The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1904-11-18

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her shoulders and was s. evening
dress. {. Il -ss. .sssS .:.s ss:s.
How do you dor? he said, pleas.
antly. with 1 decent air. Of surprise, Is
nshe were the last person in the world !
he expected to see. q.
But she was In q state Of great agt-
.tatton. Her face was pale and she /
was trembling with nervousness. and
was it fear? - .s: s ..zs:s.s=,
20, please don't stop mel" she said,
excitedly. y must not-O, I dare not
speak to you'll :,. ,ss.zss III. .] .5:.z .
She ran to the elevator--the boy was !
on duty that night-the door was
closed, and he stood staring at it in
establishment. @s-s'~ . p r. -. s.s2655~.:
What was the cause Of her agitation,
her distress? >; .&.s..@
He lighted cigarette, and, after q
moments thought, strolled out Of the
building. y
From the street he could see the
lights in the Ferrari fats. He looked
up, wondering what took place there,
and for what purpose that Queer-look-
ing box had been brought in.
Suddenly he became aware that tho
lights were being lowered, until the
place was almost fn darkness. A sick>
ening thought came into his mind. and
he returned to the house.
AS he stood there, hesitating, he dis
tinctly beard woman's scream, fol-
lowed by 4 low, moaning SQUAD.
This was too much for him.
He turned TO Wilkins and babe him
follow. ~
Come upstairs with met" he said.
"I'm going to- find out what is going
on. Did you zee that box taken into
Mr.. Ferrari's fat this morning."
II did, sir" said the man. ut came
mighty early, as if he didn't want any
body to see it. And stranger looking
box l never see. l says to my wife,
says: You mark my words, there's
something queer going on up there!'
That's what l says, sir"
They had been running up the stairs
while he spoke, and by this time had
reached the Ferraris' door.
"You have a" latchkey to all the
DOORS" said Archie. "Open it,"
The man hesitated.
"Open it," repeated the artist, sharp
". II will be responsible
In another moment he was standing
inside the Ferraris' hall In a room
in front Of him he could hear voices
whispering. He burst in. >.
There was the box. 1t stood open,
and his heart turned sick as he per-
ceived that it was lined like coffin.
On a chair sat the pretty girl from
Weldon's. =;
Her hands were tied behind her,
and her face was pale and frightened.
Both Mr.. and Mrs. Ferrari were
there. r.
"You dog!" screamed the Italian,
who was evidently mad with passion
at his Intrusion r..
''Thank heaven, am in time!" said
Archie.
The Italian threw himself furiously
upon him, but he had no chance against
the athletic young artist. Striking out
like the practiced boxer he was, Archie
struck him in the chest and sent him
Keeling backwards.
Then he turned to the girl whom he
had come to rescue. Taking a PEN
knife from his pocket, he cut the rib
bon with which her wrists were bound,
and, regardless of all conyentionalities,
snatched her to his breast.
you fool!" said Mr.. Ferrari, strug-
Cling to his feet and rubbing his chest.
You fool!" y
He relinquished his hold upon the
girl and turned to Mr.. Ferrari, who
was literally dancing with passion
"How dare you come into my tlat?''
he was screaming. What do you
think you area hero in a melo-
drsma?"
Archie began to think that perhaps
he had been precipitate.
Il came to save her life," he stam-
mered.
ITO save her ife!" echoed the 1tal-
ian in dismay. What do YOU"
Then he, too, began to laugh,
"The box!", he gasped, pointing at
the big. ugly looking receptacle. HE
thought I was q murderer. He came
to safe her life. Did it not strike you,
my gallant young friend, that I might
be going to use the box for profess
sional purposes?'
For professional purposes?" said
Archie, lamely
= why not?" -
II don't know what you are talking
about" said Archie. Are you an UNI
dertaker?''
mo, a conjurer!" screamed Ferrari.
Il am going to do the box trick at the
Pavilion tonight am going to make
this young woman vanish
Heavens, what a chump have
made of myself" said Archie, truth
fully. But why did she scream, and
why did you turn down the ight?'
81 only cried out because hurt my
self the first time got into it," said
the girl from Weldon's This is to
be my first night on the stake, and I