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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (March 12, 1936)
COPYRIGHT BY MINTON.BAlCH.t CO. w.n.ii. smvi^^l CHAPTER X—Continued —13— But Dewdrop had no comfort to offer. That the three were waiting for Pharaoh seemed pretty clear. But where was Pharaoh now? And what had Pharaoh been doing since seven o’clock? He had not seen Rush or Bugle, nor had he learned their news. More. While his men had the use of the Rolls, Pharaoh was rising his feet. And that was not like Pharaoh. Somewhere in the pile of the cas tle a new light leaped Into life—a definite eye of radiance, unshaded and unconfined. For a moment It stabbed the darkness, a steady pin prick of light. Then it broke into a series of flashes—a silent luminous stutter that no one could ever mis take. And so my eyes were opened. Be fore his fellows could tell me, L knew the truth. Pharaoh wras on the ramparts, and Pharaoh was going to “talk.” Pha raoh had been in the castle the live long day. He had never left with Dewdrop. And now he was going to quench the lights of the castle; and when he had put them out, he would let his accomplices In. Dewdrop deciphered the message, word by word. “Clothe—up—to—bridge — thtand —by—to—enter—by—lntht — nighth —pothtern—directly—lighth—fall." The lamp flashed once more and went out. Before I had gathered my wits, the three were afoot. To this day I cannot decide what I should have done. Had I left * them and dashed for the castle to give the alarm, before I had found the warden the lights would have failed. Had I attacked, whatever tlte result of my effort, I think It is clear that I must myself have gone down, hut Pharaoh would still have been rampant. The brain, the will and the drive prompting this reign of terror belong to Pharaoh alone. And only the destruction of Fharnoh could end this sinister rule. First Pharaoh, and then his fellows; but Pharaoh first. I say “that is how I saw it," but that Is more than the truth, for I saw it very darkly, and ns I stole after my quarry towards the bridge, I was myself the prey of a horrid uncertainty for which I was not to blame. I had staked and won; and now I was taking my winnings as gamblers do. But this was no gam ing-table; this was the Instant busi ness of life and death. Wild to exploit the advantage I clearly held, in fear of wasting this by striking too soon, in fear of los ing it by holding my hand, I moved 10 paces in rear of the shambling thieves, with one hand on Sabre’s collar and the other on Geoffrey’s knife. So far as I had gathered, they knew no more than I did what I’ha raoh was going to do. He was go ing to cut off the light—disarm the main switchboard, without a doubt. Then they were to use the post ern— The vision brought me up with a jerk. How could they use the postern? The postern was fast. Pharaoh must have opened it somehow. Un known to the warden, he must have obtained the key. . A sudden apprehension lifted its ugly head. In Pharaoh's presence Helena had handed the warden a master key. That was the key with which Pharaoh had opened the postern; though no alarm had been raised, because nothing was known. Pharaoh had killed the warden and had taken the master key. That this was so, I instantly made up my mind. “Talk about panic. . . .” Blindness, havoc and panic would rule the night. The sheep would have no shepherd— and Geoffrey and Barley were gone. How Pharaoh would find the treas ure, I could not think. My wuy at least was clear. The thieves would bring me to Pharaoh and ev erything was to be gained by my holding my hand. And here, ns though by magic, the lights of Yorick went out. There was now less need of si lence and more of speed, - for the three rogues ran for the draw bridge as hard as they could. Sabre and I ran behind them, as though we belonged to the crew. Ahead I saw something white by the castle wall. The three turned aside to avoid It, and I did the same. As I went by, I saw that it was a sheet. At that moment Sabre left me—he seemed to stop. But I had no time to wrangle. . . The postern-door was open. The three stumbled In and stood wait ing. And I stood waiting without, and with a foot on the step and uiy head close against the wall. Then catne Pharaoh’s voice. “Bugle.’’ “’Ere," said Bugle at once. “Don't talk. Whisper. Here. Take these goods. . . . Have you forgot ten them?" “I’ve got a shoe." breathed Bu gle. “Wat's this?" “A wipe.” said Pharaoh. “To which side of the drive are the cars?” “They’re to the right from here.” “Drop the wipe on the draw bridge, and sling the shoe into the fields to the left of the drive. If you want to live, make It snappy. They’re going to open those gates before you get back.” As Bugle went by me, I saw that here was a chance which would never return. Pharaoh had used no torch. If Bugle’s reminiscence was true, the probability was that he would not use one tonight. I was tall and thick-set, very much about Bugle’s build—a suit I had left at Plumage was fitting him very well; and Bugle had been told to whis per. . . . In a flash I was running for the drawbridge in Bugle’s wake. The castle was alive with niur murs—sounds of disorder and dis tress; someone was out on the ram parts, raving (to me!) men were Sabre and I Ran Behind Them. trampling and shouting; I could hear blows falling upon woodwork and the shiver of breaking glass. I>ut 1 heard these things as in a dream, for now I knew