Page 84 (1/2)

Froreeable reflections Ricardo was shaken Lele arden and the house A whisper was exchanged, and the

party turned and hted

on the ground floor As Lemerre reached it he stooped Then

slowly his forehead and his eyes rose above the sill and glanced

this way and that into the rooht froht them His face rose

completely over the sill He stared into the rooain out of the reach of the

light He turned to Hanaud

"The room is empty," he whispered Hanaud turned to Ricardo

"Pass under the sill, or the light from the ill throw your

shadow upon the lawn"

The party came to the back door of the house Lemerre tried the

handle of the door, and to his surprise it yielded They crept

into the passage The last man closed the door noiselessly, locked

it, and reht shone upon the wall a

few paces ahead The door of the lighted room was open As Ricardo

stepped silently past it, he looked in It was a parlour meanly

furnished Hanaud touched him on the arm and pointed to the table

Ricardo had seen the objects at which Hanaud pointed often enough

without uneasiness; but now, in this silent house of cri aspect There was a tiny phial