Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-01-28


hard till dawn. abandoning the horse |
to find its way back as best it might.
He had slept through the next day. For
two days after his arrival he had hung |
about outside the town in a fever of
Impotence, for. though he had readily
ascertaned that the premises were I'M
occupied, the first night he had been
frightened away by the too Jealous
scrutiny of a policeman, and on the
next he had been unable to force the
door. That morning he had secured a
skeleton key, and now the weather was
propitious for his purpose.
After moments accommodating he
scaled the frost fretted iron palings
and gained the shelter of the porch.
He tried the key anXlously. To his re-
lief, it fitted Another minute and he
stood in the study. the door locked be-
hind him. his veins beating with ex-
element
Crouching down before the safe, he
| took from his pocket the paper upon
| which was written the combination.
The match scorched his fingers, and
he lighted another and began to turn
tie knob The lock bore both figures
and letters in concentric rings, and he
saw that the seven figures Harry had
written formed Il word. Hugh dropped
| the match with Il 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
1 ;ti, -
ana the ruby Eing-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
Il white night outside, and the stained
glass east Il wan glimmer across the
aisles. lie greatly needed sleep, and
tonight in the open that was out of
the question He could gain several
hours rest where he was and still get
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 Il surplice. He
wrapped this about him and, lighting
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 Il smolder
ing nest of fire. \ tiny tongue of
flame caught the edge of Il wall hang
ing. ran up to the dry oaken raftcrs
land speedily ienited them In fifteen
, minutes the interior OF the chapel was
mass Of fame. and Hugh woke gasp
ing and bewildered.
With cry of alarm he sprang to his
feet, seized the bag OF coin and ran to
: 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.
Il was fast. He tried the smaller win
dows. Iron bars were set across
them.
He made shift to wrap the surplice
smoke and fiery vapors. The bag drop
ped from his hand, and the gold rolled
about the floor He stopped and clutch
; ed q handful of the coins and crammed
them into his pocket. Was he to die
after all, like this, caught like a rat II
trap?
uttering hoarse cry, with the
strength of despair, Hugh wrenched s
pew from the floor and made of it a
: ladder to reach the rose window
: Mounting this, he beat frantically with
;, his fist upon the painted glass. The
!, crystal shivered beneath the blows
: and clinging to the iron supports, his
beard burned TO the skin, he set his
face to the aperture and drew a gulp
, ing breath of the sweet. cold air II
his agony, with that fiery hell opening
beneath him. he could see the masseG
people watching from the safety thai
was so near
:, "I.ook, Look" The sudden cry
went up, and thrill of awe rar
through the crowd. The glass Hugh
had shattered had formed the face o.
;, the penitent thief in the window de
a sign, and his outstretched arms fittet
;, those of the figure. 1t was as though
). by some CHASTITY miracle the painted
O features had suddenly sprung into life
;, the haggard eyes opened in appeal.
All at once there came shout o
g warning. The wall opened outward
i. tottered and fell.
q Then 1t was that they saw the with
ing figure. tangled in the twisted Leaf
bars of the wrecked rose window
Shielding their faces from the unen
= durable heat. they reached and bore
" to safety. laying 1t on the crisp, snow.
grass and tearing off the singed ant
= smoking ministerial robes.
Judge Conwell was one of these. Il
/" the fiaring confusion he leaned owe
: the figure. The CLEAN of the ruby rim
. on the finger caught his eye. He ben
!. forward to look into the drawn an,
y distorted face.