The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1936-04-24
By
Dornford Yates
Copyright by Minton. Balch & Co.
wNU Service.
CHAPTER X-Continued

working burst suddenly into play. Its
liquor was bitter-sweet-and 1t made
me drunken with rage. A girl had been
mishandled. Not the Countess Hell
ena Of Yorick, for she was not Of this
life; but slight, pathetic figure, whose
head was bare that had stood very
still In a valley.
What then took place, happened
more swiftly than can set 1t down.
Bugle was on the drawbridge, and
was standing, ready and waiting to kill
him, three PAGES away. I saw the man
drop the handkerchief and 1 saw him
draw back his arm to discharge the
shoe. 1t was then that I noticed Sabre
-nosing the scrap of linen, white on
the bridge. =.
AS the shoe left Bugle's hand, the
Alsatian crouched, and as he turned
to come back, the great dog sprang.
The shock would have sent giant
flying, for Sabre weighed fully six
stone.
AS Bugle met the rail of the draw
bridge, heard bone snap.
And then the two went over, into the
moat.
The splash they made must have
been heard, but for the cutlery within
the castle itself.
AS I ran for the postern, heard
hubbub in the archway and Florin's
voice calling to Hubert to open the
gates.
AS stumbled into the passage
This is the stuff" breathed Rush.
Sup the stairs on yer left. I've got to
lock this door,"
Pharaoh and .Dewdrop were gone. I
needed Rush to bring me where they
were.
Without a word, turned to the
steps I knew. -.
AS 1 came to their head, l became
aware of a radiance-a faint sugges-
ton of light, enough to outline the
doorway that gave to the little hall.
Another step, and I heard the drone
of voice.
entered the hall a-tiptoe.
One of its doors was half-open-not
that of the staircase which led to Hell
ena's room. Beyond this light was
burning, the light Of a torch-and an
ice-cold voice was teaching a bitter
sentence to cut like a whetted knife.
$50 you see, there's not much left.
Tomorrow morning, no doubt, order
will be restored. Very likely the police
will arrive. They won't arrive tonight,
for the telephone isn't working. I'm
afraid I'm to blame for that. The
search, which is now proceeding in
somewhat haphazard way, will be or
gained; clues will be sifted; the alb
duction will be reconstructed. Your
sheets are below the ramparts, so
they'll know you were taken that way.
Your handkerchief lies on the draw
bridge; the slipper which you kicked
off will be found in the fields. ex-
pect they'll employ your Alsatian-Im
sure should. But as 1 carried you
here, don't think that he will come
off. One has to think Of these things.
Be that as 1t may, no stone will be
left unturned to find the beautiful
countess-you really are lovely, you
know-the worshipful mistress Of YOr-
lex, that carted her drunken brother
out of her way. And all the time
you'll be here, sharing this somewhat
unfriendly chamber with me and my
friends. :. You do see the point, don't
you? They won't search the castle,
because they'll know for certain we're
none of us here. You didn't search it
this morning-you knew / was gone.
And If they did search the castle. I
hardly think Florin would let them
look in this room. It's cleverly done,
that door. You've got to be curious to
find 1t and an expert to find its lock.
I'm both. found them on Wednesday
evening-with the help of your broth
er's key. I need hardly say that had
known that the key which you hand
ed the warden was his and not yours,
we should have adjourned to this
chamber this morning instead of to-
night. However, alrs well that ends
well. :"
A stealthy step behind me remem-
bered Rush.
AS turned, he was locking the door
at the head of the curling stair.
For q fraction Of a second I hesi-
tated. Rush was at my mercy. Was
this the time to unmask? And then l
decided to stake my winnings once
more.
Rush Strengthened his back and
turned to the half-open door. Then he
hung on his heel for an instant, to
breathe in my ear.
"Come on, you. I'll give you Pha-
raoh's a genius. He's got little Sheba
cold"
Here, since it bears upon my story,
must describe how you entered that
secret room.
This was the way Of It.
In the massive door from the hall
the keyhole was set to the right, and
when you had turned the key, the iron
studded oak opened inwards and so
to the left. At once you found your
self at the foot Of a staircase turret,
49, nR - alx A. IL 49,