t it seemed to him as though they might be movable, for he was on
the lookout for movable stones or secret doors, which might slide
away in the "Udolpho" fashion and disclose secret passages or hidden
chambers. He therefore tried each of these in various ways, but found
them all alike, fixed and immovable.

But now, as he stood trying the topmost stone, with his torch held
aloft, the glare of the light shone upon the sides of the chimney and
disclosed that very opening which Russell had already discovered. At
first he thought that it might be a side flue, or a ventilator, or a
contrivance to help the draught; but immediately after, the thought
flashed upon him that the mysterious figure might be concealed here.

In an instant he began to clamber up the stones, full of eager
excitement. On reaching the top he found, to his amazement, that he
was in a deep niche which ran into the wall several feet, and was
high enough for him to stand in. Into this he peered eagerly,
thinking that he might discover his mysterious visitant, but he saw
nothing. But as he thus stood gazing into the niche with sharpest
scrutiny, he saw something white lying on the floor only a few feet
from him. He stooped forward and picked it up. It was a parcel,
wrapped up in stiff paper, about twelve inches long, six wide, and
one in thickness. It was evidently a collection of documents of some
sort. Full of wonder at this strange discovery, Harry now forgot all
about the mysterious apparition, and thought no more about the
strangeness of the place where he was. He was only eager to learn the
contents of the package, and to investigate them without being seen.
Although he did not believe that any eye could behold him in that
dark recess, yet he felt afraid, nevertheless, that some spy might be
lurking near--some one like his late visitant--and therefore he
descended once more to the room, where he felt safer. Here, after
going all around, and peering out of every window, and looking also
and listening at the door, he felt satisfied that he was unobserved.
He now went into a corner of the room at the head of the bed and
knelt down, facing the corner in such a way that he could conceal the
package while examining it. Here, with eager hands, he tore it open,
and the contents lay before him.

These contents consisted of a number of printed documents, all folded
up so as to be of uniform size. One of these he took up and opened.
It was in Spanish, with for