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The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1930-04-10, Page 3** by gillllillliiiiilllllillllllllllllillllliilllllllll THE STORY SO FAR Hugh Drummond and Peter Dar­ rell are interested in Mr. Grang­ er, who lives at Temple Towers, which is strongly fortified. Miss Vprney accepts a position as pri­ vate secretary to Mr. Granger and her friend (Freckles) Tom Scott js staging with Hugh. At the pplphin Inn when Hugh is stand­ ing on the doorstep someone ‘ knocks a large chimney-pot down bijt it did not hit him. That night •tiiey visited Spragge’s. Farm where roomer is staying. They seen a ■yery , disreputable character of a man in the workshop making a rope ladder. On their return to the car they found someone had • left a note and bad removed all the spark plugs, Hugh visits his •friend John and finds that some- *one has stolen the plans of Temple Tower and the means of finding the secret passage. NOW GO ON.WITH THE STORY CHAPTER V llniilliiililllliiiiliiiililiiiiiiiBn wc shall get is from Miss I want you and Peter to from two to three this af- in case she gets a note over I’m going to turn in for daylight Verney. be there ternoon, : the wall. couple of hours, and then this ev- uing our work really Ibegins.’ “The Marsh again?” e Ins, asked Freck- ‘No, young fellow—Temple Tow- ’ said Hugh gravely. "If any- ■In Which. We Come to tlie Wood ‘hot, at Temple Towers For a while we stared at him in sile'nc'e, and at that moment Freckles ■"You’r.e certain, John,” said Hugh at length;, "thattit ign’t hidden away in a drawer sofnewhere?” "Of course I’m certain, old man,” answered the Mother. “The. darned thing was framed, and it used to bang in a corner of tho hal]. When I went to get it this morning it was- . m’t there. I sent for the butler, and he’swore on his Bible oath‘that it was there yesterday. Besides, there is indre to it than that. It appear­ ed'that when we were at dinner last night, a‘man called- to see me. One tof the footmen answered the door, .and told him I\ had a party. The anan looked all right apparently, and when he'said that he would wait and that 1 was not to be dis­ turbed- on any account, the footman ’ showed him into a room off the hall. iTlien the daYned fool forgot about him for some. time. As soon as he remembered ’ lie , went back to the room and’ found that the bird had gone. Heb.ydajid -a hurried survey, and when, ” as .’tar as he could see, nothing wag mining, .he decided that his best policy was to say nothing about-it. Of course when 1 found’ out what had happened, I igave him the very devil. He was very con­ trite about it: assured me again and ■again that the man had looked like a gentleman:■,that he had driven up in a car aqd all that. But when it came to describing him to me it was hopeless. He 1 gave a description ■ that would fit a hundred people. And .all he could really say was that lie would know him again if he saw him”, - "It bears out wfiat wO were say­ ing, Peter,” said Hugh thoughtfully. "Where were we discussing the plan? Why, in the little room again. And - we Were overheard there. It stands to reason.’ An old plan of Temple Tower is of no earthly value to any­ body, unless they are connected with •this -business. A pony to a tanner at is the woman. By the way, John, 5 ^suppose it wasn't our, bearded friend who visited you?” “Not. unless he’d shared off his heard.-.'"H ven. my mutton-headed poop would. have noticed that .amount oi face fungus. But there is one rather ’important point, which I forgot to tell you yesterday. The plan. was framed-, and on the back of it is some writing. • And that’ writing gives the cl^e to the .secret entrance. The..plan, of course, shows wliere, it is approximately, but with­ out the writing; at the pack you can’t get in.” "And yoir hyven’t any idea what is written there;?" I asked. "Not the remotest. Dash it, old boy! I was only about eleven'years old at the time.” "As you say, John, that is very •impbrtapt,” said Hugh what it boils down to as see :is that, unless tlie pinched it .tikes it out o at is useless him.” "That’ ;of it,” agreed* the other, "Gosh’ You fellows,” "I’d give something to daylight- in this. Anyw ■and gnaw a bone,” And all through lunch we argued at backwards and forwards. Was it 'the man 'We had seen at Spragge's Farm who had* stolen the plan, of was it, perhaps, Jean Picot the .chauffeur? "That’s a point, John," said Hugh. '"Go and ring up your place and find out if the footman can <$ay what sort ■of a car it was the ’jnan camo in, See if he remembers the colour: that anight help,” But again We drew plank. The Car bad not been