Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-12-29

"You speak as If you aCere sorry for me-"
the knob. The lock bore both figures
and letters in concentric rings. and he
saw that the seven figures Harry had
written formed word. Hugh dropped
the match with smothered eXclama-
ton. for the word was Jessica! So
Harry really had loved her in the old
days. He swung the massive door
wide and took out the canvas bag
with the thousand dollars. With this
and the ruby rlng-it must easily be
worth as much again-he could put the
round world between himself and cap
ture.
He closed the safe and with the bag
Of coin in his hand CROPPED his way to
the door of the chapel. 1t was less
dark there, for the snow was making
a white night outside. and the stained
glass cast a wan glimmer across the
aisles. He greatly needed sleep. and
tonight in the open that was out Of
the question. He could gain several
away before daybreak. He drew to-
gether the altar cushions and lay down.
the canvas bag beside him, but he was
cold, and at length he rose and went
into the vestry for a surplice. He
wrapped this about him and, lighting a
cigarette. lay down again. He was
very tired and in a few minutes he
was sleeping heavily.
The last half consumed cigarette
dropped from his relaxing fingers to
the cushion, where it made a smolder-
ing nest of fire. A tiny tongue of
flame caught the edge of wall hang
ing, ran up to the dry oaken rafters
and speedily ignited them. In fifteen
minutes the interior Of the chapel was
mass Of flame, and Hugh woke gasp
ing and bewidered.
| With cry of alarm he sprang to his
feet. seized the bag of coin and ran tC
the door of the study. In his haste he
stumbled against it. and the dead lock
snapped to. He was a prisoner now.
for he had left the skeleton key In the
inside of the outer door, Clutching his
treasure, he ran to the main entrance
1t was fast He tried the smaller win
dows. Iron bars were set across
them
He made shift to wrap the surplice
about his mouth against the Sitting
smoke and fiery vapors. The bag drop
ped from his hand. and the gold rolled
about the floor. He stopped and clutch
ed handful Of the coins and cramme(
them into his pocket. Was he to die
after all, like this. caught like rat IL
a trap?
/ Uttering hoarse cry. with thu
strength of despair, Hugh wrenched ,
pew from the floor and made of it {
ladder to reach the rose window
Mounting this. lie beat frantically will
his fist upon the painted glass. Thu
crystal shivered beneath the blows
and clinging to the iron supports, hi
beard burned to the skin. he set hi
face to the aperture and drew gulp
ing breath of the sweet. cold air. II
his agony, with that fiery hell openin!
beneath him. he could see the masset
people watching from the safety tina
was so near.
"Look! Look" The sudden or,
went up, and thrill of awe raj
through the crowd The glass Hug
had shattered had formed the face o
the penitent thief In the window de
sign. and his outstretched arms titte'
those Of the figure. 1t was as thougl
by some CHASTITY miracle the painte'
features had suddenly sprung into life
the haggard eyes opened in appeal
All at once there came shout o
warming The wall opened outward
tottered and fell
Then 1t was that they saw the with
ing figure. tangled in the twisted lea
bars of the wrecked rose window
Shielding their faces from the unet
durable heat. they reached and bore
, to safety. laying it on the crisp. snow
grass and tearing off the singed an
smoking ministerial robes.
Judge Conwell was one of these.
, the faring confusion he leaned owe
ehe figure. The CLEAN of the ruby rim
on the finger caught his eye. He bel
, forward to look into the drawn an
!, distorted face.
Good God"' he said. Its Harr
5anderSon!'
; !;