The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1908-12-03
stThe Peril and the PRICE,
Expressly by Kyle

not broken, ribs in return for my demon
stration. thought it over and decided to
let the villains die at some other time and
soon. walked unhesitatingly through the
door and into a dark hall The door
closed with bang, and heard it locked
from the outside. There was an uncom-
Portable wait, and then door opened at
the other end of the hall and a fat,
middle-aged woman appeared, carrying a
small lamp.
"How. do?" she said, as she came for
ward with a kind of vacant grin, appar-
emily intended to express welcome.
l stood stiffly and did not return her
greeting.
"This way and I'll show YOU YOUR
room," she said still grinning and show
ing row of teeth which, while perfect,
were absurdly small and with wide spaces
between them.
could see no reason for standing in
the hall, so | followed without word
UP two flights of stairs | went, and then
was shown room which, while un-
doubtedly a prison for the time, was a
most luxurious one. l saw a bed with
snow-white linen, easy chairs, "a table a
bookcase filled to overlooking. The room
was spacious. the ceiling was lofty, Tic
SaipSt was tllSh anu llilc. ~ BTOlcStuC
feature, considering the undoubtedly Grim
inal nature of the place, was huge famil :
Bible, occupying the place of honor ON the
table at the centre of the room.
That looks comfortable, doesn't it?
said the woman, parsing at the door, Il
hope the boys haint been rough with you
nor nothin', cause they had orders not to
be. You'll be treated right, don't be
afraid. The boss wants to see YOU a little
bit i'll the mornin and then You'll go all
right, an mebbe. tidy bit in your pocket
It's more OF joke like than anything else. ~
Quite a joke said, stiffly.
"I'll be back in minute" she said,
shutting the door, which closed with a
spring lock. | saw nor heard anything of
the gang, but knew that they were not
far. away: and it Would be folly to attempt
rushing past the fat woman who was con-
stituted my jailer. She came back speed
lily, bearing plate of sandwiches and a
glass of milk.
you'll find these are good" she said.
putting them on the table. "You must be
hungry after your long ride"
SIS it very far?" I asked, thinking thus
to- gain a clue, even if slight one, as to
where ! was.
"Well, now! Do you think I'm such a
green one as to answer questions like
that?' the woman answered, laughing and
shaking her fat--well believe that polite
writers would probably call it her sides.
| drew up to the sandwiches without a
word, and the woman was gone, bid
ding me cheerful goodnight.
was indeed hungry, and the sand
witches were certainly good. ate until
was satisfied, and then, though I knew
it was far toward morning, | began look
ing around the room. The window was
hgtt / wa az 1aac faDt
from the ground, and / could hear the
steady crunch of the gravel in the walk
in the garden beneath which told me that
there was some one doing duty as sentry
to prevent any effort at escape The walls
were of stone, the door was of heavy oak.
If l had attacked it with my penknfe
probably after many hours l could have
pierced it, but to what purpose? / was
there to stay until my captors saw fit to
give me freedom.
looked at the books. They were of an
might select, and certainly nothing likely
to indicate criminal or even morbid taste.
looked in the hyeayes for some inscrip-
ton, but found nothing, such search in one
case having been anticipated by tearing out
the writing. looked at the pictures ON
the wall. There were three of them.
paintings Of rare merit. One was land
scape showing an excellent combination of
lake and mountain. Another showed sew
eral boys engaged in a game of marbles.
The other was portrait of lady, and in
front of this l stood with starting eyes,
Just as my lamp, burning low, started to
flicker preparatory to going out. 1t was a
picture of Lucy Dean.
CHAPTER II.
The expiring light left me no choice but