The Mystery of Arnold Hall

suddenness of the transfer to talk, b

re you t

voice, accompanied by a dig

ilence. Where he might be, he had no idea whatever. After endless eons, so it seemed

urned protestingly. A door creaked; there was a blast of cool air; he was pushed into some place. Then the door closed, and the key grated a second

could

of some new building. What big structure was going up now in town, or nearby? He tried hard to think, but he still felt a little dazed. How stupid! Who knew where he was now? They had been riding for a long time; he might be miles and miles from Granard. Still, there was something annoyingly familiar about that naked, orange-colored framework out there, with the big 0032 in black on the top girder. Again he peered at it. I

f he were out of the contest, Granard stood to lose-so it was said. Evidently those fellows were Greystone supporters. He remembered now they had worn

out; that was

hat night; everybody out in front of the gym before dinner for songs and speeches. They'd ring that bell to call the students together; and the janitor pulled the rope from

, Jack listened. Four. One hour-one little hour of sixty minutes to devise a means of escape. Frantically he

e slats of one panel with his fists. They were stout,

f exit: the door and the four slatted windows. Again he shook the door

fforts. The door was now out of the question. What in heck had become of his knife? Had those fellows purposely stripped him of everything so he couldn't possibly get

he library clock. Four-fifte

nd then lean out of the window and

led, they would only come in and gag me; and that would make things worse than they are now. My only hope, a forlorn o

t

s hands, he crouched on t

r so that the bell would only graze him as it swung to and fro. Then, when no sound came from the belfry, somebody might investigate. But no; old Jake, who attended to the bell ri

his desk. Wonder what she thought when he failed to ke

ion which dampened his face. Tut had always been jealous of him; and since he had refused, a few weeks ago, to work for Jim's election as Chairman of the Soph Hop, Tut had positively disliked him. Jack did not approve of the barga

ball of twine to it, he painstakingly worked the bit of linen between the slats of the window which faced the observatory, and played out the cord as far as it would go. Fasteni

muttered. "It's on the laps of

out-of-the-way place, beyond the other buildings, it was in the least frequented corner o

ave stood up and tramped around a bit, it would have relieved Jack's feelings somewhat; but the belfry was large enough only for the moving of

irs; the bell rope trembled; the bell quivered; Jack stretched out on the

of the way, just as the first clang of the big bell sounded deafeningly through

ime, old man!" cried T

Patricia frantically. "Let's

nged and clanged overhead. Pat's car, with all

ed; "crawl behind those c

day, Jack was driven

opped for lights at the corner of College Avenu

; "got to deliver these frui

hispered Patricia, as they

n Winton Street. At the side entrance, where Mrs. Carter was waiting to admit them, Ted hustled Jack into th

train in the morning. No college people in this house, and we have a back apartment. We'll keep the shades drawn as an extra precaution. Right across the hall f

began

ou want to, and then go out to the living room. I'll have to show up at the meeting for a whil

was busy in the kitchen, and Patricia sat alone by the bay window which overhung the side door by w

y rescue?" he asked, takin

Ted helped a lot. He's always been

see," her head dropped a bit, "I heard something this morning about the possibility of your being out of the game; and, oh, it seemed only a joking reference, but I was t

p over it," urged Jack;

ory perhaps nobody would have seen your flag; and-and then, if yo

He was distressed beyond measure by the girl's self-accusation. "I

straight, winking hard and fast to keep back the tears wh

o. I don't know all the ins and outs of college affairs yet, and I was afraid of telling my suspicions to the wrong person. As I passed the observatory, I remembered having left my fountain pen in the lecture room; so I ran up to ge

r Ted. I knew he was in the library. I hadn't thought about the meeting; but Ted did, right away, and realized what danger you were in. Ted grabbed up a couple of empty cartons that stood in the hall, ready to be thrown out, dumped them and

" inquired Jack, still somewh

is key could be used on the belfry door, and he was right. If it hadn't fitted, he would have had to

hold of those tickets fo

!" proteste

at?" inquired Ted, strolling in just in t

when Patricia had excitedly explained the subject of their discussion; "after

d Mrs. Carter, appearing i

it, Auntie," replied

in like this," began Jack, as they sea

and die!" carolled Ted. "Now tell

e story of his capture, when