Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1914-03-19
u permit the 10 SAY 50, sir.

\ few minutes later we were sitting
opposite each other in the room where
Nantine and | had sat not many
hours before. l liked Parks. and | felt
he could be trusted. At any rate. l
had to take the risk.
Now. Parks" | began again, 'what
| have to say to YOU is very serious.
and | want YOU to keep it to yourself.
| know that YOU We're devoted tu Mr..
Fantine. ! may as we'll tell yon that
he has remembered you in his will. I
am sure you are willing to do any
thing in your power to help solve the
mystery of his death. | have II sort of
idea how his death came about. The
mystery. whatever it is, is in the ante
room where the bodies were found or
in the room next to it where the furni-
turc is. Now. | am going to lock up
those rooms. and | want YOU to see
that nobody enters them without your
knowledge"
Not very likely that anybody will
want to enter them. sir" and Parks
lduSliCN al gum htAlC titSh.
81 am not so sure of that" | dis
scented, speaking very seriously. In
fact, l am of the opinion that there is
somebody who wants to enter those
rooms very badly. | am going to make
it Your business to keep him out and
to get in."
Trust me for that. sir" said Parks
promptly. What is it you want me
to do?"
II want you to put Il cot in the hall
way outside the door of the anterooln
and sleep there tonight. Tomorrow /
will decide what further precautions
are necessary"
Very good. sir" said Parks. III
get the cot up at once"
There is one thing more" went
on. 81 have given the coroner my per
sonal assurance that non of the Serv-
ants will leave the house until after
the inquest. | suppose | can rely on
them?"
"Oh. yes. sir. I'll see they under
stand how important it is"
Rogers. especially" | added. looking
at him.
81 understand. sir" said Parks.
every we'll. And now let us go
down and lock up those rooms"
They were still ablaZe with light. but
both of us faltered Il little, | think, ON
the threshold of the anteroom. for in
| tho ,r;llIo - +I,o aonn ,4,ol An ,%,..I--.
and on it was an object covered with Il
sheet. it's outlines horribly suggestive.
But / took myself in hand and en-
tered. Parks followed me and closed
the door.
The anteroom had two windows, and
the room beyond. which was a corner
one. had three. All Of them were
locked. but a pane of glass seemed to
me an absurdly fragile barrier against
any one who really wished to enter.
aren't there some wooden shutters
for these windows?" | asked.
eyes. sir: they were taken down yes
terday and put in the basement. Shall
| get them"
Il think you'd BETTER l said. will
you need any help"'
mo. sir: they're not heavy. If you'll
wait here, you cal snap the bolts into
place when | lift them up from the
outside"
VERY WE'LL" l agreed, and Parks bur-
ried away.
l entered the inner room and stop
ped before the Boule cabinet. There
was a certain air Of arrogance about
it. as it stood there in that blaze of
light; something threatening. too:
something sinister and deadly
There was a rattle at the window.
and | saw Parks lifting one of the
shutters into place. | threw up the
sash. and pressed the heavy bolts care
fully into their sockets. then closed
the sash and locked it. The two other
windows We're secured in their turn,
and with a last look about the room.
l turned out the lights. The anteroom
windows were soon suffered in the
same way. Then, before extinguish-
ing the lights ! approached that silent
figure on the stretcher. lifted the sheet
and looked for the last time upon the
face Of my dead friend. 1t was no
longer staring and terrible. but calm