The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-07-27
THE SIGNAL OF DEATH

Iaraphemalia of an elevator in sight.
He had small opportunity, though.
10 give the place an extended inspec'
uon, Tor the lieutenant had already
started to ascend a flight OF wooden
steps at che side of The room, and
ne Ielt IL would never do 20 ungCf
Dehlnd or appear uuduly interested IN
matters with which he was supposed
TO be thoroughly familiar.
Inc narrow stairway terminated at
the top against a blank wall; but,
again, sliding panel moved aside at
tbe touch OF spring and revealed q
narrow chasm, across which ana
through still another panel one stepped
INTO what was apparently sub-cellar'
close walled with brick on all four
sides
So, at last. Tom was able to grasp
the mechanism of the contrlvance.
rms was evidently the car in Whlcu
he now stood, its false walls extending
no doubt, up through several stories
to the top of the building above, and
the whole capable of being lifted by
the tremendous power of the hydraulic
Jack in the chamber below
The lieutenant, however, did not stop
TO be transported, but mounting a lad
der set in the center of TIE room,
passed through a small trap in the cell
ing above. and Tom. of course, prompt
ly followed.
From floor to floor they clambered
y
first two, groups Of huddled Chinese,
who merely glanced indifeTently at the
two somber-rObed figures as they
passed and continued uninterrupted
with whatever they were at
In some of the places the strong
reek of opium was in the air. and Tom
could see stretched out on pallets upon
the hoOr the victims of the drug, some
insenslble, others with just enough con-
seriousness left to open dTowSy. red
4 q ha nTafF- 1VTna n n
truders.
Other floors were gambling Joints
with groups of players so deeply en-
crossed at fantan that they did not
even look up from the tables
Finally though, they reached a level
where the CLEAN of smoky lanterns or
the electric lamps-pTeferred b sause so
quickly eXtinguished-gav Wy to q
gray daylight flteTing in through care
fully shaded windows. Th2v had come
to the street level. and above them, as
indicated by the rollicking rattle of the
piano. was only the restaur mt
The succession Of ladders and trap
doors ended here, too, and the ceiling,
above which the piano was banging
away so loudly, presented a smooth
and UnbrOken surface.
Tom could not help wondering what
would happen next.
The lieutenant, however, with the
air of man going through Well
learned routine, bad stepped to an
electric light bulb hanging Il the cen
ter Of the room, and pressed twice
upon a sn all, uuobstrusive button at
one side OF its socket.
A brief pause ensued, and then the
piano, which had stilled for moment
at the signal, started up again, its
music changed 70 that Of Take Me
Out to the Ball Game
InVOluntaTily Tom started. How
that jingling tune recalled to him the
night of his seiZurel He saw himself
g.. n
absorbed with delight at the mere
pleasure OF watching Millicents love-
: ~, expressive face.
Millicenti All, had she perhaps noted
him, too, that evening? Was she aware
that he, like her girl companion and
their murdered escort, had been car
ried away in the sudden fOray2 She
must suppose all of them putchere
by this time; did she possibly the n
gTieVe for his untimely fate?
He broke off abruptly in the midst
of these questions, however, 10 observe
with interest the movements of mis-
COMPANION, for Immediately with the
pianos shifting to the hackneyed mel
odv. the lieutenant. with muttered
! "Allee Hghtee," pressed another but
| ton upon the opposite side OF the cleo
trfc bulb, ana presently in response to
! this uudoubted signal, the room com
menced TO rise.
NolseIessly and without a jar, it
moved upward and as the ceiling rose
I
above, Tom could see an open space be-
gin to yawn.
This was the secret Of the aperture
| winch Milliceut had seen underneath
AS Moore afterward learned. that
/ whole corner Of the restaurants floor
which contained the instrument, was
! but the roof Of the many-stOried ele-
vatOr. vet so cunniugly and closely was
( the coujuncture made that neither IN
! the floor itself, nor in the ceiling of
/ the room below, could the closest IN
! spection detect the Tine of assure.
/ The grooves in which the ConrTivancc
worked were concealed IN the walls Of
/ the eating house, and SO skillfully had
! every detail been looked after, that II
would have been practically impossible
| to discover the secret in any WY short
of tearing down the entire building.
The "liftee machine, ii now appear
/ ed. however, did not carry the room be-
/ low entirely up into the restaurant, but
halted about two-thirds Of the way,
/ abIiging those beneath to climb up over
4 the edge Of the floor.
/ Following IN Nfoy Sings wake, then
Tom drew himself over this cage and
( stood once more on the pot which had
( marked the beginning Of his adven-
lures.
The Continuation Of This story VIII
Be Found In TpmOrrOw's
Issue of The Times.