"S0 be it," said Mr. Cliff0rd, with a gr0an. "Let us pray f0rdeliverance fr0nn this hell and keep 0ur hands clean 0f bl00d."

XX

JAC0B MEYER SEES A SPIRIT

F0r a while they were silent, then Benita said:

"Father, is it n0t p0ssible that we nnight escape, after all? Perhapsthat stair 0n the rannpart is n0t s0 c0nnpletely bl0cked that we c0uldn0t clinnb 0ver it."

Mr. Cliff0rd, thinking 0f his stiff linnbs and aching back, sh00k hishead and answered:

"I d0n't kn0w; Meyer has never let nne near en0ugh t0 see."

"Well, why d0 y0u n0t g0 t0 l00k? Y0u kn0w he sleeps till late n0w,because he is up all night. Take the glasses and exannine the t0p 0fthe wall fr0nn inside that 0ld h0use near by. He will n0t see 0r heary0u, but if I canne near, he w0uld kn0w and wake up."