Show CAN YOU TELL WHY I The Tho man who doos the Ibo most work always has the most lo 10 do Tho stork does dom not oven cast cul q shadow when ho files flies over oel a rich titans mans house HU bands of or women who have ha 11 loss less homes so frequently spend their evenings abroad There Thero is no Ink luk to lo bo ho found around arou 1 tho house when a n man wants to write I i I I I I I jacques Jacque shook his head HUB has fw said paid that Ike chateau Is Oro might find it difficult without K ro z And you ou will he be that guide I said saM with assurance Ho shook his head hearl still moro more vigor Impossible Madam would object Besides there thero Is Alphonse Alphonse Who hio is he lie Ho lic is 18 madams confidential sen servant senant ant At least you jou can tell mo me the thc way waylo to lo the towers 1 I have ha e never neer been to lo the Iho towers the tho man persisted Then the staircase Is concealed I 1 asked sharply irritated at his hy hi hypocrisy h I have seen the tapestry near nea r tho the gallery move very vcr strangely he ho blurted out Captain Forbes then was wa Imprisoned in one of the towers lowers The Thu stair staircase case leading thither was concealed be behind behind behind hind a secret door hidden by a tapes tapestry tapestry try tr This door was near the gallery allej So far so well But I remembered rom d that lint thoro was wa ono one central tower flanked by h three smaller towers In which of ot them was Captain Forbes held a prisoner I camo came to the lie point directly To fence with the fellow was wasting time Tho rooms In m the tho towers towels thorn them themselves selves must be bo Interesting In n me medieval times they the were no doubt used as U dungeons If there here can be bo dungeons In the air au In ln which of these towers docs does Dr Stana usually lodge his friends I asked the question not without trepidation I was tolerably sure of or my mr man but hut for the moment J feared that I 1 had overshot the lie mark marlc Ho He poised a tray on his palm and shuffled hastily to lo lie Iho door as If he ho were frightened fri at the Information he lie had already given You have forgotten something I Isaid IsaId Isaid said carelessly and tapped the notes on the the table able Me lie hesitated then re returning returnIng returning turning snatched at them When one has ascended the secret stairway tah lY ho said In iii a low voice one finds fluids oneself in iii a bare room That Is the lie central tower It is 15 a triangle In At tho the corners of or tho the triangle t I re rc are aro three doors opening on three smaller rooms the dungeons as mono mon monsieur calls them One of these rooms is li the oratory of or madam Monsieur knows that madam mallam Is very religious When madam is not to be seen she is Js at her prayers Again ho lie seized his tray but I had still another question to ask Which of or those these rooms Is the tho ora oxa oratory oraton tory ton And in which does Dr Stara lodge hIs Ins friends But monsieur I do not know he lie stammered and anc again seized his tray tra traYou You know ow very ver well if Jf you think I commanded He Ho rubbed lub ed his nose a gesture curl curi curiously reflective and agitated He turned himself about like a 11 top lop as ho bo tried or pretended to try tr to remember remember ber toward which points of or tho tIm com corn compass pass Jass the various arious rooms faced Monsieur knows that tho the chateau Itself Itsel does docs not nol face faco either south north northeast northeast east cast or west The oratory is to tho the south No It points to lo the thc west The Tho locked room Dr that thata la Ia to tho the east cast But no truly tuly your Excel Eccel Excellency lency lenc It is impossible for mo me to re remember remember remember member He fled from tl room the dishes on his tray rattling in his perturbation Lion tion But Bul he had told me much I know knew that if 1 I could find the secret staircase to the towers if J I 1 could force open tho thio door behind the tapestry I might bag both my birds with one shot Captain Forbes in tn his prison or Madame do at hex her prayers pra ers It was all one to me rae CHAPTER A Terrifying Apparition I T did not hesitate There Thero vas was no notime notime time lime like the tho present This servant had hind been false falsa to lo Madame do de false to Dr He Ho would betray mo with as compunction If it Il were made worth his while I walked slowly up the grand stair stairway stairway way wa leading from tho thio ball hall I gained the gallery galler that ran ian about the hall meeting no one I pretended to be In Interested interested In examining the designs of or orthe the tapestry I tapped the Iho wall vaIl as I moved deliberately along It H seemed to mo me quite solid in every eer direction I began to think that Jacques had haul been playing pla with me meAs meAs As I 1 stood thero there the confidential servant of Madame do de appeared suddenly before me mc Either his tread treal had been heon catlike or orthe orthe orthe the secret was very yer near I thought I read consternation on his face I leaned over tho ho carved railing of the gallery gazing gazin down into tho the hall haIl hallAm Am I not to t see Madame de do Var before long 1 shall shah tell toll madam that thal your Excel Excellency lency lenc Is wailing waiting I If you ou please 1 I walked carelessly down I the Iho long I corridor that led to my m room 1 I closed tho the door but bill I was careful to hold tho handle in my m hand and in an Instant my m eye eyo C O was at tho the keyhole holc lIe Ho had paused irresolutely looking down the tho corridor toward my mr room Evidently he lie was dismayed at al having ha Ing heen been surprised by br me inc Ho was heal whether ho should return to warn Madame do d Vanler Luckily ho did not nol hesitate long hong longHe longHe I He vanished anish d round tIm Iho corner comor of or orthe the In an Instant I had haul fol followed 01 lowed loved him hilll As he lifted the tapestry he touched a spring A door dool opened noiselessly noiseless essly Ono One moment Alphonse I cried TO BE liE CONTINUED I |