The Washington times., 1920-07-25
CContinsed from Preceding Poos)

hs IL stoppou-
Even then 1t did not occur to
Vivian that he was a prisoner. and
Il was only after frutless search
that he came TO the conclusion that
his treasure-house bid fair to be-
come a tomb. AS the significance
of this came home to him little
beads OF cold perspiration broke
out over his body and he tottered
weakly to one of the ironclamped
chests.
II seemed to him that he had
succeeded only to fail; that there
was nothing for II but to attract
the attention OF old Henri. Even
then it might be impossible for the
old man to release him without the
key, which Vivian felt pressing cold
against his breast,
He thought that even II he es-
capped the hideous death which
faced him he would lose the riches
which he had Tisked SO much to
gain. He imagined himself dying
by inches, ravaged by hunger and
thirst and mocked by the cleaning
Jewels around him. For few mo-
ments despair seized the soul OF
Vivian Renton. and he sat dazed,
his head buried In his hands.
It was not long before the reac-
ton came. There was time before
him and the grating promised more
than a ray Of hope. Fortunately,
the sketch In the dining-room was
unfinished, and old Henri would
see nothing suspicious in the paint
box and book left open awaiting Its
completion, taking 1t for granted
that the painter would return the
next day.
The prisoner did not wait to ask
himself what he would find at the
foot of the dark stairs behind the
iron bars. II had ever been his
motto that troubles anticipated
were twice borne, and that bridges
were made to be crossed as one
came to them-not before. He
found his work easier now that he
had the leverage of the loose bar
to assist him. In half an hour
Vivian was ready to descend. 1t
was part of the mans character
that he should take the pick OF the
stones before he left the chamber.
He handled them carelessly, thrust
ing them into the big pockets of
int Then hn cfnOd
on the top step.
There were eighteen steps in all,
but they were high and narrow and
the descent was sharp. At the foot
an opening led apparently beneath
the body Of the chateau. With
torch extended before him Vivian
proceeded. After a few moments
the air grew colder and the walls,
where he touched them, were
clammy and moss-grown. The man
told himself that he was now be-
meath the old moat. At intervals
he passed other dark entries which
ran in all directions-narrow little
tortuous alleys, many Of which he
explored for few feet, only to re-
turn to the main way. More than
once, too. a pit yawned suddenly
at his feet, and had it not been for
his inborn caution the Chateau
Chauville would have added yet
another secret to its dark history.
It must have been after an hours
walking that the walls on either
hand seemed to recede from Vivian
until at last they were lost in the
gloom beyond the reach Of the rays
Of the little torch. Apparently the
tunnel had widened out into a
chamber.
The man hesitated, somewhat
mystified by the loss Of the friendly
walls, and at the same moment his
feet came sharply into contact with
some obstruction. He stumbled,
the torch fell from his hands, a
thousand stars danced before him.
He came to himself in bewilder-
ment. The darkness closing in
upon him seemed in the silence to
be pressing on him. His head
ached abominably and there was q
wound in the centre Of his fore
heSd that was warm and sticky to
his touch. Slowly it all came back
to him and he knew he must have
struck his head as he fell. He
reached out, cropping in the dark
ness in the hope Of finding the
torch uninjured In this he was
disappointed, but he made the dis
covery that he was lying beside a
perpendicular structure OF masonry,
which, on raising his hand, he
found to- be the support OF what
felt to be table OF stone, loo and
heavily built.
Painfully he drew himself up on
to his knees and so to his feet.
Again his hands did. duty for his
eyes and a little cry Of horror
broke from the mans dry lips.
Beneath the touch Of his sensi-
tive hands form was taking shape
the unmistakable shape OF a
coffin. II seemed to him that In
the darkness he could make out
the dim outlines, the sinister bulge
Of the sides. Feverishly, now, he