Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-12-10

peered Into the corridor. The lights
were still burning US brightly as dur
ing the ball, but no one was In sight.
"Come-nll Is silent us the grave"
she said. Even II we meet some one,
1t will not cause suspicion"
She led the way, and Therese, SILVER
ing with terror, followed. The great
stairway and hall were deserted, but
from the little guardroom ut the end
Of the police quarters there came the
sound of curses.
"Stupid blockhead" said the voice
Of Iansky. Drunk! Who brought
bin this bottle of wine?"
With quick motion Olga whisked
Therese into the same room where she
had crouched to listen to Jansky and
Unsgethop. There came the sound Of
unsteady footsteps. Jansky, with the
unfinished bottle of Itzigs wine in his
hand, went drunkenly to his office.
"I'll finish this-then go to bed," he
muttered.
He finished 1t, and 1t finished him.
1t was not ten minutes before his own
eyes closed in that terrible sleep from
which he could not arouse himself until
the effect of the drug had passed of.
Come" said Olga.
Neryously and quickly she riled the
sleeping mans pockets and found Q
bunch Of keys. Swiftly, then, these
two rushed to Itzig's room and, shut
ting the door, barred 1t on the inside.
"Now we can work without molesta-
tion," said Olga.
She tried several keys in the lock Of
On iron door that formed part of the
rear wall, but without success. FL
nally she found one that turned the
rusty bolt, and the door swung open.
This door led into small passage, in
which there were various articles-lan-
terms, whips, chains and weapons. Olga
quickly chose lantern which showed
1t had been recently used and lighted
it. At the end of the passage was an
iron grating forming door. and this,
too, she unlocked with Jansky's keys.
Beyond this was a flight Of stone
steps leading downward, and then all
was darkness. Olga, holding the
lantern above her head, led the way
down the steps. The stones were cold
and damp and slippery as she neared
the bottom. The dark atmosphere sent
chill through her, but the brave girl
did not falter. 1herese came creeping
after her, shivering with fear. They
did not count the number Of steps, but
knew there were many. At last they
stood on cold stone floor.
Nov, which way?" she asked, hold
ing the lantern to flash its light as far
as possible around her.
She could see that they were in q
large chamber from which various
passages broke away in every direction.
eve must not lingerie lose time
would be to lose the game" she said.
"Choose this passage and follow 1t to
the end"
She turned into the nearest passage,
and the CLEANS Of the lantern were re-
Elected from slippery walls. AS she
walked she examined these walls for
doors. There were arches that led to
other passages and smaller ones that
opened into chambers that had EVIL
IDENTIFY been once used for prison cells.
for chains were hanging on the walls.
The lantern In Olga's hand flashed its
light into every nook and Granny until
at last she reached the end of that
passage. Making sure Therese was
close behind. she turned her steps into
another passage, running apparently
ut right angles with the other. This
she traversed in the same way until
the very bigness of the place and its
silence began to awe her.
The first courage that had led her to
the desperate net gradually gave way
to the awful gloom and mystery of the
place. But in its stead there came a
determination not to relinQuish the
search until she had found the unfortu-
nate victims Of Neslerov's hate or prov
ed that they were not there. She walk
ed on, gradually increasing her pace. A
door at last greeted her vision-a real
door that swung on hinges.
Eat last, perhaps" she said.
She tried her strength against the
door, and, though 1t was not locked,
yet she could not open it sufficiently to
enter.
"Therese. help me-" she said, setting
the lantern down upon the floor.
The two placed their shoulders against
the door and pushed, and it suddenly
opened. Tberesc was precipitated head
long into the chamber. A rush Of foul
air almost stifled Olga. There was a
peculiar sound, as If Therese had fall.
en- upon a heap of something. She was
whimpering in her terror.
Olga seized the lantern and dashed
into the chamber. A cry of horror es-
capped her She was in what seemed
to be an old tomb. At least, there
were heaps Of bones scattered about
and into one of these poor Therese had
pitched headlong.
Olga swung the lantern and, near to
the spot where Therese lay, two skele.
tons hung in chains. One had lost Its
head, but the other, by reason of being
fastened in peculiar way, had retain.
ed Its grinning top piece.
Therese was in dead faint,
Olga was now in terrible difficulty
She knelt by the side of Therese.
"Oh," she said, "if had but some
Materl She will never recover In this