Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1904-01-29


on the stairs"
whats the matter with tie elevat-
orr came In anxious but muiiied 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
or course you'll 20 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 Holllngs-
worth's 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 I want TO stretch
EN-"
One of the expressmen. who was sitting
beside the trunk Informed him OF his ar
rival at his destinatioT.-and then climbed
out Of the wagon. Thefe was long wait.
Then Hollingsworth felt a swaying of the
vehicle. and Immediately a voice spoke
cautiously.
There's a hitch somewhere" IL 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 full of furs.
They're hunting for the key, but the
housekeepers 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:
"We'll have to take you back. You've
been positively identified. You're lot OF
sealskin and stun that belonged to Mrs.
Warren when she was alive. S-s-s-sh!'
Presently the wagon swayed violently
and then started. Hollingsworth felt the
expressman settling himself down beside
the trunk. Then came a very soft, hardly
audible whisper:
Don't speak. Don't make any noise.
Wen get you out OF this yet"
The wagon tolted along II 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 Holingsworth heard "A con-
fused murmur OF voices, Then he felt the
motion of an elevator. There followed a
great humping and dragging, followed by
a stiffness and a peculiar chill. gradually
but surely increasing. IL seemed as II
drafts of icy air were blowing through the
| holes in the trunk. Hollingsworth stood
| It as long as he could. and then in a sud
den paroNysm he pounded and kicked up
/ on the roof of his prison and yelled like
wounded elephant II was marvellous
relief. While he was enjoying 1t he heard
a clanking sound, and then strange
| loud, scared voice cried
who's here?"
~ am. hang it, yelled Hollingsworth
"How could l be anywhere else? Holy
Moses, do you think | can crawl out
| through one of these holes?"
| "C9sars ghostr' exclaimed the voice
| 'How did you come to be In here?'
Where am To-
"Ths is the Columbia warehouse
You're in the cold storage room. We al
| ways keep our furs"-
BLAST your furs, Who are you?'
"rm the watchman. Everybody else
| has gone home"
We'll" said Hollingsworth in voice OF
smoldering rage. II want TO go home too.
| Open this trunk"
81 amt got no key id the man, NOR
no tools. This Is mighty strong trunk.
| How'd you get into it?'
| Never mind that Kick the lid off it,
"Bess your SOUL" said the watchman.
IT can't do that. It's bound with iron,
But when the day Waterman comes in
| the morning
He was Immediately interrupted by vi
olent straining and groaning inside the
trunk.
II say" he continued ITS pretty thun-
derin cold in here. / can drag you into a
warmer room. There's one where | can
light lot of gas. and ! guess you'll be
comfortable"
Without waiting for a reply the man
seized the trunk and dragged 1t along the
floor with incredible speed. Hollingsw orth
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"
Hollngsworth 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 scratching sound,
and then suddenly the lid of the trunk
few back. Hollingsworth. staring upward,
beheld a dazzlingly brilliant and very or
nate chandelier. A babel of voices broke
| out around him.
I'm crazy" he thought. well, It's no
wonder"
And with that he painfully scrambled to
his feet. He was standing in the middle
of a bountifully laden banquet table sur