The Iola register., 1901-03-01

closet don't let them do it, if you
have to knock somebody down"
"Tll prevent it if | can. 1t would
be awful for us TO be caught in this
We must carry it through"
"Be sure there is no one looking
when-when' l am supposed to make
the plunge" Mrs. Goddard made a
peep-hole at the side of the window
curtain, which was always drawn
down, and peered out on deck ITS
as dark as Erebus out there" she
said.
Then they sat down ana remained
silent till the bells struck the hour OF
ten.
"Now. lock me in Remember. when
the coast is clear for me to come
out, you are to signal three times
softly-sol" And Mrs. Goddard raped
on the door of the closet with her
knuck.es,
81 understand" said Mrs. Nolan
firmly. "Now get in and let's have
it over with"
''You needn't look so excited. >"
smiled Mrs. Goddard, as she sat down
on the stool in the closet and drew
her skirts round her ankles.
81 am not any more so than you
are" retorted Mrs. Nolan. "I've seen
you in a good many tight places, and
I have never seen just such funny
look about your mouth"
Mrs. Goddard made a failure of her
next smile
81 actually feel as il | were being
buried alive; ugh! Shut me in and
act your part as il your salvation de-
pended on it,"
Mrs Nolan made no response as she
shut the door; She seemed TO have
lost her voice. She turned the key
drew it from the lock, and put it into
her pocket. As she did so her fingers
touched it's duplicate. This gave her
an idea, and she raped on the closet
door and then opened 1t.
"Well?' inquired the prisoner, with
q white, startled stare
81 have both the keys" explained
Mrs. Nolan. perhaps you ought to
keep one. If anything should hap
pen-any accident-to me you would
be in a fix. This morning | found
that the door could be opened from
the inside
Lucy, you are sharper than I am;
] never would have thought of that"
The ship rose on great swell and
rolled far over on it's side, throwing
Mrs Nolan into the closet. She
braced herself against the wall and
held on to the swinging door till
the ship had righted itself.
Don't lose any more time" said
Mrs. Goddard. "Wait until we go over
on one of those swells and then give
the alarm"
Mrs. Nolan locked the closet again
and then went to the outer door and
opened it. A fierce wind blew upon
her and binding cloud of spray
drenched her TO the skin. But when
1t had lifted a little she looked out
and along the deck. No one was in
sight. The Cleopatra rose on a giant
wave and slowly rolled over on her
side. 1t was the moment Mrs. Nolan
was expecting. She ran to the rail-
ing of the deck, leaned towards the
water and then began to scream at
the top Of her lungs. So well was
the moment chosen that not only was
she not seen before she desired, but
it was not till she had uttered half
q dozen piercing screams that her
voice was heard by the captain on
the bridge.
A deck-hand was the first to reach
her, and so well was she skilled in
the part she was playing that she
only pointed to the water and con.
tinued to utter yell after yell.
what is the NATTER" he shouted.
She continued to scream, and point
to the water.
"What in the devil is wrong here?'
yelled the captain, the next on the
spot.
"Oyerboard!" cried Mrs. Nolan. A
sudden dash of spray filed her mouth
and she coughed The ship gave a
great lurch and she would have
fallen had the two men not supported
her between them.
"Overboard? Who's overheard ?"
thundered the captain.
Mrs. Goddard" gasped Mrs. Nolan.
"She sprang up! | was in my room!
She opened the door, | was just
in time to see her break from the
room! She said something was after
her-trying to kill her! She sprang
over there-there had caught hold
of her dress. but she tore loose!"
Here Mrs. Nolan began to show
signs of hysteria, The captain swore
roundly He dragged the woman to