Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-09-29

A PECULIAR POSITION.

The prisoner had been sitting upon the
sawdust about an hour. when the door opened
again. and the two men entered, one bearing
bundle of blankets and couple of pillows,
the other tray with a large cup of hot
coffee and plate of bread and butter.
There, you see we shan't starve you,n said
the first man; land you can make yourself
bed with these when you've DONE
"Will you leave me a lightf7
mo" says the man with laugh. wild
sort of lads like you are not fit to trust with
lights. Good night"
The door of the inner cellar was closed and
bolted, for it was not like ours, a simple arch;
and then the outer cellar door was shut as
well; and Mr. Barclay sat for hours reproach-
ing himself for his infatuAtion, before
wearied out, he lay down and fell asleep.
How the time had gone, he could not tell,
but he woke up suddenly, to find that there
was light in the cellar, and the two men
were looking down at him.
That's right-wake up says the principal
speaker, land put on those"
"Butn-began Mr. Barclay, as the man
pointed to some rough clothes.
"Put on those toys, confound your cried
the fellow fiercely, "or''--
He tapped the butt of a pistol: and there
was that In the mans manner which showed
that he was ready to use it.
There was nothing for it hut to obey; and
In q few minutes the prisoner stood up IN
bound and in regular workman's dress
''That's right" said his jailer, 'Now
come along; and l warn you, once for all,
that il you break faith and attempt to fall
out, you die, just as sure as your names Bar
clay Drinltwater!n
Mr. Barclay felt as if he was stunned; and
half led, half pushed, be was taken into what
had once been the pantry, but was now a
curious looking place, with a brcked round
well in the middle, while on one side was
| fixed large pair of blacksmith's forge bel
lows, connected with zinc pipe which went
right down into the well
| "What does all this meanf' be said
"What are you going to dor
wait, and you'll see," was all the reply
he could get; and he stared round in amaze
ment at the heaps of new clay that had been
dug out, the piles of old bricks which had
evidently been obtained by pulling down par
tition walls somewhere in the house, the lower
| part of which seemed. as it were, being trans
formed by workmen. Lastly, there were oil
lamps and pile of cemert, the material for
| which was obtained from a barrel marked
flour
The man called Ned was better and Joined
them there, the three being evidently pre-
pared for work. in which Mr. Barclay soon
| found he was to participate, and at this point
he made stand
Look here be said; Il demand an ex-
PLANTATION What does all this meanF'
Are you ready for work." cried tine leader
Of the little gang, seizing him by the collar
| menacingly
| "You people have obtained possession OF
this house nnder false pretenses, and you
have made the place an utter wreck | in.
sist on knowing what it means"
"You do-do your said the man, thrusting
him back, and holding him with his shoulders
against pile Of bricks. Then, once for ali
/ tell you this; you've got to work here along
with with US in silence, and hard too, or else
be shut up in that cellar in darkness, and
half starved till we set you free.n
1.-THE police shall'-
"Oh, yes-all right. Tell the police. How
are you going to do it''
Easily enough. I'll call for help, and"-
"Do," said the man, taking a small re
volver from his breast. snow, look here
Mr.. Drinkwater; men like us don't entel
such an enterprise as this without being pre-
pared for consequences. They would be yer,
serious for us if they were found out No
body saw you come in where you were no
asked, and when you came to insult my
friends wife,
"Wifer' exclaimed Mr.. Barclay, for tn
word almost took his breath away.
"Yss, sir, wife; and it might happen tina
the gallant husband had an accident witt