The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1907-08-01

ing ana presently FoNiN near nolnlhI
but the almost imperceptible sliding Of
my own fingers down the curve of the
wail, which was all had 20 guide me.
Had he stopped midway and would my
FIRST intlmation OF his presence be the
touch OF cold stet u the hinging
around ME 0f two n,C -atrous armsf |
had met with no break in the smooth
surface Of the wall, SO could not have
reached the second story. When
should get there slis qucstion would be
whether TO leave the staircase and
seek him in the mazes Of its great
rooms or 10 keep on down to the parlor
floor and SO TO the street. whittier he
was possibly bound I own that | was
almost tempted 70 turn on my light
aud Ar1 Nane with II, but | remem-
bured d esfAFy little use / should be to
YOU lying In this well OF q stairway
with a bullet ia me- and so / managed
TO compose myself and 20 on as | he'd
begin Ne1t 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
so softly that be will not give away
bis presence IN some way. paused for
tile sound which J knew must come.
and when a click rose from the depths
of tie hall before me | plunged into
that haI and thus into the house
proper
Here It was not so dark yet could
make ont none Of the objects ] now
and then ran against | passed q mir
ror q hardly know how knew It 70 be
SUCH. and IN Tint mirror ! seemed to
see tie ghost Of ghost Sit by and
vanish II was too much I muttered
suppressl[ oath and plunged for
ward. when struck against closing
door II flew open again and rushed
in. turning on my light IA my extreme
desperation. when. instead Of hearing
the sharp report Of q pistol, as J ex-
pected, | saw q second door fall 70 be-
fore me. this time with sound Ike
the snap OF a spring lock. Finding
that this was SO, and that ali advance
was barred that way. | wheeled hrr-
rie1ly back toward the door by which
] had entered the place. to find that
that had fallen to simultaneously with
the other. single spring acting for
both. WAS trapped-a prisoner IN the
strongest sort OF passageway or closet
and as a speedy look about presently
assured me, prisoner with very little
hope OF immediate escape. for the
doors were not only immovable, with
out even locks 20 pick or panels to
break IN, but the place was bare Of
windows. am. sae only communication
which 1t could be said to have with the
outside world at all was shaft rising
from the ceiling almost to the top Of
the bpgse Whether this served as a
venulator, or :, means Of lighting up
the hole when both doors were shut
It was much too inaccessible 70 offer
any apparent way OF escape,
'.Neyer was a man more thoroughly
boxed Ia AS / realized how little
chance there was OF any outside inter-
ference. how my captor, even II he
was seen leaving the house by the OIL
Ger on duty. would be taken for my
self and so allowed TO escape. own
that I felt my position 4 hopeless one.
But anger Is a powerful stinulant, and
was mortally angry. not only with
& Sears, but with myself SO when /
was done swearing took another look
around, and. finding that there was no
getting through the walls. tHrned my
attention wholly TO the shaft. which
would certainly lead me out OF the
place il could only find means to
monnt IT,
And how do yoG think I managed
10 do this al lasts A look at my be-
nraggled liEe covered clothes may
give you some idea cut a passage
for myself up those perpendicular
walls as The boy did up the face o.
the natural bridge in Virginia. ID,
you remember that old story in tn,
reader2 Il came 10 me like an ia
splration as l stood looklag up from
below and though knew that
should have 10 work most OF the way
IA perfect darkness, / decided that
maas life was worth some risk ant
that I had rather fail and break N.
neck while doing something than L
spend hours In maddening inactivity
only 20 face death at last from slow
starvation
AAA4 ~ hnAitf tAA tAlitAiAEll ENot
knife. IN my pocket, and for the iirs
few steps / should have the light OF my
electric to,rh The difficulty that Is
the first diheulty was to reach thi
shaft from the door wkere / stood
There was but one article Of fmnitur,
tp the room, ana that was something
between q table and desk. No chairs
and the desk was not high enough b,
enable me 70 reach tie mouth Of thl
shaft II / could turn ii on end, Their
might be some hope But this did no
look feasible However, ! threw OF
my coat and Went at the thing with
vengeance. and, whether was given su
perhuman power or whether the clune.
thing was not as heavy as Il looked
did finally succeed 10 turning Il on Ia
end c.ose under the opening from whisl
the shaft rose. The next thing was q
get on IFS top That seemad about a
impossible as climbing the bare wal
Itself, but presently 1 bethought m
OF the drawers. and though they wer
Ioc,tf41 sll1 aueooad hs fla nfd ~ nil