The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1936-04-17

| OOucWueEc III the pic u Tue CdStlC
q new light leaped into life-a definite
eye Of radiance, unshaded and uncon-
fined. For a moment It stabbed the
darkness, steady pinprick Of light.
Then It broke into a series of flashes
IA silent luminous stutter that no one
could ever mistake.
And 80 my eyes were opened. Before
his fellows could tell me, knew the
truth.
Pharaoh was on the ramparts, and
Pharaoh was going to talk" Pharaoh
had been in the castle the livelong day.
He had never left with Dewdrop. And
| now he was going to quench the lights
of the castle; and when he had put
them out, he would let his accomplices
in.
Dewdrop deciphered the message,
word by word.
neutrality-suspicious. dge-thtand-b
-to-enter-by-la -nighth-poth-
tern-directly-light
The lamp flashed once more and
went out.
Before 1 had gathered my wits, the
three were afoot.
To this day 1 cannot decide what 1
should have done. Had l left them
and dashed for the castle to give the
alarm, before 1 had found the warden
the lights would have failed. Had l at
tackled, whatever the result OF my et-
fort, think it is clear that must my
self have gone down, but Pharaoh
would still have been rampant. Inc
BRAIN the will and the drive promot-
ing this reign of terror belong to Pha-
raoh alone. And only the destruction
of Pharaoh could end this sinister RUE.
First Pharaoh, and then his fellows;
but Pharaoh first.
I say "that is how I saw It" but that
is more than the truth, for l saw IL
very darkly, and as I stole after my
quarry towards the bridge, l was my
self the prey of a horrid uncertainty
for which was not to blame. 1 had
staked and won; and now was taking
my winnings, as gamblers do. But this
was no gaming-table; this was the IN
slant business of life and death.
Wild to exploit the advantage
clearly held, in fear of wasting this by
striking too soon, in fear of losing 1t
by holding my hand, moved 10 PAGES
in rear of the shambling thieves, with
one hand on Sabre's collar and the
other on Geoffrey's knife.
So far as had gathered, they knew
no more than did what Pharaoh was
going to do. He was going to cut OH
the light-disarm the main switch
board, without a doubt. Then they
were to use the postern-
The vision brought me up with a
jerk.
How could they use the posternR
The postern was fast. Pharaoh must
have opened it somehow. Unknown to
the warden, he must have obtained the
key.
A sudden apprehension lifted Its
ugly head. In Pharaoh's presence Hell
ena had handed the warden master
key. That was the key with which
Pharaoh had opened the postern;
though no alarm had been raised, be-
cause nothing was known. Pharaoh
had killed the warden and had taken
the master key.
That this was so, I instantly made
up my mind. 'Talk about panic. :"
Blindness, havoc and panic would rule
the night. The sheep would have no
shepherd-and Godfrey and Barley
we're gone. How Pharaoh would find
the treasure, l could not think. But
that was Pharaohs affair. My way
at least was clear. The thieves would
bring me to Pharaoh and everything
was to be gained by my holding my
hand.
And here, as though by magic, the
lights of Yorick went out.
There was was now less need OF
silence and more of speed, for the
three rogues ran for the drawbridge
as hard as they could. Sabre and I
ran behind them. as though we be-
longed to the crew.
Ahead saw something white by the
castle wall. The three turned aside to
avoid it. and 1 did the same. AS
went by, saw that it was sheet. At
that moment Sabre left me-he seemed
to stop. But had no time to wrangle.
The postern-door was open. The
three stumbled in and stood waiting.
And / stood waiting without, with a
foot on the step and my head close
against the wall.
Then came Pharaoh's voice.
"Bugle"
"'Ere," said Bugle at once.
Don't talk. Whisper. Here. Take
these goods. Have you forgotten
them?"
"Tve got a SHOE" breathed Bugle.
"Wat's this?"
"a wipe," said Pharaoh. ITO which
side of the drive are the cars?"
ITO the right from here"
drop the wipe on the drawbridge,
and sling the shoe into the fields to the
left of the drive. If you want to live,
make it snappy. They're going to open
those gates before you get back"
AS Bugle went by me, saw that
here was a chance which would never
return. Pharaoh had used no torch.
| TO p,olo,c romiuiSoonan WAS frun thQ