Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1904-02-17

a low tone 20 the men, don't drop him
on the stairs"
whats the matter with the elevat-
orr" came in anxious but mutfled tones
from the interior of the trunk.
ITS all right In this building" re-
sponded Breck, "but in the Warren
house there are two flights, and they
are pretty bad, the housekeeper says.
OF course you'll go up the back stairs"
The descent to the street was easy, but
the ride to the Warren house was long.
The longer the ride the longer Holdings
worths legs seemed to be, and before II
was finished he would have paid any rea-
sonable sum for the privilege of straight
ening them out
This is a singular paradox" he said to
himself. MY legs are getting longer ev-
cry minute and still / want to stretch
EN-"
One of the expressmen who was sitting
beside the trunk. informed him of his ar
rival at his destination and then climbed
out of the wagon. There was long wait
Then Hollingsworth felt a swaying of the
vehicle, and Immediately a voice spoke
cautiously.
There's hitch somewhere" it said
Don't speak loud. Old Warren Is stand
ing by the gate"
whats the trouble?"
He says it's the wrong trunk. He
swears that this one is fun of furs
They're hunting for the key, but the
housekeeper's all right. Don't you worry
Whatever happens you're safe. The old
man won't get you. Hush!"
Another long wait and then the voice
again:
well have to take you back. You've
been positively identified. You're lot of
sealskin and stuff that belonged to Mrs.
W S-S-E-ShI'
Presently the wagon swayed violently
and then started. Hollingsworth felt the
expressman settling himself down beside
the trunk. Then came very soft. hardly
audible whisper:
Don't speak. Don't make any noise.
Well get you out of this yet"
The wagon jolted along. 1t seemed to
travel a thousand miles. and there were
thousand new pains for every mile. FL
nally the wagon stopped The trunk was
lifted out. Hollngsworth heard a con-
fused murmur of voices. Then he felt the
motion of an elevator. There followed
great humping and dragging, followed by
a stiffness and a peculiar chill, gradually
but surely increasing. 1t seemed as II
drafts of icy air were blowing through the
holes in the trunk Hollingsworth stood
1t as long as he could, and then in a sud-
den paroxysm he pounded and kicked up
on the roof of his prison and yelled like
a wounded elephant 1t was a marvellous
relief. While he was enjoying 1t he heard
a clanking sound and then a strange.
loud scared voice cried
who's here?'
az am. hang itr yelled Hollingsworth
How could l be anywhere else? Holy
Moses, do you think l can crawl out
| through one of these holes?"
| Caesars ghost! exclaimed the voice.
How did you come to be in here?''
Where am II"
"This is the Columbia warehouse.
You're in the cold storage room We al
| ways keep our furs"-
| "Blast your furs! Who are your
I'm the Waterman. Everybody else
has gone home"
well" said Hollingsworth in a voice Of
smoldering rage, II want to go home too.
Open this trunk"
'I amt got no key" said the man. NOR
no tools. This is a mighty strong trunk.
How'd you get into it?'
Never mind that. Kick the lid off it."
"Bless your SOUL" said the Waterman.
II can't do that. It's bound with iron.
But when the day Waterman comes IN
the morning
He was Immediately interrupted by vi
client straining and groaning inside the
| trunk.
II say" he continued, ITS pretty thun-
| dern' cold in here. l can drag you into a
warmer room. There's one where l can
light a lot of gas. and l guess you'll be
comfortable"
Without waiting for reply the man
seized the trunk and dragged 1t along the
floor with incredible speed Hollingsworth
seemed to feel a change In the tempera-
ture, and he saw lights through the holes
in the trunk.
"Tll lift you up on to this shelf" said the
man. It'll be warmer there than on the
| floor"
Hollingsworth felt the trunk lifted and
set upon some sort of support He had
just sense enough left to wonder at the
strength of the man who lifted 1t. Surely
such an individual could find some means
of releasing him. While this thought was
in his mind there was a scratching sound.
and then suddenly the lid of the trunk
flew back. Hollingsworth, staring upward,
beheld dazzlingly brilliant and very or
nate chandelier. A babel of voices broke
out around him.
I'm crazy" he thought well it's nc
wonder"
And with that he painfully scrambled to
his feet. He was standing in the middle