FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149  
150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   >>   >|  
oise. We must be as quiet as possible about this. Luckily there's enough moonlight now for us to find even a small scrap of paper in the court." They stole through the window silently, one by one, and searched every inch of the court's space. But nothing was in it, save the grass and the flowers and the rosebushes that belonged there. They returned to the room, and once more looked at one another in dismay. "Shut the window entirely and lock the door, Kenton," said the general. Harry did so. Then the general looked at them all, and his face was set and very firm. "We must all be searched," he said. "I know that every one of you is the soul of honor. I know that not one of you has concealed about his person this document which has suddenly become so valuable. I know that not one of you would smuggle through to the enemy such a plan at any price, no matter how large. Nevertheless we must know beyond the shadow of a doubt that none of us has the map. And I insist, too, that I be searched first. Bathurst, Colton, begin!" They examined one another carefully in turn. Every pocket or possible place of concealment was searched. Harry was the last and when they were done with him the general heaved a huge sigh of relief. "We know positively that we are not guilty," he said. "We knew it before, but now we've proved it. That is off our minds, but the mystery of the missing map remains. What a strange combination of circumstances. I think, gentlemen, that we had best say nothing about it to outsiders. It's certainly to the interest of every one of us not to do so. It's also to the interest of all of us to watch the best we can for a solution. You're young, Kenton, but from what I hear of you you're able to keep your own counsel." "You can trust me, sir," said Harry. "I know it, and now unlock the door. We've held ourselves prisoners long enough, and they'll be wondering about us in the ballroom." Harry turned the key promptly enough and he was glad to escape from the room. He felt that he had left behind a sinister atmosphere. He had not mentioned to the older men the faint shadow that he thought he had seen crossing the courtyard. But then it was only fancy, nothing more, an idle figment of the brain! There was the music now, softer and more tempting than ever, an irresistible call to flying feet, and another dance with Rosamond Lawrence was due. "I thought you weren't coming, Lieutenant
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149  
150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
searched
 

general

 

Kenton

 
thought
 

shadow

 

interest

 

window

 

looked

 

solution

 

Rosamond


Lawrence

 
counsel
 

strange

 
combination
 
remains
 

Lieutenant

 

mystery

 

missing

 

circumstances

 

outsiders


gentlemen

 

coming

 

tempting

 

softer

 

crossing

 
figment
 

courtyard

 

irresistible

 

wondering

 

ballroom


turned

 

unlock

 
prisoners
 

promptly

 

sinister

 

atmosphere

 

mentioned

 

escape

 

flying

 

valuable


smuggle
 
suddenly
 

concealed

 

person

 

document

 
dismay
 

moonlight

 
Luckily
 
silently
 

flowers