Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1898-09-19

Iampkin was speeches. with sur
prise. He had been slow to grasp the
awful seriousness Of their prcdicament,
but when he did it completely I'M
ne1yed him.
Kola glanced past them at a little
clock on the wall.
eth give you just a minute" he said.
'It's as much time as / can afford to
allow. My Indian pal has become
shaky and threatened to desert me if
sprung the trap on you. must pacify
BIN and show him how safe we are
could explain to your driver out there
that an accident had happened, and no
one would lnlnk of blaming me-
Then, although their eyes were glued
to Kola's sinister face. they OBJ
served the silk curtains behind the In
dian stir as from breeze, then the cur
tains parted cautiously, and Sergt.
Denham peered in. They saw from
the wondering gaze of his wide-open
eyes that he was mystified by their un-
expected silence, their white faces, and
the half-crouching attitude of the In
dian as he leaned over the table, his
stiff fingers on the button. Like
fash plan of action came to Hendricks.
and its subtility was worthy of his great
intellect. The words he called out the
next instant he hoped would stay the
death touch of the murderer and fur
nish key to their predicament to Den
ham.
'Hold one second!" he cried. 81
know something you ought to know,
Kola. We are completely in your pow
er. I know that when you press that
electric button we shall be hurled into
the pit below, but you must listen"
Kola's enjoyment seemed intense.
Il don't want to hear anything from
you,' he laughed. Get ready"
Hendricks drew a deep breath. The
most startling feature of the situation
was that Denham did not seem to COM
prehend their peril. He half smiled as
if he thought Hendricks were playing
one of his practical jokes on his man
before arresting him.
times up" announced the Indian.
"Denham, jerk him backward" yelled
Hendricks, and, in the sudden shock OF
establishment over the puzzling COM
mand, the Indian involuntarilys raised
his finger from the button, and the sit
uation seemed to flash upon Denham.
Like a projectile hurled from some
powerful destroying machine he sprang
at Kola. He caught him by the throat
and pulled him over the back of his
chair Hendricks sprang from the
rug, dragging the almost inactive doc
tor with him. Kola wriggled in Den
hams clutch and managed to get on
his feet But, with his fingers digging
into the Indians throat, the sergeant
bore him backwards over the table. In
, the struggle Kcla's shoulder pressed
down on the electric button. There
was a, crash of timbers under the lounge
lust vacated, and with a dull, subter-
ranean rumble the flooring over that
spot disappeared in yawning black
hole.
Hendricks was beside himself with
rage as he lowered over the now pas.
sive Indian.
ooh, you dirty scamp!" he calculated.
He took pair of handouts from his
pocket and fastened them on Kola's
wrists.
The Indians face was the color of
ashes.
"Downed me, after all,' he said, re-
signedly.
"You dirty puppy" was all that Hen
bricks seemed able to say, but in
moment he was perfectly calm.
10 ho
Gielow."
The Indian sat down in his chair.
He had grown calmer, and now a sort
of logged smile played over his face.
ooh, you dol" he said, almost with Z.
sheer.
"And we are going to have him." add
ed Hendricks.
Never" said Kola. "It doesn't suit
me to give him to you. I know I am
good for the electric chair, anyway, sc
why should l tell you where he Isl
There is not another man alive thai
knows the secret entrance to his cell
You would have to blast away this
whole hill Of stone to get at him, and
then you'd not lind him alive. The
last time saw him, two days ago, he.
was dying of starvation. Huh! Gle
lows suffering and death is all the sat-
isfaction | shall have out Of the bust
ness. You will find enough of my cleo
trical appliances down below to amuse
you, but the secret vaults can be en-
tered by no one besides myself. I
learned the secret from the sole sur
vivor of the old gang Of counterfeiters,
and leased the place for that reason"
Hendricks proposed to Lampkin to
go with him downstairs.
''Get your gun ready" he said. "He
has dark-skinned assistant somewhere
about here
II think he has skipped, said Dem
ham. ''I saw fellow in foreign clo,nes
run out of the side door. Twas afraid it
was your man giving you the slip, SO I
came in to see about it, and happened to
get here in time"
sob, he's gone," said Kola, grimly.
'He is a coward. He knew what was