The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1939-02-10
CHAPTER n-Continued


We were now approaching the
foothills among which the castle
stood, but the drive was so serpen-
tine and the trees by its sides were
so thick that we could not see what
was coming for more than some SO
PAGES beyond each bend. We, there
fore, took the precaution Of leaving
the road for the bracken before we
rounded curve, to make sure the
next reach was empty before we
exposed ourselves. That we did so
was just as well, for quarter Of a
mile further on, ! lifted my head
from the bracken to see the closed
car at rest in the midst Of the
way. One of its doors was open,
and someone within was speaking
with Percy Virgil, who seemed to
be very angry and was pointing the
way we had come.
/ Be sure I dropped like stone,
and Herrick, moving behind me,
followed my lead.
The car then began to move back
wards slowly enough.
Now the drive was not wide
enough to allow any car to turn
round, but a track ran out of the
drive some six or seven PAGES from
where we lay. By making use of
this track, any chauffeur could turn
any ear, and I was ready to wager
that here the car would be turned.
Sure enough, in moment or two,
we saw the body swing backwards
into the track. For all that, I should
have been wrong, for the car did not
stop until it was four or five PAGES
clear of the drive, when the chauf-
feur. applied his mandrake and
switched his engine of. The car
had been parked.
AS somebody opened a door, Per-
cy Virgil strobe out of the. drive
and into the track.
Here I will say once for all that
throughout this tale ! shall report
in English such speech as was used.
Much was, of course, said in Ger
man, but though, when I heard it,
/ did not know what it meant, Her
rick translated it for me as soon as
ever he could.
As he came to the car
where's the wire?" snapped Vir-
gil. Cor have you forgotten that?"
eft is here" said another man.
"And the change Of clothes?"
"Also," said q woman's voice.
"An marked, as I said?"
''That is so.
''Then follow me-" said Virgil,
"and bring the wire"
Cautiously raising our heads, we
saw the procession set out-first Vir-
gil, then the man, then the woman,
with a dog on a lead. The chauf-
feur brought up the rear. They
passed behind the car and disap-
peared in the wood.
When Herrick explained what had
passed, put hand to my head.
'sWhat on earth does it mean?"
: Herrick shrugged his shoulders.
Unless" he said, "dear Percy is
making a film !"
(Which is absurd" said I. "But
50 is everything else. And where
does the dog come in?"
Nothing comes in," said Herrick.
"It's all preposterous. But I'm glad
to have seen dear Propositions
" glad"
Having seen ana hearl what we
had, I was for following Virgil, to
see what his business might be, but
when ] suggested this, Herrick
raised his eyebrows and glanced at
his watch.
AS you please" said he, ''but it's
now getting on for FIVE, and the out
door staff viii be up and about Iby
six. II we turn aside and start
stalking Percy and Co.-and it
means stalking, mark you: not
whipping along q road-by the time
we get back to our job, we may
find that we've missed the tide.''
This was sheer common sense, so
] said no more.
I Ten minutes perhaps had gone by
when the drive curled between the
foothills and then swung round to
the left and began to climb. AL
most at once the woods on its right
fell away, and there was the castle
before us. perhaps 800 yards off.
It made lovely picture, Lit by
the rising sun, for its tower and its
seven furrets stood out most bold
and brilliant AGAINST the blue Of the