Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-03-15
THE OLD MILL MYSTERY.
By ARTHUR w. MARcHMoNr, B. y.
Asthoy OF -Mser
Whose Hnnd."


II dorcsay they do" he rcp.,-,,,
crafty, "but then I'm not one Of those
who do know you. want proof-'hdt's
what want"
If can't give you more than my
word" said Mary
ooh yes, you can; and that's just what
you'll have to do"
"llow cat ~" asked the girl.
"I1l show you. You can give US
proof that you can he trusted by just
stopping here and making no effort tc
! go away for certain time. Do you
understand? You've nothing 10 do but
| just 10 keep where you are aud make
nUnoise. you do that for quarter
Of nm hour, you shall go free. BuL II
! you stir hand or foot, or try 10 call out
No that either Of us hear YOU, we'll,
| you'll bring down punishment ON your
own head. You've got to watch this
skunk" he said, Kicking Gibcon
| Prawlc, "till we come back to fetch
| him"
why can't 60 now2 won't say
word 10 anyone. Indeed won't
mo, don't think You will, said
| llamcr, Significantly, but you've got
TO give us little proof OF II, that's all.
| Put out your hands. Safe bind, safe
find, my girl, Is my motto and the
miscreant laughed rs he seized the
girls hands and bound them tightly
together. Now for your pretty little
feet; just something TO keep your
ankles warm, and he chuclslcd coarse,
ly as lac fastened her feet, making her
sit down on heap Of hay.
Now, you understand, and don't
you play any nonsense with me" he
added in his flercest and most savage
manner. III You make the least sound
TN bring me back, and shant stop
then ut tying your wrists together.
Next time the nooso'll 90 round your
neck
Now, mates, you'd better 60" he
said, turning To- the others. and speak
ing In II whisper. I'm going t. give
the fuse about eight minutes, sc that
we can get 10 the other end OF the vii
lagc; bear liVht, carter" and lr bent
down, AMI, pnttin5 u hey into small
square case which he took FROM the
ground, he turnco il once or twice.
Then lac ,yr1wlcd ont some fresh word
OF mcnacitg caution, while lac pUt II
down close by III, girl aud went out
into the darkness. rs soon us he wa,
outside, lee made OF at the top II his
speed after the other men vino hal
already vanished.
The first feeling OF the girl was ono
Of intense relief that they had gone.
She had feared violence OF some kind,
and now that shc Thought tho
dread Of Violence had passed her
spirits rose. She determined that
she would not muSc until th"y
cnInc back, aud thus show thcm
she was to be trusted, and sic
leaned back on the heap Of hay AMI
waited silently and with a lighter
heart than she had known for sotnc
hours
Then IL suddenly occurred 10 her tu
doubt whether this wal 10, anil
whether the men had realty gone b.
the mill how In order To larry out
their horrible plan while she lay bound
IN the shed.
At this she sat up and thought for
the first time Of Gibcon prawlr. like
her, bound hand and foot, though, an.
like her, unconscious She strained
her eyes in his direction and then
called to him;
"iibeun, GIDEON"
She could not cutch any reply, but
listened mtently. As She listened thus
she heard faint tickling sound 1t
was like the quick tick. tick. ticl;
of her alarm clock, but sounded as Il
municd What could II be?
She bent down her head, and stoop-
ing forward became aware that the
cord with which her hands had been
hastily bound had slipped. With
quick jerk or two she loosencd
II II little more, and then succeeded In
getting her hands free.
She listened ngnin, aud cropping
about in the direction In which the
sound seemed To CONC. her hand came
| against n small, squarcly-madc box
Wondering what II was she picked il
up, and found that the ticking came
| from within II.
Suddenly, with fearful rush OF
blood to the heart that almost choicd
the valves and stopped he blood flow,
the truth flashed upon her II was tho
internal machine with which the man
had intended to wreck the mill.
In q moment she saw why she had
boon ordered not 10 move for II certain
time, They had planned 70 kill her by
blowing the shed to Fragments, pnd
had manpgsd to gain time to get clear
away
Great heavens! Tho machiun might
explode at any moment, and hurry her
companion and herself into eternity.
Yet he WA Still mconatiouS; and she
was bound 80 tightly that she couldn't
stir either foot.
she held the diabolicul machine h
her hand like one da2cd afraid to
throw II away, afraid cVcu to SGT II
down again. afraid To move, lest Il
should explode.
All she could do was to try and calm
herself with hastily Uttered prayer to
God for help,
CHAPTER XL
tn ENrLpgIpS
AS the Thought Of her peril forced
itself upon Mary with increasing plain.
ness her natural rcsourcefulnass and
courage began to Assert themselves, Il
she was To save her life and that Of her
companion It was evident that she
must lose no time in making the at
tempt.
How was she TO do II? Clearly, there
! hNNN