The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1913-07-05

tH - EAhA y -
my haEd; then there was darkness.
The paneled duOr had been closed. /
heard the spring click as il shut tight.
st. Hilary had played me false. Too
late ! thought of my distrust of him.
| pulled myself up into the shaft
again 10 fetch the dagger | had left
on the floor above. | struck the panel
ing along the edge of the top until |
had located the spring. Then / hack
ed at the hard board till | felt it give
way. | raised ii cautiously and step
ped out on the mantel. 1t had taken
me half an hour To free myself.
Closing the panel door after me. |
sprang lightly to the floor. | did not
dare attempt 10 escape from the palace
by the way Of the tower.
To my JOY the double doors of glass
leading out into the garden were open.
! might be seen from the window of
the palazzo while crossing the garden
to the little gate. but | had to take
the chance. | stole out into the gar
den. | gained the shelter of the per
COLA. | reached the gate. slipped out
into the. street and closed il behind
me. In two minutes | had lost myself
in the market crowd in the Campo San
Bartolomeo.
And now what should | dof II was
impossible to avail myself Of the ordi-
nary channels Of the law. | had no
more legal right TO the casket than had
81. Hilary. | must rely on my WI
wits. Would he already have left
Nenicef
| looked at my watch. II was not
quite ,. | knew that the next train
leaving Venice was AT $50. A boat
sailed 10 Trieste three times a week.
one left Venice this evening at {. At
II a +. and q. liner sailed for Brindisi
These were the regular means of trav-
el. But nothing could be more simple
than for him to hire a craft. II n
pays enough one can 30 anywhere.
The search seemed almost hopeless.
Obviously the first thing for me TO
do was to 60 20 81. Hilary's hotel. |
was not so simple as TO expect TO md
him there. but | might learn il he had
made any plans beforehand to leave
Venice.
His hotel was on the Riva. not far
from Danielli's. The concierge knew
me well. and in answer to my careless
inquiry as to whether st. Hilary had
been In his rooms since last night he
went upstairs to inquire. There was
no answer to his knock. | babe him
open the door and told him | would
wait for my friend. He did so. and !
entered.
My worst fears were realized. Two
heavy trunks were strapped and LABEL
ed. The address was simply in the
care 'of a forwarding agency. in Lon
don.
His razors and hairbrushes. however.
were still on the dressing table, and
an open bag on the chair. II he had
planned returning to his rooms he
would not imperil the loss of the cas-
ket by bothering about these paltry
toilet articles, That was my first
thought. But even as ! was closing
the door behind me | paused. You'd
he not. indeed? He was still in the
fancy costume of the ball. True. he
had my ulster and golf cap, but the
day promised to be warm. Could ne
travel thus without attracting atten-
ton? Unless he were to leave Venice
by private boat he would be almost
sure TO change his clothes. | abandon
- IAftnv 90 NhA rail
way station. | would remain here Mt
his rooms. And yet | must send some
one. Whom could | tEust: There was
Pietro. of course. he Knew IT. Hilary.
But Pietro had played me false; he
would play me false again, unless
made il worth his while not TO dc So
I must make il worth his while,
sent one of the hotel servants TO fetch
my man. In twenty minutes he ar
rived. smiling.
NV directions to him were simple.
He was 10 betake himself to the rail-
way station. He was first or all 10 as
,,,e himself that st. Hilary was not
IN the $50 train. II he were not on
,h,t train. Pietro was TO keep watch
60 him on the landing of the railway
station until q o'clock in the evening
10 tho dealer was on the $50 train or
~ he appeared later. Pietro was 10 20
yrhere he went, If that meant TO phe
ends of the earth. But, above all ne
was 10 keep out of sight.
II had still the p. and o. liner ana
lat ~ Trieste to watch. The liner
could take care of myself from Il.
unorv's window. or. better still, a seat
an the Riva under the hotel awnhn
She was anchored not a hundred Zee.
away. and | could readily make out
eyery passenger who boarded her. As
se. the boat TO Trieste, it did not 80