Holbrook argus., 1901-05-25

Warner has been most assiduous in her work?'
 As spoke he moved his gaze sudden ly into Millie's direction. That a feel ing toward me more than friendly was expressed in the girls face he was quick in discerning, and his anger, heated into flame by his newly-found clue to the cause of her rebuff of him, showed itself in his answer to my ap- peal.
 "Confound 1t allv' he roared. What has Miss Warmers case got to do with you?"
 l could not deny my interest longer why should I?-so, stepping to Millie's side, I took her hand in mine.
 Simply this," l replied, that she is my intended wifer'
 ''All right" he muttered. I shall nev- CT forget the terrible look upon hls face as he watched us. Miss Warner, you have, I understand, some properties of mine at your lodging. You will greatly oblige me by leaving them here this afternoon"
 Together we left the place-Millie and I. She went home to hunt up the stage dresses-Bruer's property-she had at her lodging, and l hurried off to make preliminary arrangements for our wedding, which we had just deter mined not to further delay.
 That evening as I hurried to the hall an unspeakable feeling of coming dan ger crept over me.
 Bruer performed quite up to his GUS tomary standard. His minor tricks baf- fled the audience more than ever. He kept smiling curiously at me, and his pleasantly-spoken words before closing the coffin lid impressed me rather fla vorably than otherwise.
 ''If she has gone," he said "I will still have you!'
 Then the lid was tightly closed, and 1 waited to hear the drawing of the sword-my usual cue to seek safety. The many different sounds without are quite distinguishable to ones ear when the aperture in the coffin lid is properly made. The faintly-heard sound of the steel reached me at length, and 1 fol
 
 my right arm against the usual side of the coffin. What was this? It remained tight! I pressed harder-harder yet as I heard a voice seeminglI mile off: 1: The 'Now" of the magician. Again 1 tried the secret part, and the cold sweat stood on my forehead on its failing again. The seconds seemed to fly. IT surely this could not be the property" article in which lay, for every part of the coffin I touched was immovable to my widest efforts.
 A prayer rose to my lips anu l tried to forget my terrible position. Forget? Merciful heaven! and the terrible point of that sword slowly shutting out by its entrance the tiny ray of light hitherto visible through the slot. Immediately above my breast, and no room to move myself-only to wait! Picture it, if you can! One thing remained by which to keep off the end for maybe a few sec onds.
 I wrenched my right hand upward on to my breast, and gripped the horrible point of the weapon until the cold steel had cut deep into my fingers. With su- perhuman strength of wrist held the blade hard against a side of the slot Oh, the inexpressible horror of that mo- menti A million fiends, each with the face and voice of my murderous mas ter, danced before my eyes, taunting me-drowning the cry of my soul for succOr.
 I could see nothing but them, but that steel, ever moving lower to Its work, cutting its way into the bones of my hand as it moved, kept me conscious, yet robbing me of the last thing then desired-oblivion. Would the end not come soon?
 Bruer, now feeling the resistance to his thrust, kept pressing harder-hard- CT! And now the blade was becoming impossible to hold, and slipped, inch by inch, through my severing fingers The whole thing took place in a few sec onds, but how long it seemed! What was the curious noise from without ? Something like a trampling of feet miles away-louder now-coming near er-nearer! But now the weapon of death was sinking through my clothing now into my fiesh-now deeper! My body was covered with terrible-looking frebrands, I thought, whose flames were burning me to more speedy death. Suddenly my warmth vanished and my blood turned to ice! Then, with the cries of that fiendish army ringing in my ears, I travelled into the world of darkness!
 
 Yet am alive today. If you ask my little wife over there, she will tell you what a trifle 1t was that snatched me from the jaws of death. She had post poned returning Bruer's property dresses until the time due for the per formance of the coffin trick At the identical moment got into that fearful box she placed the dresses in Bruer's storeroom, and then the carelessness which lost the mad conjurer his victim presented itself before her quick gaze. A tiny key Is used in the trick, and the use of this Is to open the diminutive lock releasing the coffin's false side, when the conjurer shuts his assistant I