The Argosy, Vol. XXIV, No. 3 — page 164: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

548 A CONSPIRACY OF THE CATACOMBS. him ran back up the stairs, the door at the top slammed to, and a bolt grated harshly. Safford pulled the bandage from his eyes. He was in absolute darkness, He moved about very cautiously until he came to the wall—a damp stone wall. He followed it around, and found himself in a room about ten feet square and six feet high, paved, ceiled, and walled with stone, with no window and no _ door save the one at the top of the stairs. It was a dungeon. But where? Why? He took some comfort in the fact that he had not yet been killed, for if he was doomed to die, he saw no reason for delay. The long hours of the night dragged with sickening slowness, ‘There was nothing to mark the day when it came, for no ray of light entered the dun- geon, till the door was opened for a moment, and a tray of not unappetizing food set inside. Not long afterwards the door was again unbolted, and the tray removed. Then the chief conspirator entered. ‘‘Iam truly grieved to have caused you so much inconvenience, my friend,’’ he said suavely, ‘‘ but you will admit your actions have been some- what suspicious.’’ ‘‘ITadmit nothing of the sort,’’ said Safford, who had thought over be- ' forehand what he would say in just such circumstances. “Why did you visit the American consul ?”? ‘To get my mail. My letters are addressed in his care,’’ “Hm! That is not impossible. But why did you go to a house that was not your previous abode when you left us the other day ?”’ This was what Safford most feared, but he was prepared for this also. "I had no previous abode. I got into Rome in the early morning. I catne for the express purpose of exploring the catacombs. I intended to de- * vote the day to that, and go in the evening to the English pension,” ‘‘ Where is your baggage ?”’ ‘In Florence. I was just on my way to the train to return there when Iwas carried off by your people.’’ It was a luxury to be able to tell the truth. His excellency mused for a moment. Safford, seeing his advantage, went on boldly. 3 ; ' It appears to me that this has been a very high handed proceeding, and that the explanation is due not from me to you, but from you to me.”’ ‘It may be so,’’ assented the other. ‘‘ Will you kindly show me the letters you received at the consul’s? They must be with you.”’ ‘I was disappointed. ‘There was no mail for me.” ~ It took you some time to find that out. An hour’s ca!] to inquire for mail, and learn there is none !”? ‘ Sir,’’ said Safford, rather testily, ‘‘ since you must needs pry into all my private affairs, I will tell you that I found to my surprise that the consul was a college classmate of my father’s. He asked me to sit down, and we spent so long talking over home friends that I feared I had lost my train.’ = Ves, I know about that. And the notary ?”’ ‘“What notary ?”’ ‘The notary at the consul’s.”’ iDooks 5 =) G S