Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-11
CHAPTER XII.
TINY THREADS.

TT was just half-past nine when we
passed under the gatehouSe OF New
place. On the bridge six men had
II silently fallen in behind us, saying
no word to anybody.
Inside the gate one dropped out and
stood motionless near the door of Mar
iing'S house. The other five followed
us. At the fork of the road two dis
appeared towards the cloisterS. The
remaining three accompanied us to the
house. One OF these walked around
to the back. One stayed in the shadow
of the porch. NThe last of the six en-
tered with us and stood aside in the
hall. We made single file procession
in the vaulted corridor, now lit up
by electric bulbs, and issued into the
library.
Mr.. Fotherbury and the doctor were
sitting by the center table talking. Mr..
Fotherbury rose and came to Laxton,
saying:
"Af, professor, you've brought your
friend who's going to show us a way
through the maze? VIII you all find
Laxton stood aside and indicated
Redslade.
"A little surprise for you, Mr.. Fother-
bury" he said. This is Mr.. Redslade,
the former owner Of Newplace."
Mr.. Fotherburys surprise was not so
little.
IT apologize for my rudeneSs," said
he, after a moment OF silence. "Mr.
Redslade! Has he risen from the
dead?"
Laxton laughed q little.
Substantial ghost, eh?" he said.
.'But. truly a ghost. Pells ghost, In
."Pells ghostl Poor Penl" Mr..
Totherbu1ry shuddered' "shan't we all
Eyes, Mr.. Fotherbury," said Laxton,
''here's the ghost Pell was about to
conjure up in his room when he lost
his life. I'm sorry some Of the people
to whom he wished to show his ghost
are not here now. and particularly one
of them-Marling."
"Ah--Marling. You know"
Eyes. Marling Is no longer available
however, we proceed without him.
This, then, is the former owner Of New
place. 1t Is also Pell's ghost. 1t is
also an escaped convict"
Good gracious!" exclaimed Mr..
Eotherbury.
"Yes-but don't be alarmed. have
already presented to him q free par
don. He escaped from Dartmoor on
the oath OF June. He also knocked me
out in your corridor on the 25th of
June"
1T suppose this is not an elaborate
joke, Laxton?" Mr.. Fotherbury OBJ
served.
Absolutely protean, isn't it?" said
Laxton, with his heartiest laugh. "But
no-it's not a Joke. I hadn't quite
come to the end. He Is also the person
who was found in possession Of the
book stolen from your library, Mr..
my request, and here IL Is"
Laxton turned back the covers Of
Sheldon and took out the vellum-bound
quarto Of the Abbot John Deacon.
Mr.. Fotherbury'S eyes opened wide.
IT think it quite likely" said Laxton,
shat this book is the little string to
guide us out Of the maze, Mr.. Fother-
bury. AS you know, it's a manuscript
history Of Newplace by the last abbot
The part that interests us Is the last
page or two, written, so they tell me, at
the beginning Of 1888, when the abbot
got word that good King Hal was going
to send his famous visitor, Bishop Ing
worth, to sell up the place. The bishop,
when he arrived, found there wasn't
much Doodle in Newplace for his
Majesty.
"Yet Newplace had been q rich abb
hey. There were legends of great gifts
made to 1t and Of much treasure stored.
What d'you think happened to 1t. Mr..
Fotherbury?"
81 haven't the faintest idea, pro-
fessof."
Then you have missed the little
thread In the abbot'S book" said Lax
ton, tapping on the open page. Here
IL iS-plain as Q turnpike, to anybody
who can read church Latin and under
stand q map"
He pushed the book into the middle
Of the table and we all bent over to look
at the map. It was ground plan of
the church. IAxton's finger picked out
d circle.
'"This "a the translation Of the few
words referring to the mark:
sand q The highIZ gtstsd and very reverend