The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-05

one feeble attempt to balk destiny, but
Mr.. Rushworth, glancing back as they
were Loving the compartment, spied the
box.
why, Smith, your wits have gone
wool gathering. Here. you've left this
precious box that you've been hugging 50
tightly; there get in. I'll carry it for
you"
So they arrived at the house and went
straight to the library. The fatefui box
was set on the table while Mr.. Rushworth
produced a number of letters and pro-
ceeded to dictate answers to them. Ar
thur saw that they would take an hour
at least to finish, and an hour meant
what?
Suddeny he rose and confronted his
employer. He would make one effort to
get away, then if he failed tell him all
about it.
'Mr Rushworth I'm very sorry, but
can't possibly stay to do this just at
present. A most important"
Nov, look here, Smith / don't quite
know what to make of you tonight. You
are acting very strangely; those letters
must be finished before you leave this
room. l am sorry to act SO harshly but
well, there" and he opened the door
81 viii return in an hour. In the mean
time settle down to work like n good
fellow" and he was gone, closing and
locking the door behind him.
For one short moment Smith stared in
simple establishment at this arbitrary
treatment Then the full horror of his
position broke on him, and he started up
and sprang to the door, rafting it fierce
ly and calling to be let out. But there
was no answer, and he remembered with
awful distiuctness q sentence that Miss
Rushworth had used describing this room:
YES" said she, when I have a party
and papa wants to work, and not be
he tn he
can make all the noise we choose. He
can't hear a sound. You see, it's In that
far wing and the doors are padded and
hung with heavy portierres. Grandfath-
er had it done so that his studies might
not be interrupted"
He looked wildly round the room; there
was not even a window. The light came
through a great decorated skylight. No
way TO get out and-suddenly d sound
broke the silence, the sound of muf-
fed clock striking the hour. He Shrek
cd out in maddened horror as he count
ed seven. Six minutes more, only six
minutes.
All God 1t was too awful. He sprang
to the door again, Kicking and humping
il in a wild frenzy of horror Then
the tension became too great and he fell
forward on the carpet in a dead faint.
Next he wondered vaguely why he had
feared death so much when it was all
over without his even feeling pain; then
he heard still as in a dream Poor boy
think il was a shame" and gentle hand
stro<ed his forehead and there was
rumble OF voices then a shock of cold wa
ter, and he came back from the realm OF
shadows with a spluttering gasp.
He gazed round wonderingly! He WASH
dead! And he was still in the library, and
it wasn't blown up; and there was Mr..
Rushworth with a wine glass; and that
hot burning in his throat was brandy. He
staggered to his feet again in fear, but
Mr.. Rushworth's arm was round him now
and his voice sounded kindly in his ear
cts all right Arthur and there's your
precious box"
And there on the table it stood-open--
and Arthur saw that it contained nothing
so very dreadful after all, only his own
little Office clock and some sawdust and a
box Of marbles that would roll about and
jar if you shook IL.
And then Mr. Rushworth told him how
concerned he had been over the change
in him; how he had heard of the society,
and while he had assured himself that
they were absolutely harmless from an
anarchist standpoint, he resolved to use
them to show Arthur the stupidity of his
course.
There wasn't a man in the whole society
that wouldn't have been scared to let off
an extra sized fire cracker, let alone fool
with dynamite. Steggs and the others were
merely the men from a private inquiry
Office. who were paid for their work: "and
now Arthur" added Mr.. RushwOrth, "if
/ have given you a severe fright, try 10
remember that il was caused by my inter-
est an youa When you feel all right we