Page 271 (1/1)

Since she had co thethe whole landscape rendered the direy: it appeared as an attribute of the air Anne crept round to the back of the house, listening intently The steward had had at least ten ht count fifty, when she heard aThis outhouse was partitioned into an outer and an inner room, which had been a kitchen and a scullery before the connecting erections were pulled down, but they were now used respectively as a brewhouse and workshop, the only h the brewhouse The outer door of this first apartment was usually fastened by a padlock on the exterior It was now closed, but not fastened Manston was evidently in the outhouse

She slightly looht fell towards her in a line across the floor from the inner or workshop door, which was not quite closed This light was unexpected, none having been visible through hole or crevice Glancing in, the woman found that he had placed cloths anda sack at theto prevent the egress of a single ray She could also perceive froht fell across the brewing-copper just outside the inner door, and that upon it lay the key of her bedroom The illuminated interior of the workshop was also partly visible froh the two half-open doors Manston was engaged in eallipots, and old iron it contained When it was quite cleared he took a chisel, and with it began to withdraw the hooks and shoulder-nails holding the cupboard to the wall All these being loosened, he extended his arms, lifted the cupboard bodily from the brackets under it, and deposited it on the floor beside him

That portion of the hich had been screened by the cupboard was now laid bare This, it appeared, had been plastered more recently than the bulk of the outhouse Manston loosened the plaster with so the pieces into a basket as they fell

Having now stripped clear about two feet area of wall, he inserted a crowbar between the joints of the bricks beneath, softly wriggling it until several were loosened There was now disclosed the mouth of an old oven, which was apparently contrived in the thickness of the wall, and having fallen into disuse, had been closed up with bricks in this manner It was for--a mere oblate cavity without a flue