Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1904-11-23

ACI SEOuIOSTS dHU WdS III evening
dress
How do you do?' he said, pleas
antly, with decent air of surprise as
if she were the last person in the world
he expected to see
But she was in a state of great agi-
tation. Her face was pale and she
was trembling with nervousness, and
was it fear?
20, please don't stop mel" she said,
excitedly. Il must not-O, l dare not
speak to you!"
She ran TO the elevator-the boy was
On 6uty that night-the door was
closed, and he stood staring at it in
establishment
What was the cause of her agitation,
her distress?
He lighted q cigarette, and, after
l.oment's thosght, strolled out of the
building
From the street he could see the
lights in the Ferrari flats. He looked
up, wondering what took place there,
and for what purpose that queer-look-
ing box had been brought i'll.
Suddenly he became aware that the
lights were being lowered, until the
place was almost in darkness. A sick
eEing thought came into his mind. and
he returned to the house.
AS he stood there, hesitating, he dis
tinctly heard a womanS scream, fol-
loved by low, moaning sound.
This was too much for him.
He turned to Wilkins and babe him
follow.
Come upstairs with mel" he said.
I'm going to find out what is going
on. Did you see that box taken into
Mr.. Ferrari's fiat this morning?'
Il did, SIR said the man, 1T came
mighty early, as if he didn't want any
body to see it. And stranger looking
box never see. l says to my wife, l
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
ly. 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 a coffin.
On 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.
you dog" screamed the Italian,
who was evidently mad with passion
at his intrusion.
Thank heaven, l 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
reeling 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 ali conventicnalities,
snatched her to his breast
You fool" said Mr.. Ferrari, strug-
Cling to his feet and rubbing his chest.
you fool"
He relinquished his hold upon the
girl and turned to Mr.. Ferrari, who
was literally dancing with passion
How dare you come into my 1lat?'
he was screaming. What do you
think you area hero in a melo-
drama?"
Archie began to think that perhaps
he had been precipitate
Il came to save her life" he stam-
| mered.
ITO s>ve her life!' echoed the Ital-
ian'in di.nay. What do you
Then he, too, began to laugh.
THE boX!" he gasped, pointing at
the big. ugly looking receptacle He
| thought l was murderer He came
| 10 safe her life. Did it not strike you,
my gallant young friend, that l might
| be going to use the box for profess
sional purposes?"
For professional purposes?" said
Archie, lamely.
why not?'
Il don't know what you are talking
about" said Archie Are you an I'M
| dertaker?"
mo, conjurer!'' screamed Ferrari
Il am gong to do the box trick at the
Pavilion tonight l am going to make
| this young woman vanish"
Heavens, what a chump l have
made of myself" said Archie, truth
fully. But why did she scream, and
why did you turn down the light?"
Il 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 /
am nervous.
And l turned down the light be-