Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-03-23
the accuracy of these instructive feel

the accuracy Of these instructive feel
lngs.
And Godfrey himself. l reflected, did
not seem TO be very clear in the mat
Ter II Silva was merely q faEir aud q
ciiafiatan, there WAS no reason why he
should wish to inauct Miss Vaughan
INTO The mysteries of a religion that
ne Wore only as a cloak, to be dropped
as soon as his plans We're accomplished.
on the other hand, if he was sincere
anu really wished to onver the girl.
1t was only reasonable to suppose he
was sincere in other things as we'll.
1T reduces itself to this" l said fl
nally to Godfrey. IF Silva is a char
lataa, there is no reason Why he should
hNpnotize Miss Vaughan; but if he
really wishes to make a priestess OF
her, then, by the same token, he is SIN
cere and not a charlatan at ALL"
Godfrey nodded.
There's q twist there that l can't
seem to get straight" he admitted.
Well have to watch Silva a little
longer to find out what his game really
Is. OF course it's just possible that
nee be glad to get rid of the girl, but
that she really is obsessed by The idea
of carrying out her fathers wish. II
that's the case, Silva is rather up a
tree"
That's where we'd better be get
ting broke in Simmonds, who had ia
- 'oN> tiit M - tp. " ll'S
light. It's nearl - o'clock, and don't
want to miss the fireworks. Besides.
you fellows don't gain anything by all
this iawing. You've been at it for an
hour, ana you're more tangled up now
than when you started. My motto with
a case of this kline is just to sit quiet
and watch it; and, pretty soon, the rat
thinks the coast is clear, and pokes out
his head, and you nab him.
There's a good deal in that" agreed
Godfrey, with a little laugh. Il admit
that our arguing doesn't seem to lead
anywhere, Come along" and he led
the way out among the trees.
Now take these fireworks" went on
Slmmonds, in a low tone, when we
Were sitting side by side on the limb.
II don't understand what they mean;
but they must mean something. Am
| laying awake nights worrying about
them? Not me! I'm just going to keep
on watching till I find out what the
meaning is. I know you're a great fell
low for theory and deduction, and all
that sort of thing. Godfrey, and I know
you've pulled off some mighty clever
stunts; but, after all, there's nothing
like patience
"Yes-'its logged as does it,"
agreed Godfrey. Patience is a great
thing. ! only wish l had more of it,"
1T would be a good thing" assented
Simmords, candidly; and then we fell
silent, gazing out into the darkness.
Surely" said Godfrey, at last, 1T
must be 10 o'clock"
Sinmonds get u his watch and
flashed upon it a ray from his electric
torch.
Yes" he said; its four minutes
after"
! felt Godfrey's hand stiffen on my
arm.
Then there's something wrong" he
whispered. You remember, Lester,
Er-h n 4 - 1rr tln fJ@ {t~.~ {lNt
light failed to appear. A nan was
murdered"
The darkness into which 1 stared
seemed suddenly to grow threatening
and sinister, full of vague %terrors. Even
Simmonds grew uneasy and l could
feel his arm twitching.
Godfrey put his foot on the ladder.
and began to descend. Simmonds and
l followed him silently.
Tn going over the WALL he said,
when We were on the ground. Some
things wrong, and We've got to find
out what 1t is"
How will we get down?" asked Sim
monds. There's no ladder there"
I'VE can stand on the top Of the
wall" he said, at last. land lift this
ladder over. 1t won't be easy, but it
can be done. Go ahead, Lester, and be
careful of the glass"
l mounted the ladder, felt cautiously
along the top of the wall and found a
place where I could put my feet: Sim
monds followed me, and then came
Godfrey. His was the difficult part, to
draw up the ladder and lower it again.
AS for me, it was all l could do to keep
from falling. l felt absurdly as though
! wer standing on a tremulous tight
rope. high in the air: but Godfrey man.
aged it somehow and started down.
And at that instant, there shrilled
through the night the high, piercing
note of a police whistle. 1t rose and
fell, rose and fell, rose and fell; and
then came poignant silence. The
sound stabbed through me. Without
hesitation or thought of peril, l let my
self go and plunged downward into the
darkness.