The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1905-11-30

having invested the building o. ~!
sides bcln rs. would proceed to invcsti
Kate the inmates on" rs one. az hey
had done on many a similar oC'ufiun'
No, h. was not secure IA this precious
hotel at all. and the only safety for
him lazy in getting away AS Tar nS pos
s!ble from the acighboI hood.
Going 10 Ia. End of tn" hall wh.rg
the window stood open, he pcercd
down ON the street. IL WAS too high
To risk "A leap. and. even " such q
thing could be accomplished IN SAFE
~. nc would only fall into the hands OF
the men who were lying m walt Tor
him.
"Ah, n my work were only done. I'd
go back with them gladly he NUT
tered. ur hc turned away with y tigh.
But there ~ more that | hay" To do.
and until then the police and !.
will remain strangers.
Near the window through which ne
had been petTing was an open door,
and without knowing exactly why, ne
entered The Was empty, nut
nlong one side ran u shelf. ON wniCh
We're ranged various rusty chndle.ticEs
containing pieces OF candle. cNldehtiy
for the use of the "gucSts.'
Job helped himself Co the largest
piece OF the candle he could ind and
appropriated some OF the matches
May need EN- he muttcrcd.
This enterprise may carry me into
many dark places"
AS he came out Of this room. ne
thought hc heard the sound Of steps
below and the echoes Of mut.led Nolcca.
''Thcy muat have got ON my ran
he muttprrd. We'll. the only thinE To
40 Is To tvs and reach the roof. perhaps
h may communicate with some other
building. ~ not-wcl. ] snail De
caught"
AS he approached the stair again the
sound Of IN. voices below became QUO
or. and. from the fragments OF con
~vcrsatiuu that drIgIcd mp To MIN, ne
Judged that the police were mnkinG nv
examination of the rooms on the i""'r
floor.
III will take en- some time To do
that was the thought that was run
ming through his mind, and In the
meantime who knows but ] may be
able 10 show them a clean pair az
heels"
He had reached the stairs again nnd'
cautiously. that he might not awAhe
the slccpcrs. nsccndcd them slowly.
whoever IL was Investigating the
lower rooms. he aid not take pre-
caution To mulle his VU.rc. and irdS-
ments OF what was said satisfied job
that the police were In the building.
He had now reached the upper iopr.
which. from the silence that ~prrNni'"h'
he Judged to be- ~unogcupied, There was
a small iron ladder leading la the rooi'
and without a moments hesitation. H.
climbed this. and. opening the trap
closed IL behind him on the roof.
" was only through this trap mat
they could possibly lind him. so he
thought " ne could weight down the
tran. they would have no easy tnEk IN
reaching him. At the same time. u
h. found no way tn escape from 'iy
roof. his enemies had only To walt. ana
he must eventually fall into iheiT
hands.
lie closed the trap carefully. and Eee-
ing a pile OF old lumber near at hnhd,
by degrees brought the boards over M
his strong arms. and piled them On TOP
When h. found that there was nothing
else OF a weighty nature h n he could
pile over the door. nc wiped MS fore
head Of its Precipitation and sat down
on The pile 90 boards TO consider his
situation.
Looked at Il IN any light. his position
seemed 10 he desperate. FOR the place
Mas guarded below. and the house was
fun OF policemen. Hc rose and walked
10 the further end or the roof. and th"f
saw below him a low building that
l lnnEFu AZ IL u NNlF II II N'A W fa'A
sort. Then he wandered 20 the irdal
, or the building. and. looking down
thought he could see a policeman
walking back and forth. uad. beyond
othprg. So me- returned TO ia. COntgll'
/ piltion 81 the !.ttlc factory. II ~
could only reach that roof. Il would not
be hara ta get 70 the street. Iut N lnl
far below him. and to jump would b.
impossible. lust then. rs he wa8 walk
ing about. fee ling very uneasy, M
trippcd over a .oIr fastened To u "i
thu chimueys. and which 81 some Tins
must have been employed I'm thc wort
Of painting the building.
II was only a short piece. but hc tool
" up tcndcrly. uUdid The knots an,
then found that Il was sthl Of q shnr'
"A length TO he of any service TO him
Rope In hand. he drew near the b!inl
OF the roof. and peered down into an
DEPTHS. The roof of tho factory, ~
whatever II was. lay far below but IN
saw "a small projection Jutiing on
from the building ON which he wa
standing. about half way down. IN
IL tho rope huG only been double ~
length, Then a thought occurred q
him whereby lie might make his ltiti
rope 90 double service.
Fastening IL To- "A hook where
lightning rod had formerly been. h
threw thc loose end over d wall
where 10 duuglcd IN spacc. Under IN
knot D." had tied about the hook h
placed a candle and w H.. Ills iuinn
lion was that by the lin" he ma
reached the lower projecting ledge, th
cnuLlg would awe burned its wa,
through iMg roT". IL would urup int
hls hands and hen lie would bc able {
use II again 90 reach the roof oi IN
factory. Having arranged this, Jo
scrambled over the edge uf he p'trupcl
and. climbing 10 the rope, luuurh"
himself into space. a.. knew that
was possible that the candle micli
burn the rope through before h
rrnrhea tue ridge of saf'ty, but II wa
necessary that he should take the rlss
In his swinging descent ne could ne
help but look upward NJ the Harm
candle. the progress 81 which was
decide his fate. Tor life or death. \
old rope like tha' must consume RAJ
idly. Would IL ever last until =
reached the ledge
But hts had been =
precipitate that he finally swun
over on the ledge and restc
there, before tine rot" finally swept OF
with "A trail OF IRE. the one end
which he sIiII held. Al the same tin
IA. heard "A iumbling noise above h
head which showed that the trap doc
had been forced open, and that ~
police must now be upon the roof.
They must sOon see the Candl
which In that calm and placid nigl
was probably still burning. and th'
would know where To look for the ma
who was attempting To escape.
: Tn. ledge To which JOB clunE W.
Z before a great iron door probably use
Gs- "a.