The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1939-06-02


cord which was binding her wrists.
Her blessed hands were free, and
her fingers, as though to thank me,
were fast about mine, when some
thing moved upon her, directly be-
low my face. It was a sliding move
ment upon the breast of her frock.
AS it moved, I felt her stiffen; and
so I knew it had nothing to do with
her; and when put down hand, !
found that 1t was the halter which
had been about her neck.
As I touched it, it moved again
and told me the truth.
Percy Virgil was feeling the other
end.
For once my brain worked quick
ly.
Virgil had found the cord and
knew what it was. And now he was
testing ito see if both ends were
free. If I gradually took the strain,
he would believe it still fast to Eliza
beth's neck, and would lead himself
up to his quarry, hand over hand.
Up to his helpless quarry? Up to
his doom.
I took the loop in my hand and
set out to play my fish =.
He came with a rush at the last,
and, with both of his hands on the
cord, he had no chance.
Before the man knew where he
| was, I had his wrists.
His hands were empty. No doubt,
when he found the cord, he had put
his pistol away. Be that as it may,
he was finished. The snake was
scotched.
OF course he fought like a mad
man. And II laughed in his face.
It was he that had lent me a
strength which was not Of this
world. / think, If I had pleased,
could have torn his arms from their
sockets and tossed them across the
court.
I let him fight in silence. And
when he was spent, I spoke to Eliza
beth, lying two PAGES away.
"Stay where you are, my lady,
and take out your gag"
She answered at once.
''I'm quite all right" she an
swered. ''I'm standing now"
"Then listen," said /. 81 want
you to leave the court. When you're
clear Of it, wait for me. may be
a little while, because of this ours
ed dark"
every WELL" said Elizabeth, shak-
lily.
I heard her turn and start NOV
ing towards the mouth of the court.
Come" said to Virgil. "Let's
look for the sepulcher."
With that, I turned him about,
without loosing his wrists.
Now meant to find that well, II
it took me an hour and a half; and
so, as is often the way, I found ii
almost at once. At least, I found
the car, which was near enough
or, rather, my prisoner found it, by
fouling one of its wings. Slowly I
steered him round it And SO,
a few moments later, we stood by
the side of the well.
To be sure, I circled this, brush
ing the parapet's side and counting
the three stone statues Of men-at-
arms-with Virgil always moving
before me, because I had hold of his
wrists. And then / turned him round
and bent him over its edge
"I'm going to kill you," I said,
because I know it's not safe to
let you live. If it was safe, I'd
thrash you within an inch of your
life, and then call in the police and
give them the inch that was left.
But you have taught me tonight
that, while you are still in being,
your cousin will always 60 in dan
ger Of death. And so, for once in a
way, I'll take a leaf out of your
book, and 60 all lengths"
The man said nothing at all, but
I could feel him trembling under
my hand.
AS bent him over the depths,
knew he was bracing his knees
against the parapet's wall, and God
knows I did not blame him, for as
leaned over above him, the awful
breath of the water smote my face.
It was chill, yet heavy, and reeked
Of death and decay, and it offered so
dreadful an earnest of what was to
come that for one instant I fiinched
from thrusting fellow creature to
such doom.
! suppose that he felt me falter,
for he threw his weight on to his
knees in one final, desperate effort
to hold himself back.
This, to no avail. For the para
pet crumbled before him, and we
went down together into the well.
do not know how far went
down, but ! know that my lungs
were bursting before I came up,
and the first thing clearly remem-
Der was scrabbling upon wall that
was coated with slime and finding
crack too small to admit my fin