Crown and Sceptre: A West Country Story Read online

it?"

  "I don't know, but it was just the same noise as it made when you missedyour hold and swung round."

  "So it was; and I had hold of it," said Scarlett, thoughtfully, as helaid his hand on the piece of turned and carved wood. "But it's quitefirm." He gave it a shake, but with no effect. "You come and try," hesaid.

  Fred took his place, and shook the baluster, then the other--itsfellow--but there was no result.

  "I don't know what to make of this," said Scarlett. "I wonder whetherall the stairs are made the same. There, never mind; let's go andfish."

  "Stop a moment!" cried Fred, excitedly. "Look here; you can turn thisthing half round. See!"

  "Well, that's only because it's loose. They're getting old and--"

  _Crick-crack_!

  Scarlett Markham started back, so quick and sudden was the sound, butonly to resume his position on his knees before the oaken stair-tread,which again yielded to a thrust, and glided under the landing once more,leaving the opening the length and breadth of the great stair.

  "Why, it's like the lid of a sliding box, Scar," cried Fred. "Now then,let's pull it over once more. But look here, it won't go any further."

  This was the case, for about an inch of the carved front was left forthem to take hold of and draw it back, which they did, the board glidingeasily toward them, and closing with a loud snap.

  "There! I did see it then," cried Scarlett.

  "What?"

  "That baluster. It half twisted round. Why, Fred, it's a hiding-place.Here, let's open it again. Perhaps it's full of gold."

  Fred was quite willing, for his curiosity was excited; so, seizing thebaluster with both hands, he gave it a twist. There was the sharp soundas of a catch being set at liberty; the board moved, and was once morethrust back.

  "Now let me try," cried Scarlett, "so as to make sure."

  The opening was closed again, the baluster twisted, and it was againopened, the lads pausing before the dark cavity, across which thecoloured rays played over a bar of dancing motes.

  "Seems to me," said Fred, "that we've discovered a secret. Does yourfather know of it, do you think?"

  "I feel sure he doesn't. I say, let's see if there's anything inside."

  "Do you think we ought to?"

  "I wouldn't, if I thought my father knew about it; but I don't believehe does, so I shall try. Of course I shall tell him."

  "Yes, of course," said Fred, whose curiosity pricked him on to action,and who felt relieved by his companion's words. "But do you think it'sa secret drawer?"

  "Yes, I'm sure it is, or it wouldn't be made like that."

  "But perhaps they are all made this way."

  This was a damper; for if the stairs were all made in this fashion,there could be no secret.

  "Let's try," said Scarlett; and together they turned and twisted withall their might at every baluster from top to bottom, but withoutresult.

  "Then it is a secret drawer," said Fred, in a low, husky voice.

  "More like a coffin," said Scarlett.

  "Ugh!"

  "I hope no one's buried here."

  "Oh, I say, don't talk like that," cried Fred. "It's too horrible."

  "Well, it might be so. Some one been killed years ago, and put there."

  "'Tisn't likely," said Fred. "But, if it is a secret place, we oughtn'tto let any of the servants know."

  "I didn't think of that," replied Scarlett; and, drawing the oaken boardback, the spring was closed, and the boys went and looked out to seethat Nat Dee was busy over the garden beds; and further investigationproved that the indoor servants were all in the other part of the house.

  "They would go up the back-stairs if they wanted anything," saidScarlett, as they returned to the place where the coloured light shone;but it had already somewhat altered its position as Fred seized thebaluster, turned it, and the board lay loose.

  "Now, then, what are we going to find?" cried Scarlett, as he thrustback the board, and then recoiled a little and looked at his companion.

  Fred looked at him, and both lads felt that their hearts were beatingfast.

  "Not scared, are you, Fred!"

  "No, I don't think so."

  "Then you may have first try if you like. What do you say?"

  "Nothing," replied Fred. "I feel as if I should like to, but all thesame I don't like. Let's try with a stick. There may be somethingnasty there; perhaps rats."

  "They wouldn't have stopped; but you're right. Go down and fetch astick."

  "You will not try till I come back?" said Fred, doubtingly.

  "No, I shall not try. Make haste."

  Fred was not long running down to one corner of the hall, and obtaininga stout ashen cudgel, which he handed to his companion, who, after amoment's hesitation, thrust in the staff, and found that the opening wasabout half as deep again as the height of the step; but though he tappedthe bottom, which seemed to be firm, and tried from side to side, therewas nothing solid within, nothing but a fine, impalpable dust, whichmade its presence known, for both lads began to sneeze.

  "I'm glad there are no bones in it," said Scarlett. "It was only meantto put something in; made on purpose, I suppose. Just a long box:nothing more, and--Halloa!"

  "What have you found?"

  "Nothing, only that it's all open at the back, and I can--yes, so Ican!--reach right back; yes, as far as the stick will go."

  "That place wouldn't be made for nothing, Scar," cried Fred. "I know.That's the way to somewhere."

  "Nonsense!"

  "I don't care; I know it is, and you see if--"

  "Some one coming," whispered Scarlett, stooping down and dragging theboard toward him, when there was a sharp crack, and the stair was oncemore firm, just as steps were heard coming along the corridor, and oneof the servant-maids passed along the gallery and entered a room at theend.

  "Wait a bit," whispered Scarlett, as soon as the maid had passed out ofhearing. "We'll get a bit of candle and lock the end door, and thenwe'll see what this means; for, as you say, it must have been made forsomething. But it can't be a way anywhere, or they would have made itupright like a door."

  "If they could," said Fred, thoughtfully. "Perhaps it was meant forpeople to go through lying down."

  "Well, wait a bit," said Scarlett, "and we'll see."

  Unkind people say that girls have the bump of curiosity greatlydeveloped, far more so than boys. This is a vulgar error, for thelatter are quite as eager to know as their sisters, and from the momentthat the heavy oak board was replaced, Fred Forrester and Scar Markhamsuffered from a fit of excitement which they could not allay. For, asis usually the case, the person they wanted to go seemed determined tostay. That person was the maid, who appeared to have found somethingvery important to do in the room at the end of the corridor; and it wasimpossible to continue the examination till she had returned to theservants' quarters.

  Scar fetched a candlestick with a short piece of candle burning therein,and shut it up in one of the great cupboards in the hall, so as to loseno time.

  Then they fidgeted up and down, listening intently the while; examinedsome of the well-oiled, warlike weapons on the walls; crept upstairs andalong the corridor to listen at the bedroom door; ran down again, andwaited until the suspense seemed unbearable.

  "I believe she has gone to bed and fallen asleep," whispered Fred.

  "Nonsense! She dare not in that best room."

  "Let's go out in the garden, then, and leave it till another day."

  "And when will that be? Why, everybody will be about then. No; we mustexamine the place to-day."

  "What's that?" cried Fred, suddenly. "What's what?"

  "I can smell fire."

  "Well, they're cooking in the kitchen, I suppose."

  "No, no; it's wood burning. Oh, Scar, look there!"

  As Fred pointed toward the great closet in one corner of the hall, thelads could see a thin blue film of vapour stealing out through the crackat the top; and their
first inclination was to run away and shout"Fire!" But second thoughts are best.

  "Come on," cried Scar; and he ran to the closet door, swung it open, andthe reason for the smoke was plain enough to see. The candle which theyhad hidden there till the maid came down had been badly fastened in thesocket; had fallen over sidewise, probably when the door was closed, andwas now leaning up against