The Carlisle independent., 1917-09-27

''You'lI Be Safe With This," He Said. lodged back into the library, smooth ing his clothes as he did so, and gained his chair satisfied that hs had been un- observed. Half minute I,ter the but Ter and another servant came running in.
 There's been a murder upstairs, sir!' the butler gasped.
 Sebastian rose. "A murder?' he in- quired blandly.
 Two burglars, sir. We heard them fighting. One shot the other and made his getaway"
 Get a doctor. quick !p
 Its too late for doctor He's dead, sir. Shall I telephone for the policeY'
 "No, leave it to me. I'll see to it,'' Sebastian answered.
 
 The shock of the explosion that had cost Bianica her life brought Ra- vengar back to consciousness in the cellar. He opened his eyes to find the walls dissolying about him. The cellar rocked under the force of the detona- tion
 4 heavy beam came crashing down upon him. Almost Iniraculously it fell across his body in such a manner Us to pin him where he was without further injuring him.
 His inconsistencies had partaken more of the nature of sleep. He felt refreshed, almost invigorated as he rose to his feet But he remembered nothing of what had happened since he entered the cellar.
 One thing, however, flashed back in- to his consciousness. That was the mantle. He had hidden it in the cleft between the rocks, and he must ob- tain it.
 The walls of the cellar gaped apart in many places. Rayengar erawled slowly and painfully out between two stones. He gained the open and looked about him. Nobody was in sight
 As matter of fact. the two crooks were on the other side of the house,
 
 plot with glee. Had Ravengar emerged upon that side they would have seen him. Luck had brought him out at the back, among the thick foliage of the low shrubs that grew almost to the kitchen door.
 Staggering painfully Rayengar made his way among the pines. He had gone little way when ne heard the sound of an approaching automobile He did not wait but hurried into the recesses of the forest. Stumbling on, at length he reached the spot where he had hid den the mantle after his fall from the cliff. He put his hand between the stones, and drew it out tenderly. fear ful of tearing it. He put it about him and returned to the hut.
 His heart was filled with forebodings as to Leontine's fate. Dearly as he had longed to find her, he had known for both their sakes that the mantle must be his first objective. Now. as his brain began to clear, he wondered what the explosion had been which wrecked the hut.
 He wondered whether Leontine had been in the hut at the time. But he would not let his mind dwell on that possibility. And he did not know that the entire hut was wrecked. He hur- ried on, feeling stronger every moment. For the first time since his wounding- too, he realized that he was hungry.
 He was nearing the hut when he saw the automobile in the road, in charge of the chauffeur. He walked boldly to- ward it, stopped and regarded the man quietly. The chauffeurs eyes passed by his without a sign of perception. Ravengar was now completely satis- fed. The rough handling to which the mantle had been subjected had done it no injury.
 He went on toward the cabin. His heart was beating fast, and nameless terrors held him. Leontine, He felt like calling for her. He wanted to. shout. Surely, if she were living, she would hear and answer him, wherever she were.
 Then his heart gave great leap of gladness. Upon the threshold of the wrecked structure he saw Leontine- seated, her face bowed in her hands. while the tears streamed through her fingers. He went up to her, but for some moments his emotion was too great to permit him to speak.
 She seemed to sense his presence, for she looked up wistfully. Ravengar- pulled the mantle from his face and shoulders. With wild cry of glad
 nsn1HRped to her feet. and
 s to him.