Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1919-07-31
CHAPTER xIv-continued.

abandoned. In all probability some
sort of a stone-cutters shed would be
found nearby. 1t would provide shelter
from the fine rain that was falling and
from the chill night air. He remem-
bered that O'Dowd, in discussing the
erection of Green Fancy the night be-
fore, had said that the stone came
from a pit two miles away, where
fine quality of granite had been found.
Two miles, according to Barnes quick
calculations, would bring the pit close
TO the northern boundary of the Curtis
property and almost directly on line
with the point where he and Sprouse
entered the meadow at the beginning
of their advance upon Green Fancy.
That being the case, they We're now
quite close to the stake and rider fence
separating the Curtis land from that
of the farmer on the north.
Good" he said, more to himself
than to her. Il begin to see light. Are
you afraid to remain here while | go
down there for a look around? !
sha'n't be gone more than couple of
minutes"
"The way feel at present" she
said, jeridly, II shall never, never from
this instant till the hour in which J.
die, let go Of your coat-talls, Mr.
Barnes Suiting the action to the
word. her fingers resolutely fastened
not upon the tail of his coat but upon
~ f1,,o 8 lpff cto
alone for anything in the world
Heaven bless YOU he exclaimed
suddenly exalted. "And, since you put
1t that way / shall always contrive to
be within arms length"
And so, together, they ventured
along the edge of the pit until they
reached the wagon road at the bottom.
AS he had expected, there was ram
shackle shed hard by. 1t was not
much of place, but it was deserted
and a safe shelter for the moment.
A workman's bench lay on its side in
the middle of the earthen floor He
righted it and drew it over to the
boarding She laid her head
against his shoulder and sighed deeply.
He kept his eyes glued on the
door and listened for the first ominous
sound outside. A long time afterward
she stirred.
Are you cold? You are wet"
at was the excitement, the nervous
ness, Mr.. Barnes" she said, drawing
slightly away from him. isn't it near
ly daybreak?"
. He looked at his watch. "Three
o'clock he said.
There ensued another period of 81
lence She remained slightly aloof.
you'd better lean against me-" he
said at last. II am softer than the
beastly boards, you know, and quite as
harmless"
Thank you," she said, and promptly
settled herself against his shoulder.
at is better" she sighed.
"Would you mind telling me some
thing about yourself, Miss Cameron?
should like to know whether l am to
just plain Miss"
81 am more accustomed to plain
Miss, Mr.. Barnes, than to either of
the titles you would give me-"
Don't you feel that l am deserving
of a little enlightenment" he asked. Il
am working literally as well as fig
uratively in the dark. Who are youf
Why were you a prisoner at Green
Fancy? Where and what is YOUR ma
tive land?"
''Mr. Barnes, / cannot answer any
one of your questions without jeopar-
dizing a cause that is dearer to me
than anything else in all the world.
am sorry. l pray God day may soon
come when l can reveal everything to
you-and TO the world. / am of a
stricken country; ! am trying to serve
the unhappy house that has ruled it
for centuries and is now in the direst
peril. The man you know as Loeb is
a prince of that house. l may say this
to you, and it will serve 10 explain my
position at Green Fancy he is not the
prince / was led'to believe awaited me
there. He is the cousin of the man
expected to meet, and he is the enemy
of the branch of the house that
would serve. Do not ask me to say
more"
Your sympathies are with the en-
tente allies, the princes are opposed?
Is that part of Sprouse's story trueT
ayes"
''And O'DowdT"
"ODowd is anti-English, Mr.. Barnes,
If that conveys anything to you. He
is not pro-Gernian."
wasn't it pretty risky for you to
carry the crown jewels around in a
travelling bag, Miss Cameron"
Il suppose so. 1t turned out, how
ever, that it was the safest, surest
way. had them in my possession for
three days before coming to Green
Fancy. No one suspected. / was to
deliver them to one of their rightful