Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1909-07-23

II don't KNOW. lie l1lu Il mana re-
nssuringly over that which trembled
on his forearm. 1.-THE police possibly"
"Policew she iterated, aghast What
makes you thing
"a man tried to stop me at the door"
he answered quickly. ~ got in before
a bobby came along and stopped him.
The latter may have been watching
the house since then. It'd be only his
duty to keep an eye on it. and heaven
knows we raised racket. coming
head first down those stairs! Now we
are up against it," he added brightly.
But the girl was Juggling at his hand
Gomez she begged breathlessly.
Come! There is a way! Before they
break in"-
but this man?" Kirkwood hung
back. troubled.
''They-the police-are sure to find
and care for him."
$50 they WILL" he chuckled "And
serve him right! He'd have choked
the world"
"Oh, do hurry!"
Turning. she sped light footed down
the staircase to the lower hall, he at
her elbow. Here the uproar was loud
est. deep enough to drown whatever
sounds might have been made by two
pairs of flying feet. For all that, they
fed on tiptoe, stealthily, guilty shad-
ows in the night. and at the newell post
swung back into the unbroken black
ness which shrouded the Businesses
backward of the dwelling A sudden
access of fury on the part of the
alarmist at the knocker spurred them
on with quaking hearts. In half a
dozen strides Kirkwood. guided only
by instinct and the frou-frou Of the
girls skirts as she ran invisible before
him, stumbled on the uppermost steps
Of steep staircase. Only hand rail
saved him. and that at the last mo-
ment. He stopped short. shocked into
caution. From below came contrite
whisper: I'm so sorry! should have
warned you"
He pulled himself together, glaring
wildly Mt nothing. tits all right"
you're not hurt. truly? Oh. do
come quickly"
She waited for him at the bottom Of
the flight-happily for him. for he was
all at sea.
'Here-your hand-let me guide you
This darkness is dreadful"
He found her hand somehow and
tucked his into 1t confidingly and not
without an uncertain thrill of salts
faction.
"Come" she painted. "Come! II
they break I'M
stifed by apprehension, her voice
failed her.
They went forward, now less impet
uously, for it was very black and the
knocker had fallen still.
mo fear Of that" he remarked after
time. "They wouldn't dare breal
In"
A fluttering whisper answered him
81 don't know. We dare risk moth
ing"
They seemed to explore. to pene
trate, acres of labyrlnthine chambers
and passages, delving deep into thu
bowels Of the earth. like rabbits bur
rowing in a warren. bounded by bea
giles.
Above stairs the hush continued un
broken, us If the dumb genius of tn
place had cast spell OF silence o.
the knocker or else. outraged, ha'
smitten the noisy disturber with
palsy.
The girl seemed to know her way
Whether guided by familiarity or D
intuition. she led on without hesita
ton, Kirkwood laundering In he
wake between confusion of impressio
and dawning dismay. conscious of bu
one tangible thing, to which he clun
as to his hope of snlvation-those tirn
friendly fingers that clasped his own
1t was as If they wandered on fc
an hour. Probably from start to fiji
ish their flight took up three minutes
no more. Eventually the girl stol
= ped, releasing his hand. He could hei
her syncopated breathing before hi
and gathered that something we
wrong. He took step forward.
"What is it?"
Her full voice broke out Of the o
security startlingly close in his very ca
1.-THE door-the bolts-l can't budt
them"
"Let me-"
He pressed forward. brushing h
shoulder. She did not draw away. b
willingly yielded place to his hands
nd
impossible to her to his strong finge
was a matter of comparative cas-
Yet, not entirely consciously, he w
not quick AS he tugged at the Dol
he was poignantly sensitive to 4
subtle warmth Of her at his side.
could hear her soft. dry sobs of e
citement and suspense punctuating I
quiet and was frightened absolute
by an impulse, too strong for ridicu
to take her in his arms and comic
her with the assurance that. whatev
I her trouble, he would stand by Il
! and protect her. 1t were futile to
to laugh 1t off. He gave over the
leavor Even at this critical nome
he found himself repeating over n
over to his heart the question: &c
this be love? Can this be love?"
Could it be love ut IN hours
quaintance? Absurd! But he COZ
not laugh nor render himself insen
BILE to the suggestion.
He found that he had drawn
bolts. The girl tugged and ratified
the knob. Reluctantly the door opel