left at the front door, -and the man had no idea on the •ject. ’ "The more I see of it, Scott,” Hugh as we finished lunch, more do I think that tho first . ‘’Because far as I can bloke that f the frame / s about the long and short said Hugh, see a little ay, let's go sub- said “the real er body gets .inside that wall we’re go­ ing to follow.” And so two o’clock found Freckles and me ensconced in the little wood which lay opposite the front gate. Hugh had turned in: John James had returned to Laidley Towers with lhe infinite intention of getting some kit and then coming back to house. As he pointed -out, 'it bis plan, and if there was any and laughter going begging, he going to have a dip at it. Not unnaturally, the boy was a bit on edge, and I certainly didn't blame him. All that we could see of ■ the house was the tower; the rest of it was hidden by the wall. And in the drowsy afternoon the whole place looked m,ore like a prison than ever. Even to me it was so gloomy as to be depressing, and I hadn’t got my fiancee inside. We hardly talked at all, and when we did for some reason or other; we found ourselves whispering. .Save for the drone of countless insects, the silence was absolute: even the birds seemed stricken dumb. Once a farm wagon creaked slowly by, the driver half asleep; but except for that the road was deserted. And after awhile FrockleS began to doze. I suppose J. must have followed his example, because I distinctly remem­ ber that I had a brief vivid dream -of the beast-faced man at Spragge’s Farm. And then, quite suddenly, I was Wide awake.- "Something had moved not far away, and the sound had roused me. I sat up and glanc­ ed at my watch: it was a quarter to three. I looked at Freckles: he was sleeping peacefully. Then I stared around me: what was the noise 1 had heard? The undergrowth was dense: and I could see nothing. But that noise which had Sounded like a cracking of a twig must have been caused by something.- Or somebody. And- then- (—I cannot explain it—I began to be | aware of a peculiar sensation, a sen- I sation I had never experienced be­ fore. Someone was watching I knew it. Once again I stared all round once again I .saw nothing save brambles and trees. But the feel­ ing grew on me, till it amounted to a certainty. I was being watched. Back to my mind came Hugh’s words of that morning: he, too, had felt the same sensation in the sand dunes. And after a while I could stand it no longer: I got up. Still no spund: still no sign, but the feel­ ing remained. The silent watcher was still there. I to,ok a few steps for­ ward, and there came the sudden crack of another twig. And now I knew I was right: we were not alone in the wood. Absurd I know, and I am almost ashamed to admit it, but for some reason or other the most unreason­ ing panic began to - get ho.ld of me. And only by taking a firm pull at hiyself did I*remain‘ where I was. In the* middle of a .summer’s afternoon for a,grown man to be frightened in an English wood was utterly ridicu­ lous. and yrct the plain fact remain­ ed that I was. The noise seemed to come from the direction in which I was facing, and'acting on a sudden impulse I plunged into the under­ growth. There ■ was nothing—-noth­ ing at -all: A bird startled by the noi^e flew away chattering angrily, but-of anyone human thefe was no sign, I took a few mo're steps, peer­ ing in every direction, with the same result. And then, suddenly, I heard Freckles calling me, and his voice was urgent, • - ‘Darrell! Darrell! Where are you?’ "Here I am,” I "answered. “What's the matter?” I found him sitting up, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. “I must have been dreaming,” lie said slowly. “And yet X could have sworn I was awake.’" "What do you think you saw?” asked. "It is a most extraordinary thing,’ he said, “but I thought I saw a black figure through those bushes over there. It was all black, standing be­ tween those two trees. Just at first I thought it was you, until it moved: then I saw it wasn’t. And then it suddenly vanished.” "Let’s go and have a look,” I said; and together we,walked over to the two tree's. But there was no one ■there, and though we listened intent­ ly we heard xio further sound. The wood had related Unto its drowsy silence oiice inorb. "A trick of the light most likely lie said. "Some shadow or other "Shadows don’t come and go,” answered. "As a matter of fact for the past five minutes I’ve had the THE EXETER TIMES-ADVOCATE talk- his .flry Uns my- and PQ- for darling?” here, Tom . was going to he there gate. 