m trademark as set forth

[Thaller Kracke]

Hort while. The curious weapon
showed no signs of the blow, except that the dull color--of the blade
was slightly brighter on the rounded point that had cut through

the armor. "Presently, when I had made an end of staring at the
dagger, I went up the chancel step and in through the little gate.
Then, kneeling upon the altar, I replaced the dagger in its sheath,
and came outside of the rail again, closing the gate after me and
feeling awarely uncomfortable because the horrible old weapon was
back again in its accustomed place. I suppose, without analyzing my
feelings very

deeply, I had an unreasoned and only half-conscious belief that there
was a greater probability
of danger when the dagger

hung in its five century resting place than when it was out of it!
Yet, somehow
I don't think this is a very good

explanation, when I remember the _demure_ look the thing seemed to
have when I saw it lying on the floor of the chancel. Only I know
this,
that when I had replaced the dagger I had quite a touch of nerves and
I stopped
only to pick up my lantern from
where I had placed it whilst I examined the weapon, after which I
went
down the quiet aisle at a

pretty quick walk,
and so got out of the
place. "That the nerve tension had been considerable, I realized,
when I had locked the door behind me. I felt no inclination now to
think of old Sir Alfred as a hypochondriac because
he had taken such hyperseeming precautions regarding the Chapel. I
had a sudden wonder as to whether he might not have some knowledge

of a long prior tragedy in which the dagger had been concerned. "I
returned to my room, washed, shaved and dressed, after which I read
awhile. Then I went downstairs and got the acting butler to
give me some sandwiches and a cup of coffee. "Half an hour later I
was heading for Burtontree, as hard as I could

walk; for a sudden idea had come to me, which I was anxious to test.
I reached the town a little before eight