Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-03-03

"You speak cs If Uou acre sorry for me-
the knob. The lock bore both figures
and letters i'll concentric rings, and he
saw that the seven figures Harry had
written formed n word Hugh dropped
the match with Il slnothered eycama-
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 ring--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 greped his way to
the door Of the chapel. 1t was less
dark there, for the snow was making
white night outside. and the stained
glass cast n wan glimmer across the
aisles. He 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 davbreak. 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 surplice. He
wrapped this about him and, lighting a
| cigarette. lay down again. He was
very tired, and In 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 rafters
and speedily ignited them. In fifteen
minutes the Interior of the chapel was
ing and bewildered.
With a 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 Il 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 We're 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. lie stopped and clutch
ed handful of the coins and crammed
them into his pocket Was lie to die
after all, like this, caught like rat in
| q trap?
Uttcring hoarse cry, with the
strength of despair, Hugh wrenched a
pew from the floor and made of it a
ladder to reach the rose window.
Mounting this. lie beat frantically with
his fist upon the painted glass. The
crystal shivered beneath the blows,
and clinginS 10 the iron supports, his
beard burned to the skin, he set his
face to the aperture and drew gulp-
ing breath OF the sweet, cold air In
his agony, with that fiery hell opening
beneath him. he could see the massed
people watching from the safety that
was so Hear.
"Look! Looll.' The sudden cry
went up, and Il thrill of awe ran
through the crowd. The glass Hugh
| had shattered Ind formed the face of
the penitent thief in the window de-
sign. and his outstretched arms fitted
those OF the figure. 1t was as though
by some giiastl., miracle the painted
features had suddenly sprung into life,
the haggard eyes opened in appeal.
All at once there came a shout of
warming The wall opened outward,
tottered and fell
Then it Was that they saw the with
ing figure. tangled in the twisted lead
bars of the wrecked rose window.
Shielding their faces from the unen-
durable heat. they reached and bore 1t
to safety. laying it on the crisp, snowy
grass and tearing off the singed and
smoking ministerial roles.
Judge Conwell was one of these. In
the flaring confusion he leaned over
the figure The CLEAN of the ruby ring
on the finger caught his eye. He bent
forward 10 look into the drawn and
distorted face.
Good God" he sail. ITS Harry
sanderson""
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