Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1902-09-18


"A good idea," he snarled. "You
shall wait for death in the dark
not knowing when it shall come up
on you"
The door clicked behind him. 1
heard the key turn in the lock and
withdrawn, and as the soft pad, pad
of his footsteps died away along the
corridor, / renewed my straining
like a maniac. The cords tore into
my flesh. The blood surged up in my
head as if the veins that held it would
burst. Knowing that every moment
was vitality precious, 1 fought for my
life with the desperate energy of
despair, until, utterly exhausted, 1
collapsed and lay supine and impo-
tent. The imminence of an awful
death froze my blood. Merciful
heaven! If l could only free n
hand! If | could but scream! This
utter helplessness was horrible.
The memorable tick-ticking of the
clock on the mantel maddened my
brain. Suddenly it struck the half
hour. The sound fred me from the
coma of despair into which my IN
availing efforts had plunged me to
make another spasmodic effort; but
it was useless. My constrained posi-
ton neutralized my strength.
The internal assassin had given
me no chance. Ten minutes! Great
heavens! Five must have flown al
ready.
Great heaven! what was that--a
footstep in the passage? My brain
was surely fooling me! But no, it
clanked nearer. Someone was rat
Ting the handle of the door. Hang
the fellow, he's gone!" The voice
l knew it! 1t was Marshall-my
friend Marshall-come before his
time! Thinking me gone, he turned
away.
Merciful Heaven, he must not go!
With the frenzy of despair l beat a
tattoo with my heel against the desk
that's queer; it's all dark" Mar,
shall cried. "Dick, old chap" he
shouted, "are you there?"
For answer | kicked the wood IN.
ergetically.
by George" he muttered, there's
something wrong. I'm going to in
vestigate."
In fancy I could e him as, plant
ing his feet against the opposite
wall, he applied his shoulder to the
door, and with the purchase thus
obtained thrust with all his mighty
strength.
Would he succeed in forcing it.
Again and again he tried, dashins
himself against it, but in vain. Back
ing against the wall, he smashed a
it with the fiat of his heavy boot
The crash was followed by the sount
of rending wood. 1t was yielding
it was yielding! Another might.
kick, and the hasp of the lock wa
torn bodily off, and the door flew
open.
In an instant Marshall's fingers
found the switch, and the room wal
hooded with nght.
Heaven and earth!" he cried, as h
caught sight of my helpless figure
what deviltry is this?"
Springing Gro the room, h
forced the gag from my jaws and com
menced to hack the bonds from me
My mouth was parched, and, %utterl.
unstrung for a few seconds, although
our very lives hung on it, | could sa,
no word. Then suddenly the re
action came, and | shrieked in morta
terror:
Marshall, the tube!" He followe
my gaze, and jumped to his fee
"Nitro-glycerine!" l yelled madl.
"Unhook it, quick, but CAREFUL!
Marshall, for your life! Place it i
that jar"
In one bound he was at the tell
phone. The next second he had III
: hooked the dependent wire, and ha
drawn the tube away from the han
mer. And, as he held it in his finger
before he could detach it from TIL
hook at the top the call cam
B-r-r-r-r! rang out the bell. When
, ceased I was bowling with mad, i
rational laughter.
Marshall coolly unlocked the tub
suspended it in the jar of water, an
took the receiver in his hand.
T "Hallo! who're you?" he yelled.
: He waited a moment for the al
, swer, but receiving none, with tn;
never-failing presence of mind tn;
distinguished him, in a trice he ha
: rung up the exchange.
"Where did that call come from;
he demanded. "Good! Put n
] through to the Central police st;
ton. Halo! is that you, Jacques
: I'm Marshall. Tell Snelgrove to con
J, to the instrument at once O'Leal
gang, I SUPPOSED" he queried, turnir
:. to me. II thought so! That yo
i Jim? Attempted anarchist %outras
t at my friend Shenstone's chamber
! Tim O'Leary! Just left the Boroue
Road telephone call-office. If YOU
spry you'll nail him. Get Jacques
warn the railway lot. Right"
Marshall's promptitude in warnir
the officials afforded them the o
portunity to take my %dastardly a
: sailant in the very act of boardir
! an outgoing train. I had the graft
cation of Identifying him the ne,
morning, and later on of seeing hi
: meet with his just deserts.-Londt
l. Answers.