whose key had opened the postern, whose handkerchief would lie on the drawbridge, whose slipper fall in the fields. . . . The knowledge set my heart pounding. Some fountain that had not been working burst suddenly into play. Its liquor was bitter sweet— and it made me drunken with rage. A girl had been mis handled. Not the Countess Helena of Yorick, for she was not of this life; but a slight, pathetic figure, whose head was bare . . . that had stood very still in a valley. What then took plnce, happened more swiftly than I can set It down. Bugle was on the drawbridge, and 1 was standing, ready and wait ing to kill him, three paces away. I saw the man drop the handker chief and I saw him draw back his arm to discharge the shoe. It 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 lie turned to come back, the great dog sprang. The shock would have sent a giant flying, for Sabre weighed fully six stone. As Bugle met the rail of the drawbridge, I heard a bone snap. And then the twro went over, into the moat. The splash they made must have ! been heard, but for the outcry with in the castle itself. As I ran for the postern. I heard a hubbub in the archway and Flo rin's voice calling to Hubert to open the gates. As I stumbled into the passage_ “This is the stufr." breathed Rush. “Up the stairs on yer left. I’ve got to lock this door." It seemed best to do ns he said. Pharaoh and Dewdrop were gone. I needed Rush to bring me where they were. Without a word, I turned to the steps I knew. . . . As I came to their head, I be came aware of a radiance—a faint suggestion of light, enough to out line the doorway that gave to the little hall. Another step, and I heard the drone of a voice. I entered the hall a-tlptoe. One of its doors was half-open— not that of the staircase which led to Helena’s room. Beyond this a light was burning, the light of a torch — and an ice-cold voice was teaching a bitter sentence to cut like a whetted knife. “So 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 a somewhat haphazard way. will be organized; clues will be sifted; the abduction 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. “I expect they’ll employ your Alsatian—I’m sure I should. But as I carried you here. I don’t think that he will come off. One has to think of these things. Be that as it may. no stone will be left un turned to find the beautiful count ess — you really are lovely, you knew—the worshipful mistress of Yorlck, that carted her drunken brother out of her way. And all the time you’ll be here, sharing this somewhat unfriendly chnrnber 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 I 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 It and an ex pert to find its lock. I’m both. I found them on Wednesday evening —with the help of your brother's key. I need hardly say that had I known that the key which you handed the warden was his and not yours, we should have adjourned to this chamber this morning instead of tonight. However, all's well that ends well. . . .” A stealthy step behind me remem bered Rush. As 1 turned, he was locking the door at the head of the curling stair. For a fraction of a second 1 hesi tated. Rush was at my mercy. Was this the time to unmask? And then T decided to stake my winnings once more. Rush straightened his hack and turned to the half-open door. Then lie 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 Shelia cold.” **•••*• Here, since it hears upon my story, I must describe how you en tered that secret room. This was the way of It. In the massive door from the hall (lie keyhole was set to the right, and when you had turned tile key, the iron-studded oak opened in wards and so to the left. At once you found yourself at the foot of n staircase-turret, the steps of which rose to die right and nfter three or four rises curled out of your view. Now the door was very heavy and, not being truly hung, had to lie held open; if it were not so held, it at once swung back to its frame and, since its lock was a spring lock. shut itself fast. A catch was, therefore, provided, to prevent It from playing this trick—the sort of self-acting catch that is used for an entrance gate; and do bring this catch into action, you had but to open the door as wide as you could. Rut by so doing you were masking another door. Enter the turret and let the door shut behind you, and there in the wall which the door, when open, had hidden, was another smaller doorway which gave to the secret room. The door which Is framed was also of oak and Iron, but though It boasted a handle, there was no keyhole at all. It was In fact locked by the catch which held open the major door. Turn this catch to one side, and the minor door would swing open without a sound. From within the room this door, when shut, could neither he opened nor seen, because it was backed with the woodwork which covered the walls. All this, of course, I learned later. All that i knew at the moment was that the door to the room had been “cleverly done.” Rush whispered over Ids shoul der. “Watch ojit for this door. It's wedged.” He sidled round the oak and I followed, with a hand on my pistol and Geoffrey's knife in my sleeve. I shall never forget the scene. Only one torch was alight, and this was so held by Oewdrop that Its beam fell on Helena's face. To this the eye naturally turned,,and In an instant the rest of the room was black. She was sitting upright on a bench, with her