Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1919-09-20
CHAPTER XIV-Continued

Lying there, he made swirl 'al'uIa-
tions. The quarry, no longer OF use I" .
the builder, was reasonably sure to De /
abandoned In all probability som" |
sort of II stone-cuttor's shed would b"
found nearby II would provide shelter
from the fine rain that was FILLING ana
from the chill night air. tie r""'Ih-
bcrcd tina, ODowd. In discussing me /
erection of Green Fancy the night be
fore. had said that the stone came
from uif two niles away, where
fine quality of granite had been t"Hh".
Two miles, according 10 Barnes quick
calculations. would bring ihr pit close
10 the northern boundary of th" Gurus
property and almost directly ON Il liu"
with the point where hr and SprouS'
entered the meadow AT the beginning
of their advance upon Green Fancy
That being the ease, they wcr" now
quite close to the stake and rider fence
separating the Curtis land from that
of the farmer uu The north.
"Good." hc said. more 10 himself
ihun To her. Il begin to see light. Are
you afraid to remain here while ] ="
down there for a look aruuudf !
,ha'n't bee gone more than couple of
minutes"
"Tlc way ! feel at present. sh"
said. irrhily. 81 shall never newer from
uS instant Gin the hour i'm which /
die, let go of your coal-tailS. Mr..
Barnes" Suumg the action 10 the
word. her Singers rcSolutcly fastened,
not upon the tail Of his coat but upon
his sturdy arm. Il wouldn't stay here
alone for anything in the world
Heaven bless YOU" he exclaimed.
suddenly exalted. And, since You put
it that way shall always c0ntrive 10
be within arms length"
And so. together, they yentured
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 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 1t over to the
boarding She laid her head
against his shoulder and sighed deeply.
.. He kept his eyes glued on the
door and, lissensa Tor The first ONT pous
49,, 1nfSidt < long fime afterSerdl
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 ii near
ly daybreak?"
He looked at his watch. Three
o'clock" he said.
There ensued another period of ST.
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 10 know whether | am to
address you as princess, duchess, Or
Just plain Miss"
Il am more accustomed to plain
Miss, Mr.. Barnes, than to either of
the titles you would give me-"
Don't you feel that / am deserving
Of II little enlightenment" he asked. 81
am working literally rs well as fig
uratively in the dark Who are you:
Why were you prisoner at Green
Fancy? Where and what is your M
tive landT"
MIR. 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. pray God a day may soon
come when | can reveal everything to .
yOu-and TO the world. | am of n !
stricken country; am trying 10 serve
the unhappy house that has ruled II
for centuries and is now in the drest
peril, The man you know as Loeb is
"a prince OF that house | may say this
10 you. AMI ii Will serve To explain my
position at Green Fancy: he is not the
prince / was led To believe awaited me
there. He is he cousin of the man
expected to meet and he j, the enemy
Of the branch Of the house that |
would serve. DO not ask me to say
more"
Your sNWuuthieS are with the en-
teute allies, the princes are opposed
a. tina, part OF Sprousc'> story ,rue?"
Yes"
And O'DoWdt"
"ODowd is English, Nj Barnes
If that conveys anything to you. He
Is not pro-Gornun."
Wasn't il pretty risky for you to
carry the crown Jewels around in q
travelling bag, Miss Cumcron*"
Il suppose So. II turned out. how
ever. that it wa, The safest Surest
wny. | had them u .v possession for
three days before coming to Green
Fancy. No one ~u~p. .tsI. was IN
deliver them 20 one d.. their ricbtfuI
owners, Mr. BaueS-u la..l prince of
the blood"
but why here" ne insisted.
He was TO take them into Canada
and thence, in good time, 10 The palace
of his ancestors" a
Il am to understand then. thar not
only You but the committee Won sneoI,
of. fell into a carefully prepared tran.
The treachery. therefore. had its In ,
ception in the loyal nest. You were he.
trayed by a friend"