Page:Randall Parrish--My Lady of the South.djvu/312



HAD an hour, then, in which to attempt the solving of this mystery, and still retain opportunity for escape. I could rely upon O'Brien to guard carefully the lower hall and prevent interruption, while I thoroughly investigated the upper portion of the house, and again explored the tunnel. Indeed the first portion of this task was already accomplished, for I could recall no nook or cranny which I had not examined. Possibly the woman might have slipped past me in the hall while I was exploring the rooms, but I had left the doors open, and had watched so closely as to make this highly improbable. To my mind there remained only the underground passage to search, and I purposed making my search thorough in every particular. I went back to the front chamber, seeking my revolver, but found no trace of it, and was compelled to proceed unarmed. A bit uneasy at being weaponless I took the precaution of glancing again into each room, to reassure myself of the emptiness of all, before plunging into the tunnel.

The fire-screen moved easily, and I propped it back with a chair, so it could not be closed upon me without human aid, and lit the lantern, which had apparently remained undisturbed since our last trip that way. The [ 294 ]