Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III Without a word Archy entered the vast hall. He was even self-possessed enough to help in dragging the great doors back to their places and securing them with chains and bars. Then, coolly folding his arms, his eyes travelled around the hall, gloomy but magnificent. Great gilt chandeliers hung from a noble roof; antlers and hunting trophies adorned the walls; rusty armor was plentiful, and close to him, looming up in the darkness pierced by the candle's single ray, was a manikin in armor, mounted on horseback. "With lance in rest, and ghostly caverns in the casque where the eyes should be, he seemed to stand guard over that ancient place. After a moment the officer spoke. " Did your father never tell you of his half- uncle, near his own age—Colonel Baskerville, of the Indian service ?" Archy shook his head. " My father told me as little as possible of his family in England. I do not even know whathis quarrel with them was—only I know he felt a deep resentment against them." " He had cause," responded Colonel Basker- ville. "My half-brother, Lord Bellingham, objected violently and unreasonably to your father's marriage, and it cannot be denied that he ill-treated your mother under this very roof." Archy, whose temper was quick, and who knew how to make a prompt resolve, and then to act upon it, stood still and silent for a moment ; then, turning to the door, began to fumble at the intricate fastening of the chain, saying, quietly, " How do you get out of this place, sir ?" " Highty-tighty," replied Colonel Baskerville, good-humoredly; " what are you trying to do ?" " To get away from here," said Archy. " I think, sir, that when a man has ill-treated my mother, I ought not to stay one moment in that man's house." " But wait. Lord Bellingha...