Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-09-16
The Woman In
the Above.
BY ANNA KATHARINE GREEN.
Author Of 'The Millionaire e45y," The
FlIiEree Ball." "The House 10 the
Mist," The Amethyst
Box" Etc
Copyright, 1905, The Bobbs-Merrill %.


enough. After / nau picked up tnSSS
scraps I stole back to the turret stair
case. And here made my first break.
I stumbled in the darkness, and the |
man below heard me, for the pistol |
clicked again. I did not like this, and
had some thoughts of backing out OF I
my Job. But / didn't. l merely wait
ed till heard his step again. Then
followed. ,'2s s7s;a e ~ -ti''.
But very warily this time. 1t was
not an agreeable venture. 1t was like
descending into a well with possible
death at the bottom. could see moth
ing and presently could hear nothing
but the almost imperceptible sliding Of
my own fingers down the curve of the
wall, which was all had to guide me.
Had he stopped midway and would my
first intimation of his presence be the
touch of cold steel or the fiinging
around me Of two murderous arms?
had met with no break In the smooth
surface Of the wall, SO could not have
reached the second story. When |
should get there the question would be
whether to leave the staircase and
seek him in the mazes Of its great
rooms or to keep on down to the parlor
floor and SO to the street, whittier he
was possibly bound. own that was
almost tempted to turn on my light
and have done with IT, but / remem-
bered Of how little use should be to
you lying In this well of stairway
with a bullet in me, and so / managed
10 compose myself and 60 on as ! had
begun Next instant my fingers slipped
round the edge of an opening, and
knew that the moment of decision had
come. Realizing that no one can move
90 softly that he will not give away
his presence in some way, paused for
the sound which knew must come,
and when click rose from the depths
OF the hall before me I plunged into
mat hall and thus into the house
proper. seaE~;sikr tIsstAsHsa ~ s
Z ,-.FTere II was not SO dark, yet could
make out none Of the objects now
and then ran against. passed mir
FOr II hardly know how knew It to be
SUCH, and In that mirror / seemed to
see the ghost Of ghost fit by and
vanish. 1t was too much. ! muttered
d suppressed oath and plunged for
ward, when / struck against a closing
door. 1t few open again, and rushed
Al, turning on my light In my extreme
desperation, when, instead OF hearing
the sharp report of a pistol, as ex-
pected, saw a second door fall to be-
fore me. this time with sound like
the snap Of a spring lock. Finding
that this was so, and that all advance
was barred that way, wheeled hur'
riedly back toward the door by which
4 had entered the place. to find thai
that had fallen to simultaneously witt
the other, single spring acting fol
both. I was trapped-a prisoner In the
gtrangest sort Of passageway or closet
and as a speedy look about presently
assured me, prisoner with very littlt
hope of immediate escape, for thu
doors were not only immovable, with
out even locks to pick or panels Il
break in, but the place was bare o
windows, and the only communicated
which 1t could be said to have with tn
outside world at all was shaft risini
from the ceiling almost to the top o
the house Whether this served as
ventilator, or q means of lighting n
the hole when both doors were shut
II was much too inaccessible to offe
any apparent way Of escape.
'Never was a man more thorough
boxed In. As / realized how httl
chance there was OF any outside intei
ference, how my captor, even II b
was seen leaving the house by the of
Ger on duty, would be taken for m,
self and so allowed to escape, / ow
that 1 felt my position hopeless on
But anger is a powerful stimulant, an
was MORALLY angry, not only wit
Sears, but with myself. So when
was done swearing took another loo
around, and, finding that there was 1
getting through the walls, turned m
attention wholly to the shaft whiC
would certainly lead me out Of Il
place If could only find means
mount it.
'And how do you think managS
to do this at last? A look at my
dragged, lime covered clothes ms
give you some idea. l cnt passal
for myself up those Derptndicul
walls az the boy did up the face
the natural bridge in Virginia
you remember that old story In
reader7 1t came to me like an
spiration as stood looking up FRI
below, and, though l knew that
should have to work most of the W
An perfect darkness, / decided that
mans life was worth some risk q
that had rather fall and break
neck while doing something than
spend hours In maddening inactivi
only to face death at last from 81
starvation.
II had a knife, an exceedingly 81
knife, in my pocket and for the d
few steps / should have the light CT
electric torch. The dificulty-that