Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1915-09-10

9uHudyf, WHICH OF course We're nj
only quiet times for writing" said tn
son, celebrating his tale with fila
2iety so once when I'd been tryinl
70 die Of scarlet fever, and my mothe
brought me back from Hastings afte
she'd had me there some time, tn,
DID governor told us he'd got a plac,
where he could disappear from tn,
district at a moments notice and ye
be back In another moment II we RANT
the gong. fancy he'd got to tell hel
where 1t was, pretty quick; but onl,
found out for myself by accident
Years afterward he told me he'd go
the idea from Jean Ingelow's place II
Italy somewhere"
Its In Florence" said Blanche
laughing, I've been there and seer
It, and it's the exact same thing. But
you mean Michael Angelo, Sweep"
"Oh, do II" he sail serenely. well
| shall never forget how ! found GU,
Its existence"
mo more shall | You told me al
about It at the time, as a terrific Sc
cret and may tell you that I've kept
It from that day to this!"
"You would" he said simply But
think Of having the nerve to pull up
the governors floor! 1t only shows
what q boy will do. | wonder II the
holes there still"
Now all the time the planetary de.
tectiye had been watching his satel-
lite engaged in an attempt to render
the damage done to the mahogany
doors little less conspicuous Mel
ther appeared to be taking any further
interest In the cigar cupboard, or pay
ing the slightest attention to GAIA
let's "reminiscences, But Mr.. Drink
water happened to have heard every
word, and In the last sentence there
was one that caused him to prick up
his expert ears instinctively
whats that about a hole?" said
he. turning round
Il was reminding Miss Macnalr how
the place first came to be-"
Yes, yes But what about some
hole in the fioor?"
Il made one myself with one OF
those knives that contain all sorts Of
Of things including a saw. 1t was one
Saturday afternoon Ii the summer hOl
idayC came In here from the gar
den as my father went out by thai
door into the hall, leaving one Of
these mahogany doors open by mis-
take II was the chance Of my life,
In | slipped to have look He came
back for something, saw the very door
you've broken standing ajar, and shut
II without looking In. SO there was
In a nice old trap! simply darent
call out and give myself away. There
was a bit of loose oilcloth On the
floor"
There is STILL" said the satellite
pausing In his task
Il moved the oilcloth, In the end;
hawked up one end of the board tuck
lily they weren't groove and tongue),
sawed through the next one to 1t, had
II up, too, and got through into the
foundations, leaving everything much
as | had found 1t. The place is 80
small that the oilcloth was obliged to
fall in place II 1t fell anywhere But
had plenty Of time, because my
people had gone In to dinner"
you ought to have been a burglar,
sir" said Mr.. Drinkwater ironically,
so you covered up sin with crime,
like half the gentlemen who go
through my hands for the first and
last time! But how did you get out
of the foundations?
oh, that was as easy as pie, I'd
often explored them. Do you remem'
Der the row ! got into, Blanche for
taking you with me once and simply
running your frock?"
Il remember the frock!" said
Blanche
1t was her last contribution to the
conversation; immediate develop
ments not only put an end to the fur
Their exchange Of ancient memories,
but rendered 1t presently impossible
by removing Cazalet from the scene
with the two detectives. Almost with,
out warning all three disappeared
down the makeshift trap-door cut by
one of them as a schoolboy In his
fathers floor.
She hardly even knew how 1t hap.
pened. The little place was SO small
that she never saw the hole until 1t
had ehgulfed two of the trio the third
explorer, Mr., Drinkwater himself, had
very courteously turned her out OF the
library before following the others.
And he had said so very little before
hand for her to hear, and so quickly
prevented Cazalet from saying any
thing at all, that she simply could not
think what any of them were doing
under the floor
Under her very feet she heard them
moving as she waited bit In the hall;
then she left the house by way OF the
servants quarters, of course without
holding any communication with those
mutineers, and only indignant that
Mr. Drinkwater should have requested
her not to do 30.
II was long half-hour that followed
for Blanche Macnair, but she passed 1t
Enthusiastically.
She turned her wholesome mind to
dogs which In some ways she knew
better and trusted further than men.
There was a DOG at Uplands, and as
yet she had seen nothing of him; he
lived In large kennel in the yard,
for he was large dog and rather
friendless, But Blanche knew him by
sight, and had felt always sorry for
him.
The large kennel was just outside
the back door. which was at the top
OF the cellar steps aud at the bot
tom of two or three leading into the