The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1900-11-08

1DtCh StoAi's ohiN tOo "Sii,
the thought of it turned me sick with
horror. But he had reckoned without
one factor In his gloating triumph
he had not noticed that the knots
which they had loosened l had con-
trived by silent effort to undo still
further, till the cords only needed g.
sudden jerk to free them altogether.
With a bound l was at him, tearing
at his throat with madman's
strength and suddenness that
caught him off guard for an instant.
That struggle-can / ever forget it?
death to the other spurred us on;
for a moment one held the advantage
then the other. Like drunken men
we swayed across the floor in that
mad embrace.
But the contest was unequal: l
was slight, he was big, and CORE
spondingly strong, He wore me down,
pressed closer, fercer, and held me
rigid for fraction of time while he
gave two knocks on the floor with his
foot-once. twice! Two others
rushed in at the signal, and it was
over.
Let me pass over the next briefly.
First they stretched string tightly
across the room from one side to the
other, about midway between ceiling
and floor. Then, with a shorter piece
tied to it, they arranged the coin with
the red spot so that it Oangled in the
air about four feet above the hard
oak table.
A wax candle came next, very thin
and not more than three inches long.
With torturing slowness they fixed it
in position-the lower end little be-
low the level of the knot which Sc
cured the two strings together, and
candle and string touching. When
the candle burned low the string
would catch fire-break-the coin
would drop with its four feet momen-
tum on to the table, and then-fnis!
They bound me into a chair, drew
it just so close that had my arms been
free ] could have reached out to the
whole continuance, and-lighted the
candle.
"Adieu, friend spy" said the stri-
dent voice. "While the candle burns
you are safe. 1t will last about an
hour: we will put your watch on the
table. 1t goes hard with your fra
ternity when they are caught"
Footsteps, the banging of a door,
and then ] knew that l was alone
alone with the terror before me. It
was half-past eight by the watch. !
gazed horror-struck at the scudding
seconds finger.
At first ! noticed hardly anything;
| was only conscious of a dead numb
ness everywhere as if body and brain
had both stagnated. Then they woke
up; ! ha6 terrible shooting pains
through my limbs and the mind that
had been a hnssful blank began to
coniure mp exquisite fortunes.
Five miutes! 49,. Is it possible?
! ray of hope-,Iules was coming at
nine; be would he here by a quarter
past, perhaps even a little sooner
Ten minutes gone The candle was
third gone, or nearly so. So he
would be too late; it would not hold
out that odd few minutes
An idea. 49,. Fool that I was;
why had I not thought of il before?
Precious time wasted--wasted. Blow
the candle out-of course, | pursed
my lips on the instant 49,. the
flame fickered .... Noah. no no,
no! .. Ny heart was in my
mouth lest the catastrophe should
happen even now, was blowing the
flame onto the string.
Another five minutes gone-tcn;
two-thiI lis of the time gone. Hcav-
ens.-to dle when brief respite
would bring deliverance.
Another inch of candle. and it
would be finished, | tried to frame a
prayer, but the words refused to
come 49,. All! Was-was it a
knock9 All my quivering nerves list
ened for a repetition. Yes-yes; ar
other, louder-still louder. Oh, JOY,
ioy' Jules. of surety ... The
candle. Woud-would it wait? Then
rapid teps-foOtstep that |
knew-advancing. Saved! Saved,
Jules. that-that! Take it down"
cried; and then, when he had freed
me, | fell sobbing, sobbing like a
child, into his arms.
The rest? Like two maniacs we
rushed through the streets-to the
bureau of police first for a couple of
gendarmes, and then on to the play
ing rooms; and-yes-we were in time
to arrest the scoundrel before he had
effected his dastardly intention.
But how came you just in the nick
Of time to save me, good Jules?" I
asked when he had a moment TO our
selves. We were walking home. and
the clock of distant tower doomed
out rs spoke.
Eleven. The same thought struck
Bon G. lie took out his watch, 1t
was fast. The hands pointed to twelve
minutes past the hour! -Tit-Eits
Took Him for n Foreigner.
An English bicyclist was coming at
great speed down one of the steepest
IL