Los Angeles herald., 1907-07-14

IN e1orts TO slip the rope down his arms, ouS
| he found that it had been put around in such
way that he could not move it. Then he
tried in vain to reach the fastening with one
of his hands. He had counted confidently
upon his ability to loosen the rope, and he was
rather demorazed by his failure to do so.
| lie could hear the men talking together IN
a low tone, but he could not make out what
| they said, though the subject of their con-
| versation did not make much difference to
him. The next sound that came to Linn was
noise like that made by the action OF drill
working in iron.
| Tney were evidently cutting hole through
| the iron doors of the safe. Probably they
knew all about the lock and the bolts, for
| they could hardly have made the venture
without strong hopes of getting into the safe,
which contained more than a hundred thou
sand dollars worth of Watches diamonds aud
| jewelry.
Again and again Bryan tried to loosen the
cords that bound him, and his repeated fail
| ures made him nearly wild Finally he con-
cluded that there was only one way to obtain
his liberty, and that was by breaking his bonds
literally. Sitting up in his berth, he exerted
his muscles to their utmost tension. Ii he
could not break the rope he might stretch it SO
as to enable him to slip it down over his
wrists
! The cord cut like knife, with nothing but
his shirt sleeves between his skin and the rope.
| abandon the attempt, though it gave him the
| most intense pain.
| AT last, to his great Joy, he heard the cord
snap and felt 1t loosen on his arms.
He was free from his bonds; but his first
| thought was that he might as well be a pris-
oner in his berth, for the villains would shoot
him the instant he showed himself, and he
could not very well do anything without show
ing himself.
He had proper respect for revolvers, and
| moi Aapt 70 init h,l
| face of them. But he thought he might as
well be shot as allow the store to be plum
dered Of all its most valuable goods while he
was on guard.
thing.
Mr.. Longwood had refused to allow the
watchmen to be supplied with firearms, fear.
full lest they should shoot each other: But
of it, in the berth. 1t looked as though it had
formerly been the handle of an old-fashioned
freshovel The end of the handle was wound
with cord, SO that it could be grasped with
out slipping.
Bryan had noticed this weapon when he was
on watch the first time. 1t was as good as
anything short of revolver could be for of
fensive or defensive purposes. A blow with
| it IN the right place was Eurer to kill th n a
| ball from pistol.
The pain in his arms caused Bryan to keep
quiet for time; but after the blood began TO
circulate more freely, the pain was some
what relieved.
Without getting out of the berth, Bryan
put on his trousers and his stockings. He
placed his shoes where he could get them
readily if he found chance to leave the
store and go for assistance
| Thus prepared for action, his confidence
| began to increase, for a person feels more as
surance. with his trousers on than in the 9TH
| er condition.
With the utmost care he got out of the
berth and lay down on the floor until he
could ascertain whether not he was di5-
covered. No notice seemed to be taken Of
| him, as there certainly would have been il
the burglars had suspected any movement on
| his part. They regarded him as mere boy,
who had not pluck enough to interfere With
| them.
| He wormed himself along the floor by inches
toward the front of the store until he reached
the end of the counter. Then he almost felt
| as though he was out of the woods. He raised
| himself up. far enough to enable him to sec
| over the showcases, and then proceeded to
take careful view of the situation.
The first important fact that he obtained
was that there were three persons in front of
the safe. All of them had their coats Off
and he could not tell one from another.
One of them was holding kind of bit
stock, and the other two were turning the
Strength TBey were Working 'nea with s
| their might, as though nothing but the most
desperate efforts would enable them to com
plete the job before morning.
Bryan thought of going out at the front
door and giving the alarm in the street; but
a second thought assured him that he could
not open the door, and second plan came
! as soon as the first was abandoned
TO BE CONTINUED NEXT SUNDAY