The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1939-03-10
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LiCAP ACE, pSCduSS sic Ildo ~ HUGH
to buy, and in view of the miles be-
fore US, Herrick was more than con-
tent to be left behind.
For most of the day I drove, and
she sat by my side, and before we
| got back that night think had told
her all that ever did. 1t was dull
enough record, but have it she
would, because" said she, ''for
two years you played the part which
! should have played-you cared for
my poor father, and ! cannot know
enough of the man who did that"
We held the first of our councils
the following day-by the side OF
the stream in the meadows, before
II o'clock.
I said what had to say first
by Elizabeth's wish.
''To my way of thinking we've
only one object in view, and that
is to expose the man who for %
years has passed as the Count Of
Brief. If we can bring this about
we shall kill two birds with one
stone-we shall not only bring him
down but put Elizabeth up in her
proper place.
"The only way to expose him is
to make him expose himsef-admit
officially that what we allege is true.
And that he will never do, unless we
can force his hand. If we can hold
above him some threat sufficiently
grim, the man will do as we wish.
"What we need is some Informal
ton from which we can forge a
weapon which we can use. And that
will be hard to come by. It might
not have been so hard 20 years
ago; but the sources we might have
turned to have almost certainly
failed. Still, we're not in the hope
less position of not knowing where
to begin, because we have one clew,
which, if we can follow it up, may
lead us straight to a source which
is still alive.
''It is, think, a promising clew,
because it concerns secret OF
whose existence the Head of the
House should know. And Elizabeth
knows of its existence: but her un-
Gle does not She knows of its
existence, say: she does not yet
know what it is: but she knows
where it is-roughly.
: "The great tower of Brief-the
great tower. There is a doorway
there which no one would ever find.
You must go up, counting your
steps. And when you have =.
Zone thing more. Elizabeth may
not like the line I suggest. The Sc
cret, whatever it is, has been most
jealousy guarded for hundreds of
years. It may be something that
no outsider should know. And If
she's the slightest feeling against
our doing our utmost to find it out
well, she knows that she's only to
say so for me to drop this line and
never touch it again."
'sMy DEAR" said Elizabeth, quiet
", .'my father tried to give it to
you. 1t may be that you can use it
those were his words. Do you
think / would revoke his bequest?
Why, he never even charged you to
tell me =. Never mind. Of course
you're right. That doorway's our
only chance. I've no idea what is
behind tho more than you. But
think it may lead to something
which, as you put it, will give us the
weapon we need. As for looking
for the doorway-we'n have to be
careful, of course, but that shouldn't
be very hard. AS q rule Brief
sleeps very sound, and if ! like to
return when Brief is asleep ="
She held up Yale key. "That's
my key. II will let us into the tur-
ret which leads to my rooms. My
rooms give to a landing, and the
landing will lead to the tower. And
nobody lives there now. The rooms
are just as they were when my
grandfather died: but they are not
occupied. It's rather pity, really:
except for the stairs between, they
make a delightful suite"
"What does it consist Oft" said
Herrick. II never saw it, you
know"
"Two sitting-rooms, bedroom and
bathroom. Why do you ask?"
81 was wondering if they'd suit
u.s. said Herrick. "Just for 48
hours, you know. ! mean, this
search will take time. And it would
be so very convenient to be on the
spot"
stared at him open-mouthed, but
Elizabeth threw up her head and
began to laugh.
"You're true to type" she said.
"The TESTERS counsel was nearly
always the best. And why shouldn't
Brenda come, too? She can look aft
er us all and wait upon me-"
Though the tower was unoccupied,
its apartments were aired and dust
ed twice in the week. Every Mon
day and Thursday these things were
done, and since the day was Sunday,
we determined to take possession
the following night. In this way for
So hours we should have the tower
to ourselves.
That Sunday afternoon Brenda