Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1908-04-23

| floor; from there we can get 20 the
roof and perhaps reach the street"
She moved quickly across the room
and the man followed, swinging the
stein To his side. The girls fingers
ran along the wall. and something
clicked. A door, large enough TO pass
through by STOPPING. opened. The girl
stepped through and the man followed.
closing the door Hardly had IL
clicked 10 than there came a crash
from behind which told them that
their pursuers had broken into the
room.
The girl took the mans hand and
led the way through pitchy darkness.
A few steps and they began TO mount
"A fight of stairs. Stumbling, some
times almost falling, they climbed up
ward. At a landing that marked a
turn in the stairs they heard their
pursuers begin TO stumble up after
them. Another long flight and they
were near the top. where small win
dow let in pale. dingy light.
Suddenly the man tripped and fell,
dragging the girl down with him. By
! the time they had regained their feet
| their two pursuers were only few
steps below them. Both held knives.
With a click OF his teeth the man lift.
! ed the stein To his shoulders il swung
down and one Of the men tumbled over
silently. The other paused, wheeled
and tried To run down the steps. The
stein caught him on the neck. With
"A scream he fell and rolled humping
down the stairs.
! The girl and the man turned into a
hall and began to mount another
! fight of stairs. Startled calls came
from various parts of the house and a
man ran down the hall. He caught
| sight of the two fugitives and ducked
! into a room. The next instant there
were steps on the stairs behind them.
At the top was another hall, long
and narrow, running the entire length
of the house. A ladder at one end led
through a square opening in the cell.
| ing.
The roof" exclaimed the girl.
The man nodded and they ran
| towards the ladder. The girl mounted
first, the man following. Suddenly a
food of light poured down upon them
and the girl stepped to the roof
through trap door she had opened.
The roof was fiat, with three big chin
neys rising near them.
The girl pointed to where the man
could see the ends of another ladder
projecting above the gutter. 1T leads
to the street: they keep it there for
emergencies" she said
As she spoke she took several hu--
ried steps forward and suddenly fell
The man slipped his hand round her
waist and helped her to her feet. but
when he took his arm away she slipped
down again.
MY ankles strained" she said
! turning up TO his eyes white face. IL
can't walk, but don't stay here; they
won't hurt me-"
The man dropped the stein and
! picked her up in his arms. His eye
fell on the three chimneys and he
staggered behind them, carrying the
girl.
head was thrust through the trap
/ door and a man climbed TO the roof;
two others followed him. They raced
| to the ladder, passing the two fugi
tives, and looked down. After a
glance they ran towards part of the
roof shut off from their view by an
attic-like projection, used for summing
carpets and bed linen.
nc IF 81 % IA
| the man ran TO the ladder. holding the
girl in his arms. AS swiftly as posi-.
BILE he began To descend, supportine
the girl and clinging to the ladder DIS
best he could He expected every in
slant TO see a head peer over the gut
ter and feel the ladder thrown down
but at last-after an age, it seemed
he stepped to the ground.
He was in a narrow alley, and at one
! end he could see quiet street and
the comforting sight of policeman
! lolling against a telephone post. lie
set the girl on dry patch of ground
and leaned against a tall fence that
bordered the alley to regain his
strength and breath. The girl sat with
i ltI ndlluS NatS vi
the ground. The man looked from her
TO the street
AS he leaned against the fence
drawing in deep breaths, his hands In
his pockets, his fingers met on some
thing stiff and oblong. After feeling
il for several moments in sub-con
scious effort TO determine what it was
he remembered, and drew 1t out. II
was the card the girl had cut, the bit
Of pasteboard that had saved his life
He drew IL out with the back towards
him and slowly reversed IT, When he
saw the face he started sharply.
IL was the deuce of hearts For
some time he stood silently looking ri
the card, then stopped down and
kissed the girl.