Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1936-11-21
CHAPTER 2

SIR HENRY was now standing
in front of the altar, Reid OBJ
served, holding the lighted candle
before him with strange look Of
perpleXity on his face. 1t was
difficult to follow exactly what
happened, for the light was be-
tween the other watching man and
the baronet, but som thin e
stepped quickly from behind; there
was a swift movement, and Sir
Henry gave a sudden cry which
sounded like Escort. and with a
gasp that ended in a Stified cough
lurched forward on the stones.
The candle fell from his hands
with a crash and rolled on the
floor Blaclzness came down on
the scene, and bright spots swan
before Reid's eyes.
For a moment he felt sick and
giddy, and leaned against the wall;
then his courage returned, and he
sprang down the steps, flashing his
torch as he did so. There was no
one to be seen; only the body of
the baronet lying sprawled before
the altar, his face horribly twisted.
In his chest was the hilt of a
knife or dagger buried deep in his
body.
One glance was suf1icient-the
barOnet was dead beyond all
doubt. Reid saw he could be of no
use here. The chapel was empty
as far as he could see, but he
never stayed to make a search; his
own position was too precarious
He hurried through the chapel and
closed the door, locking it in fever
ish haste. He felt safer with the
massive locked doors between him
and whatever lurked in the chapel, |
but his glance was cast uneasily
at the stair that led down to the |
crypt. No sound broke the still
ness
Cool now, he went cautiously
along the corridor, listening in
tently for any sound, but the
whole house was silent with a
brooding Stiffness. His list Slip |
pers made no sound on the pol
ished stones of the old passage
way-stones worn by the feet of
the monks who trod the cloiSters |
in silent meditation in the monas-
tic days.
He reached the entrance to the
cellar and paused again. Safety
lay in instant fight, but a curious
inclination to see whether any
alarm might follow delayed him.
The pure moonlight flooded the
open courtyard, and he glanced out
Of the lancet window and stared
with cold intensity. The moon was
shining full upon the opposite side
OF the ancient building, showing
every stone and the creeper that
clung to the walls.
A window on the first floor was
open, and girl was gazing out
from the lattice with look of I'M
utterable horror on her beautiful
face. Seen in her white night at
tire, with the neck thrown open,
as though sh" were sitting, she
looked like young saint in dis
tress. He had never seen a fairer
sight. He knew the girl by sight
Sylvia Lawrence-and had met ;
her in the grounds with her two
charges, the Severinge twins. but I
nad taken no particular notice of {
her-Women did not interest him. {
Here was vision that would re-
main with him to his last dav. A {
molly virgin TRANSPORTED by the
moonlight-but one in an agony of {
apprehension. Reid tore himself {
away. and descended the cellar t
steps with the vision of that love- E
~, distressed face before him. S
He picked up the wading suit {
and stuffed it into his bag with
the gloves and slippers. adding \
some bits of stone from the Junk
scattered about the place. Then E
ne went head first through the t
aperture and slid noiselessly into s
the lake, replacing the iron bars I
carefully after him. {
His ears were strained for some /
sound from the house-some aw- ,
rui cry in the night-but none {
came, and he swan to the middle {
10 the shadow. The croaking of 8
frogs from the reeds and a faint s
greenish tinge in the sky betok- :
ened the coming of dawn, and a
chill wind had sprung up. He v
cropped his bag, first pulling the '
running cord at the mouth tight.
ihen he swan and waded to the :
shore. and reached for an over +