Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1891-03-27

"Alr. Price has gone to a lawn festi-
vel over in Elm Park" said Mr.. Ives.
Telephone to him, and tell him it is
life or death whether he gets here i'm
mediately."
Margaret" again called Janet.
"Yesg"
"Have patience little longer, dear.
There is delay in opening, but every
thing is being done to get you out.
Courage, Margaret Speak to me-"
Janet" Margaret called, "tell Mr..
Ives"
''Yes, here am."
"I-I-rve found"
The voice seemed to die away.
"Go on. Margaret" screamed Jan et
But no answer came, save an occasional
gasping murmur, and Janet crouched
upon the floor in peechless agony.
There seemed no hope. Mrs. Adams
was more hysterical than ever, and could
recall nothing of the combination. The
telephone rang, but Mr. Price could not
be reached.
After the closing of the door, Marga-
} ret had turned and glanced about her,
half-expecting to see some rays of light.
But the absolute blackness frightened
and oppressed her.
GLOW dark!" she said. 'T ne yer
really knew before what real darkness
is"
She heard Janet's call family through
the thick door, and after exchanging the
first few words with her, waited with
such patience as she could summon.
The confusion of excited voices out
side very soon conveyed to her a thought
that her danger of suffocation might be
, greater than she had in the first few
moments imagined.
A slow terror crept to her heart, as
the sounds seemed to take on increased
agitation, and one or two screams reached
her strained ears. Her heart.beats came
slower, and her breath already seemed
difficult to draw.
Janet called again, and each one of
her reassuring words seemed to tell anew
of the fate which might be closing about
her.
! She guessed too well what the delay
must mean. She knew that Mr.. Barrow,
the senior partner, was out of town; that
his Junior lived in the suburbs, and could
not be reached before-whatf
With strong shudderings she strOve to
draw free breath, but already the suf-
locating air seemed to refuse any relief
to her gasping lungs. In paroxySm Of
despair she flung herself upon the floor.
Life! life! life. How precious and
beautiful a thing it wasl How sweet
had been the light Of the sun and the
freshness of the air. The modest home
with which she had been discontcnted,
the routine of work which had wearied
bcr-how their details seemed to stand
out in vivid brightness! How delight
full would be the hum of the busy store,
how kindly the most unsympathizng
face in it would seem to smile upon
her!
And her mother With a cry of an
guish, Margaret sprang up, and tried
in vain to call out. She scarcely
heard the sounds without, though
she had dim sense that Janet was call
ing her. However, with the thought OF
home came a determination not to give
up while there might be hope. She re-
membered having heard that bad air
sinks to the floor, and again forced her
/
self upon her feet.
Bat her limbs tottered, and with trcm-
bling hands she felt for a small step-lad-
der which she knew was in tho vault.
She brought it close to the door, and so
leaned upon it that if her senses failed it
would keep her from falling.
In doing this, she noticed that she still
held in her hand the bill which she had
found. She crumplcd the bit Of paper
n-ierce anger. Had she, indeed, given
her life for it1
Then fearful thought came; when
those without should at last reach her,
might there not be some who would be-
lieve she had concealed the money with
the intention of keeping itl
The dreadful suggestion spurred her
to one last effort. If she could tell them
how she had found it, no one could
think that she had stolen it
But an iron hand seemed closing upon
her throat as she again strove to speak.
Her voice sounded to herself hollow and
indistinct, as with her last conscious
breath, she tried TO send it through the
iron door.
Two minutes later Mr.. Barrow, who
was supposed to be at his summer cot
tage among the mountains, entered the
store, and looked in surprise upon the
scene of confusion.
"The combination. Open the vault,
quickl"
Mr.. Ives had gone to find experts to
force open the vault, but through the
clamor of JOY and fear the girls soon
contrived to let Mr.. Barrow know what
was wanted.
He knew the combination, and at