hack to the pan elled wall. The neck of her dress was torn and had fallen from one of her shoulders. If anything, her air was listless: she did not seem to be breathing, she sat so still. Her eyes were lowered to avoid the glare of the torch, but her beau tiful head was high, and for all the emotion she showed she might have been sitting in a church. The sight of her captive and des olate hit me hard. That Pharaoh had been able to seize her was all ni.v fault: but for me, she would have had Sabre, her bodyguard. More. Had I returned to the castle, my cousin and Bar ley and I would all have been there, and the odds against Pharaoh’s success would have been absurd: as It was, I had made them even— and Pharaoh had won. The beam of the torch was blind ing and I shut my eyes and sank my chin on my chest. I wanted to be able to see where Pharaoh was. Bush was beside me; he had lingered a moment to take up the wedge and to lock the major door, but now he was standing beside me —I could hear him licking his lips. And Dewdrop, a pace or two dis tant, was holding the torch. But I had not distinguished Pharaoh, and Pharaoh was first on my list. Then the man spoke again, nnd I knew that he was standing or sit ting on the farther side of the room. “As always. I’m perfectly frank. My hand is upon the treasure. It's simply a question of testing these walls and this floor. But I can’t get It out of the castle—at least, not as much ns I want. I don't like to use the drawbridge: 1 be lieve even your bucolics would And that strange. But 1 know there's another way out. You took it with Mr. Spencer five nights ago." There was » little silence. Then— “do on." sa Id Helena, quietly. “You will fell me that way," said I’haraoh. “And then?*' “We shall work till dawn, re moving as much ns we can.” “And then?" “We shall clear up and go.’’ said Pharaoh. “And you will be free. I hardly think you’ll want anybody to find us—In possession of so much gold." “‘Clear up nnd,’" said Helena. “What do you mean bv ‘clear up?’” “I mean what you think 1 mean. There's a nuisance I've got to abate.” “If you were honest, you’d say ‘a score to settle.’” * “I prefer the term ‘nuisance.’ Still, that may have to wait a lit tle. At dawn we shall leave the castle, and you will he free.” Helena took a deep breath. “I see,” she said. “And now I'll tell you something. You’ve got a long way, but a long way Is never enough. You know that you’re near the gold, hut you don’t know how to reach It. It’s very wpII to talk of testing these walls and this floor, but that’s a job for a mason, and you know It ns well as I. But if the gold was here, as you admit ted just now, you couldn’t get It away. More. So long ns you stay here, you're safe, for no one will open this room. But ‘the longer you stay here, the slighter your chance of escape. You've only the Rolls and my mpn will very soon find that, looking for me, And to morrow, as you surmise, order will he restored. Quite good order, I warn you : Air. Rohun will see to that. If you wait till then, there fore, you will have to cut your way out. You’ll have no gold to carry, so that should be easy enough: hut once you are out, you’ll have no sort of transport nnd the park will he full of my people, looking for me. Of course, ns I say, if you stay here, you’re perfectly safe. But you’ve neither food nor water, nnd nothing that you can think of will make me talk.” "What, nothing?" said Pharaoh. “Nothing." said Helena, calmly. “You’ve no one here to torture, and I’m not afraid for myself. For the moment I’m up ngalnst It: but you are up against time.” It was clear that she meant what she said: tier fearlessness was sub lime. i wondered ir sue neiieved what Phnrnoh hatl said. “Removing as much as we can . . . clear up and go . . . and you will be free." Once Phnrnoh hurl access to more than a million pounds, was Pharaoh the mnn to grab what he could and bolt? If she opened her mouth. Pharaoh would certainly go. It seemed likely that he would take with him a thousand pounds. Fif teen hundred, perhaps: Dewdrop and Bugle and Rush could ench of them manage a hag. And some thing else he would take—against his return : and that was her mas ter key. And she herself would be free, or she would he dead. Was it likely that Pharaoh, the ruthless, would spare her life? Spare her to cut off his access. If nothing else? ‘‘It certainly looks,’’ he said, "as though we shan’t he able to finish tonight. Still, these things shouldn’t be rushed. And yon know 1 can't help feeling that twenty-four hours In this chamber "ill help you to change your mind. The quarters are close, aren’t they?” "So much," said Helena, calmly, “may happen In twenty-four hours." "As I was saying, here we are out of the world, and time will stand still. Outside—well, the ward en will rage and your people Imag ine vain things: Mr. Rohun will or ganize: Mr. Spencer will grin like a dog and run about the—” “Mr. Spencer’s the rock you've split on from first to last." (TO HE COM'INI'El)) Tuskegee Institute Tuskegee Institute, an institution for the education of negroes, was established In 1881 by an act of the Alabama legislature under the name of Tuskegee State Normal school. It was opened July 4, 1S8L Monograms Make Your Linens Doubly Precious PATTERN 112# Variety's the Spice of Life—and monograms, too, for the smartest ones today combine letters In vary ing Sizes. 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