'The woman was we wormed our” way a forward in order to see whole thing was evid­ damn it,” he cried, “If was someone tljei’e, doing in that extraor- He was absolutely most peculiar shape.” doesn’t matter. But I your master.” don’t wish t-o see you, AIWL 10, 1W fur convenience Toronto I T SBECAUSE F. J. DELBRTDGE Exeter*, Ont. RH further particulars cies, asTssued by the Confederation Life Association. MILO SNELL, EXETER, ONT. v J. E. McDonell, Hensall, Ont., Assoc. Dealer Chas* Fritz, Zurich, Orit., Associate Dealer C.93$t3 CANADIAN - ■ ' ■............... • ...... ■■ ■ ■ '-I ■ ■■ to The coupon is for Impression that wo were bei»£ watch­ ed.” "Hut, there really what was he dlnary rig. black, and a "What do you mean by a peculiar I said. blowed if I kwm what I do he answered, scratching his "But he didn’t look normal,” he didn’t seem to have a face lie was a black outline.” He Confound I’m not tight. And J What tho deuce shape?’ "I’m mean,” head. "No; at all. gave an irritable laugh. it Darrell, know I was awake, is in this wood?” "It’s a bit too big a proposition tb I said. "I ob- to the was fun was me me; tlie explore at the moment,” think we’d better return to our serration post; we don’t want miss the letter if it comes,” We went back to our original sition and lay down again. And the next ten minutes while we wait­ ed I have no hesitation in admitting that I frequently found myself look­ ing over my shoulder into the shad­ ows foebinid us. What was this sterious being* that I had heard, Freckles had seen? After a while I glanced at watch: it was ten minutes three o’clock. And I was on my past the point of suggesting that we should give it up, when something skimmed over the wall and fell in tho Toad, not two yards from where we were lying. It was the letter, and it had hardly reached the ground before Freckles had it in his pocket. “Fat,” he called out in a low voice "Pat.” "I-Iullo!” I just heard her answer from the other side. "Are you all right, "Yes, quite. Look But whatever she say we missed, because at that mo­ ment Freckles glanced up the road. I-Ie let out an urgent “Shut up,” and bolted back under the cover beside me. “The Vandalis,” he muttered, and even as he spoke I heard the roar of their ear in the distance. It drew up almost in front of us, but for­ tunately in such a position that we could see the ’ * driving, and little further better. The ently cut and dried beforehand, and a direct frontal assault was the plant Vandali got out of the car, looking more overdressed than he had in the Dolphin, walked over to the bell and rang it. Then he lit a cigarette, and coming back to the car, stood-,,.lean­ ing against it and talking to the girl. Once I thought he must have seen us, because lie stared perfectly straight at me, and seemed to pause .for 2an instant .in his conversation. But he gave ho further sign,- and a few minutes later, the hole in the gate was opened and Gaspard looked out. Vandali turned round, and for a while he and the girl stared at him in silence. Then Vandali spoke. "Is Mr. Granger at home?” “That’s as may -be,” retorted the other. "Who are you,. an,d what do you .want?” “My name wish to see "Well, he nor anyone else.” He made as if to shut the hole in the gate, hut, Vandali stepped for­ ward. "Wait a minute, juy friend, said. "You know who is down on the Marsh, don’t you?” “I don’t know what you are ing about,” said Gaspard hoarsely. "Honj’t! lie; it is foolish,” said Vandali, "You know that you are found at last—"or rather your master is. And you know what that means.” Gaspard moistened with his tongue "Tei peated. “As I said before,” answered Van­ dali, "it doesn’t matter who I am. But go and toll your master that someone who knows everything is outside and wishes to speak to him. And tell him further that he need have no fear.” For a while the man hesitated: then he slammed and bolted the pan­ el of the opening and we heard his steps departing up the drive. "I wofider,” said Vandali thought­ fully to the girl, “if it will work the trick. We- hit the mark all right over Marillard. Still it is only guess-work.” (To be continued.) Announces New 64 Confederation Series ” of Policies The Confederation Life Association has just issued an entirely new series of lower premium policies called the “Confederation Series.” These policies enable the insured to buy the largest^ amount of immediate protection at a low rate, and may be had in the form of Ordinary Life, Limit nient JLife and Endowment plans Total Disa Double. Indemnity Accident Benefits may these policies and Wejkave prepared a pamphlet giving^lucid explana­ tion of our purpose in issuing, an >ur advantage in Name. Address.. Occupation... 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