez The secret staircase, down
which she had hurried me, and which
wns known only TO herself, Eric and
Peter | gripped Farrell's arm eageriy.
You know this house well-did you
ever hear OF secret passages In III"
II have heard II whispered In gos.
sip." he answered. "that such were
here In the old Indian days. whyr"
because Il is truo. Tho girl. hid
me here from Grant. And that is
where We will md her. The opening
IL there by tho false chimney. but I
have no conception OF how II works;
she made mo turn my back whilc she
operated tho mechanism"
He stopped down. and began search
along tho fireplace. and I Joined him.
Together our hands felt over every
inch Of surface. There was no rc-
sponsc. not even crack to guide us.
Al last he glanced aside. and our eyes
met.
who knew OF this beside clniref"
no asked.
Eric and the servant Swanson. She
told mo she and her brother discov.
cred It by accident through reading mn
old memoranda"
"And tho colonel Ia not aware Of
Its cxintence1'
Il understand not DO you know n
tho boy liver7"
Hc left the room. and ! heard his
voice calling down the stairs. but did
not distinguish the words Of reply. !
was stiil on my knees when he 10
turned.
"fie In alive. but unconscious. Law.
renee. DO you consider Il impossible
for her to escape from here alone. pro.
viding sho took refuge In this plaoof"
II could md no opening. except un.
derground. and that n blocked now"
I shuddofed at tho thought "liesides.
abe must be In utter darkness. for I
used all the candles"