The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-07-31
CHAPTER Xxx.
A Maroon ESCAPE.

A NARROW ESCAPE.
/ ~ ON sprang to his feet and, dart
ing noiselessly into the corner,
hattened himself against the
wall.
/ A single glance around showed him
/ there was no other place to hide, and ne
was practically certain TO be discovered
/ here. Yet what else could he do?
There was no explanation he could
/ offer for his presence in this room, or,
/ indeed, G this side Of the death cham
/ Der.
He would simply stand convicted OF
| Spying" where he had no right, one of
! the gravest ofenses in the eyes of the
/ tong, and this, with the suspicious al
| ready aroused concerning him, would
/ probably result in his exposure
/ He rallied bitterly at himself for his
1 folly in entering this room Where ne
/ might have seen he was bound 10 be
! caught, for his folly in lingering after
/ he had come, for the reclllessness which
/ had prompted him to visit the forbid
/ den ground of the other section
And all the time the door was swing
/ ing open and detection becoming a mat
! ter of seconds.
of course, a dozen plans flashed
/ through his brain, such as ieaplng on
/ the returning occupant of the room ana
I IL
/ in a desperate rush, and then escaping
4 in the darkness but objections arose
[ TO each measure suggested ana before
( he could decide. the time tCf quitting
/ any OF them into execution was past
The man was well inside the room
/ now d pOrtly figure comfortably filling
out the long habit of the order, and
/ we'll advanced IN years 10 Judge Dy the
manner in which he shufhed his feet.
Despite the mask and gown one could
! Z
Viduality beneath - rosy-cheeked
/ white-Whiskered, equity, old rascal OF
| sham geniality, but with a heart Ike
/ a stone, and his stomach and pocket
Probably this Frederick Bailey, down
here treasurer Of the tong and aSS0-
ciate of thieves and muTderers. was in
/ the upper world a citizen Of repute.
| These things may have flashed through
/ Toms mind at the time, but Il IS more
/ likely such reflections came later.
| At the instant he was fully occupied
in watching the slow advance of the
old fellow into the room, and trying
to decide upon what course 10 pursue.
Surely his discovery could not 1e long
delayed now
All. It had come; for the treasurer
halted short In his progress and gave
a startled explanation.
Why he did not leap out men and
seek 10 make his escape by force Moore
/ was never able afterWaTd 10 tell, but
he did not, and a moment later realized
| that it was not himself but the open
| door OF the safe which had attracted
the others notice.
| With low cry the old man hurried
| across the room and flung himself
down in front Of the receptacle, hastily
| examining the contents OF the various
/ compartments 70 see If anything was
! missing
Moore did not stay, however, to learn
1 the full results of the search. As soon
as the others back was turned ne Up
/ through the door, lost no time in get
/ ting safely back to his own side Of the
death chamber and the comparative Sc
1 curity of his own apartment.
OF course, he went 10 the other sec
ton again. The very experience
through which he had passed was bound
| 70 excite mis- curiosity and lead 70 an
other visit but in addition he had a
/ further motive.
When he reported through Denver an
account Of his adventure and the dis
cOVery Of Mr.. Bates assigned securities
/ I'm the tong's treasure vault, request
/ came back from AIr. Carson that ne
l would eXa anime these securities again
| and see if ne could ind among them
| any enumerated on an inclosed list
These, il was explained, were certain
| bonds, really belonging 10 MI Carson,
but held for convenience In the name or
Bates, and they seemed to have myS-
teTiously disappeared at the time Of the
caters murder and bankruptcy.
/ II they could be recovered i'm any way,
Carson further stated he could easily
prove his ownership, and that he had
never hypOtheCated them or asst gned
title to Ehem IN any way
Ia short. If he could get hold Of
them, he would be restored to q position
of financial Independence and be able
10 meet all the expenses Of the search
/ for his daughter himself. instead Of, as
row. having TO depend on the generos~
/ ity Of Miss Ward.
| He concluded by Offering Tom quar-
| ter of their value If he could get hold
Of tho bonds and sruggle them out to
him.
/ The offer meant a great deal to Moore.
The sum named was sufficient 10 pro-
vice for the rest OF his college course
entirely free from financial stress and
More than that, # would leave a sui
hoiently substantial neSt-egg 10 permit
his proposing 10 MilliCent without in
curing the suspicion Of being q for
tune hunter, a matter which had trou-
lled him not a little when ne compared
her comfortable patrmUny with his
own condition of practical beggary.
Therefore, despite the perilOus risk
he went again and again 10 the other
side, searching ard pryiHs, and enCoun-
tcrinE a score OF adventures. but never
did he cain admission a second time TO
tHat riehly-furnished room. with its
bursting tTeasUTc-bON.
| The door was always securely locked
and barred whenever lie softly tried it,,
| and 20 attempt a forciblc entry, with
/ some one always close enough 70 hear
his slightest sound. would have been
/ nothing snort of suicidal
| Neither could he on these excursions
! seem TO gain any clue TO the where
aboUts Of the missing Florence Her
place Of detention. he was forced finally
10 conclude. was one Of the most cum
uiuelv concealed secrets OF the tong
Meanwhile, howver, he had gained a
wealth of valuable Information in other
directions
For instance. the egress was now an
open book 10 him. Traversing il every
day on his supposedly necessary visits
to the doctor. he had noted with his
Keen engineering sense every change Of
direction taken by his guides, and had
measured of the distance of each sec
tiOu in PAGES so that ne was able 10
/ transmit 20 Milliccnt what he felt sure
was an accurate diagram of the tortu-
Gus passage with an it's doors and slid
ing panels. and other distractions cor
/ rectIy noted
he had also thoroughly mastered all