Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1915-11-18
5NT FREDERICK COUNTY Md THURSDAY NOVEMBER 49, 1916

glance at it's contents made me turn
pale. There, reposing in a place of
honor in the center OF the other gems,
was the onyx engraved with the pro-
file Of Vespasian!
ut was now for the first time that
light began to break upon my mind.
To you, who hear only the circum-
stances which | have been obliged to
mention in making my story clear,
1t has, no doubt, been easy to guess
the solution all along. can only say
that till | saw the seal there in it's
place, as If nothing had happened,
not the faintest suspicion Of the truth
had entered my mind.
THE person who had restored that
seal to it's place must, of course, be in
possession of the secret of Vescaro's
fate. And that person could be equally
only one man-Cardinal Salvatierra.
AT last | began to perceive the
manner in which | had been duped.
The last | had seen Of Vescaro was
when he was walking towards the
end Of the gallery with the seal in
his hand, followed by Salvatierra and
the Dominican. had only the cardin.
ais assurance-his suggestion rather
that the count had ever returned!
Stunned by this blow, turned a
glance towards the end WALL which l
have already described as being COW
cred with mirror, which gave a de-
ceptive appearance to the length OF
the gallery. 1 started, and gave vent
to stified cry. This wall was close
to, almost touching the case which
contained the seals.
81 rubbed my eyes and stared. How,
II this were so, could l have seen Yes
caro- and the two others walk off in
that direction? l gazed round dis
tractedly searching for something to
enlighten me. observed the Egyptian
statue still in its place, though it, also,
now appeared to be standing close
up against the end wall. | looked
further for the Buddhist Idol on its
bracket. 1t was nowhere to be seen!
l became positive-yes. the bracket
supporting the idol was farther along
the wall which | now beheld was
false one, which could be withdrawn
at will, leaving space beyond.
The trap once closed, no doubt
there had been men waiting to rush
out and secure the prisoner, while
Salvatierra and the Dominican
perhaps a familiar of the holy Office
had made their way back by some
secret passage.
81 made brief examination of the
walls of the gallery, and found what |
expected Immediately behind the
Egyptian statue was a panel, which
sounded hollow to my knock. 1t was
no doubt opened by secret spring,
and the statue had been placed there
to conceal the opening.
There was no more for me to do IN
the gallery, and / came away. But l
had not yet ascertained Vescaro's
ultimate fate.
"The evidence was supplied to me
almost by accident. On quitting the
museum turned into the grounds of
the Vatican, where | had special priv
ileges as an ambassador to the court,
and which / had never properly ex'
plored The vast extent of these
grounds is we'll known, and | wan
dered on idly till | came to what ap-
peared to be disused cemetery, hid
den in a remote corner. Guided, per
haps by an intuition, l passed into
this little burial ground, in which |
had not walked far before perceived
in front of me what had the aspect
OF a newly-made grave. l stepped hast
lily forward, and on small stone
which had been placed at the head
/ read the inscription in Latin:
Draw for tho CouI of