Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1902-10-02

| That also Will l explain. The night
was so hot that l thought 1 would leave
the door open. BESIDES. my wife is
away visiting her mother
"NOw l understand. Then I am to
believe that am locked in here with
you until I In the mOrningY'
Exactly and that is the time the
private Waterman raps on the outside
door to see If all is WELL
~ see.' l replied, smiling less pleas
antly. But you would not dare signal
to the Waterman that you had burglar
in your room. would shoot you the
instant you did So
I'm afraid you are too hasty. and
do not understand the life work of AN
inventor. l would not have to signal.
There is an automatic device on the
outer door which would warn him. That
cannot be disconnected so long as the
door is closed
For the first time | began to feel
little creepy, but l answered with what
suavity could command: But what IL
break down the door? 1t is only made
of wood
THAT would be impossible. 1t Is
four inches thick and made Of stout
oak and is braced with steel ribs. Moth
| ing short Of dynamite could blow 1t
open
but the windows" l continued. 4
have slid down the side Of houses be-
fore now with nothing but bed quilts to
support me-
THE man sighed-there was no mis-
taking that. He looked almost pathei
cally at me and then said
I'm sorry to shatter another delusiOn
Of yours but that avenue of escape is
totally closed. 1t would mean instant
death to you. If you will notice the iron
grating at the windows you may gather
my meaning. Those small steel bars
are charged with electricity enough to
kill dozen men. II you attempted to
cut them or to pry them apart you
would never live to tell the tale. Nor
even l, with all my skill at mechanics
and invention, could escape through the
windows, or touch one of the steel bars
Of the grating. Your only hope Is to
reach the basement Of the house and
turn off the switch, but that seems i'm
possible until after in the morning.
Il felt now the perspiration break.
ing out on my forehead. for was I'M
doubleday in trap, locked up in a room
with the owner Of the house. with no
possible means of escape until daylight
For some time l lost my nerve and
stared helplessly Mt the inventor before
me. He looked so pathetically sorry for
me that almost laughed in his face.
"'Do not make light of it, lie broke
out reprOachfully, for no man should
look death or prison in the face without
sorrow and remorse. 1 should think
that your past deeds would
See here, old man. interrupted, 4
may be shut up In Il room with you all
night but I'm not going to be lectured.
Id rather do the talking il there's any
to be done
but. sir, I'm thinking only Of your
welfare-of your souls safety in the
hereafter. l should like to reform you
and turn you away from your path of
crime. We have six hours together be-
fore us, and IL In that time could con-
vince yOu-'
"'YOu cannot I interrupted rudely.
4 wish to rest and sleep. 1t will do me
more good than if
"'You must be very far gone, indeed,
IL you can sleep at such a time as this
In all my experience with criminals
ku n
not
~ yawned and stretched myself on
the sofa opposite him and closed my
eyes. If you do not wish me to kill
you. pray be quiet. l have no need for
your Sermon
"Ah, you will speak differently some
but be careful how you stretch your
self on the sofa. 1t has n patent spring
invented by me which will make it
close up with a click and suffocate you
in moment IL you should accidentally
touch the knob
What an Internal hole this room is.
exclaimed, jumping from the sofa and
standing In the middle of the room. is
there anything else Of your invention in
this ROOM
Nothing OF Importance: that Is.
nothing except the chairs. which have
cOllapsible backs and legs. II You
should happen to seat yourself on one
and tip over to the right it might
Il moved away from the nearest chair
and took seat OH the foot Of the bed,
near my midnight acquaintance. The
bed at least is all right. SUPPOSE
said l.
Not IL two get on it. 1t will stand
just one hundred and fifty pounds, and
no more
"The man could not finish his SEN
tence. His face suddenly blanched and
felt my nerves shaking.
'Then there was turn Of the door
knob and suddenly the door opened.
and vision of white nightclothes stood
before u.s. "A voice asked. sharply:
John. what are you doing at this time
Of the night with the gas turned up so
high? Are you up to your Old
Then there was ii shrek, and the
woman dropped in heap on the floor
SwOOninp before nv eyes as she caught