The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-07-17

| planks, doors opened These were for con.
venience In inspecting the condition OF the
| grain.
On this PLATFORM his body bent as ne
peered into the vast bin at his side. was
the superintendent She recognized his
light gray coat and russell shoes She
pushed on, intending when she had come
above him to call and warn him of posi-
BILE danger The rope with which he had
moved the lever To loosen the contents OF
the last car hung at his side and was still
swinging from his touch He was evil
IDENTIFY scenting the grain for suspicion
Of moldiness
Suddenly, before she was within hailing
distance, though she was not far from a
position directly above the superintendent
she saw black form shoot cut from be.
hind heavy upright timber directly be-
bind him. The stranger sneaked toward
the door OF the bin into which part Of his
intended victims body still protruded.
The lame girls heart almost stood still
with fright She sank to the narrow plat
form, and crouching there i'm the upper
darkness watched helplessly the struggle
going on below.
The stranger had leaped upon the SD.
periDtendent and was attempting to throw
him into the bin, but Mr. Griswold fought
bnvely for his life. Once, twice, he was
almost victor, but his assailant had him
at disadvantage. Already his head and
shoulders were hanging over the dark
abyss into which carload Of yellow wheat
had sunk and made no impression on tho
great space.
Chunk came sound above her head
Annie realized with a shudder, that an
other car had been brought into position
over the trapdoor and was ready to DO
dumped.
The stranger below had almost overcome
the superintendent, and she saw the scOun-
drel glance sidewise toward the rope which
moved the lever.
Like flash there came upon her for the
first time realization of what a terrible
deed was intended The body of the super.
intendent hurled into the bin, would be
covered with the flood of grain, and his
fate would be unknown for days, and per.
haps for weeks and months.
1t was but a second now before the end
would come. Already the assailant had
pushed off the superintendent S hands, and
she saw body and limbs disappear through
the narrow door. She could not hear the
body fall on the soft mass of grain beneath.
but she knew it was there
The assassin tugged at the door He
had nothing TO do now but close and fasten
1t and pull the lever, and then thousands
Of bushels of wheat would bury the un.
fortunate man as firmly and fatally as
though the car aboYe should itself fall
into the cavern.
Annie sprang to her feet and gazed
moment helplessly about her; then there
met her glance tho long lever reaching out
q ha Ia - -
IL the trapdoor were kept closed, Ii would
keep back the grain, and the superintend.
ent might be saved.
The stranger below had nearly closed
the thick door. In "a moment no would
pull the slender rope
She looked at the lever a weight on
the end over the bin would prevent the
traps moving There was but one way
to accomplish it-she must hold It herself
On hands and knees she climbed to the
edge of the bin; then, reaching far out on
the pole which moved the door, she took "A
firm grasp A little tremble told her that
the door had been closed by the stranger,
and she fearlessly swung off
The slender pole bent and swayed with
her weight, and she shuddered lest tho
lever should still work If il did, she
would be swept down into the abyss over
which she hung helplessly, and the stream
Of grain pouring upon her would mean
death to her rs well as to the superintend
ent.
Her small, thin arms and hands were
weak. Already the muscles of her wrists
were aching with the strain.
TwitchI went the lever. The assassin
was jerking the rope. Again and again
she felt the jerk, but still the 1.-THE pole |
did not rise with her enough To loosen the |
trapdoor. Although tho whole affair had |
occupied but a moment, it seemed to have |
been hours. In an instant longer she |
must loosen her hold, and then
The man was evidently growing impa |
tient, and she felt a jerk of unusual power |
There followed cracking sound the lever |
broke, and she was falling through the |
darkness, the broken piece OF the lever /
still In her hands.
AS soon ms she realized anything further /
she was sliding down an inclined plane OF |
wheat, and mans voice, that of the su.
perintendent, was saying something TO her.
Far above they could see the CLEAN of /
the electric light streaming over the edge |
Of the bin, with -four dust floating in it
like notes In sunbeam.
IT saw him throw you In, )" sobbed the /
child, and now they'll cover us bothi"
"No, they won't, :" answered the super
intendent. 1.-THE tranmen will have to
fix the lever first, and they'll look about
to see what's the matter.
Presently the door through which he
had fallen was opened and lantern was
swung in, followed in a rloment by a
trainman's head.
'Hellol" called the man What's the
matter down there2''
"rm herel It's Griswoldl" the super.
intendent answered.
Annie heard q smothered exclamation |
Ut establishment from the man. He sum.
moned help; ropes were brought, and soon
both she and Mr.. Griswod were drawn up
from their perilous position.
The experience of the night had added
many lines to the superintendent face,
and, though he was relieved to fluid that
the robbers. foled in the execution of their
plans, had vanished without disturbing
the safe, the memory of what he had suf-
Iered In anticipation still remained with
him.
AS for Annie, the little "mill sprlte"
lid not lack for rewards and praise, either
rom the mill owners or from the man
whose life she had saved Charles Morcau
Harger In Youths Companion
THE THRONE or THUNDER.
~ Il th. 1Irb,st poi,t m, fbo U.sto-~ /