Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1905-06-14
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carriage. There was crack OF tn,
| whip, and the horses went of bound
ing. Wezcould hesr horsemen all about
us and wagons s following. I had 4,
stout. heartin me- those days; but II
all my life had never taken a ride
so little TO my liking. We went over
rough roads, up hill and down, for ar
hour or more. * $15zs
I could see in prospect no better DIES.
tination than our graves, and, indeed
l was not far wrong. Well, by and b,
We came to a town somewhere-God
knows where. I have never seen It
or known the name of it, or even that
of the prison where We were first
inmured. l could tell it was a town
by the rumble OF the wheels and each
| echoing EoOf-beat. The cavalcade was
all about us, and now and then we
could hear the sound of voices far
behind. The procession slowed up
horsemen damned to the left Of us,
the carriage halted. I could hear foot
steps on stone pavement
You re Late" said a low voice at
the carriage door. 1T s near eleven
LOT o fooling with the candidates.
said one of the horsemen, quietly.
'Everything ready?"
"Everything ready" was the answer.
The carriage door swung open
I'VE set out here" said one of the
men who sat with us.
alighted. On each side of me some
body put his hand on my shoulder. I
could see the glow of a lantern-light
close to my face. knew there was
crowd of men around, but I could
hear nothing save now and then a
whisper.
Wall, Ray" said Dri, who stood by
my side, ''hop stiddy m don't be
Scairt"
DO as they tell ye.' stranger whis-
pered in my ear. mo matter what t
is, do as they tell ye.''
They led us into long passage and
up a steep flight of wooden stairs. I
have learned since then it was build
ing equipped by well-known secret
society for it's limitations. We
went on through narrow hall, and
lip a winding flight that seemed tc
me interminable. Above it, as we
stopped, the man who was leading me
raped thrice on a rafting wooden
door. It broke the silence with loud
echoing noise. l could hear then the
sliding of a panel and faint whisper
ing and the sound Of many feet as
cending the stairs below. The door
swung open presently, and we were
led in where could see no sign of any
light. They took me alone across a
wide bare floor, where they set mo
down on some sort of platform and
left me, as I thought. Then l could
hear the whispered challenge at the
door and one after another entering
and crossing the bare floor on tiptoe.
Hundreds were coming in, it seemed to
me. Suddenly deep silence fell in
: that dark place of evil. The blind
fold went whisking off as if a ghostly
hand had taken it. But all around
me was the darkness of a pit. l could
see and could hear nothing but a
faint whisper, high above me, like that
OF pine boughs moving softly in light
breeze. I could feel the air upon my
face. I thought I must have moved
out of door by magic. 1t seemed as il
l was sitting under the trees alone.
Out Of the black silence an icy hand
fell suddenly upon my brow. flinched,
feeling it move slowly downward over
my shoulder. I could hear no breath
ing, no rustic Of garments near me.
In the dead silence I got a feeling
that the hand touching me had no body
behind it. I was beyond the reach Of
fear-1 was in a way prepared for
anything Hlt the deep, heart-shaking
horror that sank under the cold,
damp touch Of those fingers. They
laid hold Of my, elbow firmly, lifting
as if to indicate that I was to rise.
l did SO, moving forward passively as
1t drew me on. TO my establishment
l was unable to hear my own football
or that OF my conductor. I thought
we were walking upon soft earth.
Crossing our path in front of me I
could see, in the darkness, a cleaning
line. We moved slowly, standing still
as our toes covered it. Then suddenly
light flashed from before and below
us. A cold sweat came out upon me;
I staggered back to strong hands that
were laid upon my shoulders, forcing
me to the line again. BY that flash OF
light l could see that was standing on
the very brink of some black abyss
indeed, my toes had crossed the edge
of it. The light came again, flicker
ing and then settling into a steady
glow. The opening seemed to have a
grassy bottom some 10 feet below. In
front of me the soil bristled, on that
lower level, with some black and
pointed plant: there were at least a
score Of them. AS looked 1 saw they
were not plants, but square of bay
onets thrust, points up, in the ground.
A curse came out of my hot mouth,
and then a dozen voices Knocked it,
going fainter, like a dying echo. A
tall figure in a winding-sheet, it's face
covered, was leaning over me.
ITO hesitate is to die" it whispered
Courage may save you"
Then skeleton hand came out OF
the winding-sheet, pointing down al
the square Of bristling bayonets. The
figure put its mouth to my ear.
Jump" it whispered, and the bare
baaes OF the dead fingers stirred i'm.
patiently.
ITO Be Coutnued.1
A Question Of Knowledge.
Two men in Kansas City were hav.
ing heated argument concerning the
location of a certain >theater in New
vrr,)> s&1y ~