The Washington times., 1909-07-19
CHAPTER VI.


been spoken.
His captors seemed to know the
devious road so well and to be so
thoroughly appraised of their duties
that no orders were necessary.
In absolute silence, except for that
one smothered cry, had the transfer
been effected. Not even football had
sounded. although Tom recognized that
the progress had been down shally lad
ders and over stairways Of precarious
footing.
From this he gathered that the alb
ductors were wholly noiselessly shod
Chinese, and his foTebodings as to the
result OF the adventure became still
more gloomy.
With a white man. no matter how
hinty-hearted, there would still have
been the chance of an appeal to argu-
ment, an opportunity TO give pledges
of silence; but who could reason with
impassive Oriertals, or hope to move
their maiign cruelty from its settled
purpose?
Nevertheless, when a voice finally
broke the uncanny hush, speaking.
too, in unmistakable American tones,
he could gather small comfort from
the circumstances.
Harsh, unfeeling. without a cadence
Of pity. it doomed through the vault
What's this?'" it exclaimed in &C
cents Of startled fury. There were
four people up in the shop, and you
have brought me only three. Where is
the other one?"
There was a moments pause, and then
a Chinaman tried to explain in pidgeon
English that he and his associates had
seized all whom they could find.
No more MeIicans there" he IN
sisted stubbornIy. me sure"
But the other. refused to listen to any
such explanation. Hurriedly he bent
over 10 examine the capuves.
"Old Bates. all right he commented
swiftly And here's the stOol-throwing
amarty," his fingers passed quickly over
Tom And one of the girls"
He raised up with terrible impreca-
Where's the other grip he de-
manded. 'Why didn't you get herr How
cid YOU let her get away from youE
Again the Cinnamon endeaVOred to
assure him that they had seized every
enc IN the room; but he broke ia upon
tnem with an impatient snarl, There
was another girl there, ne ragged the
one called Millicent, the one I par
ucUlarly wanted. Oh, you yellow
faced idiots stOrning at them, you've
tuugled the whole game. and you've
probably booked as all for the chair
as we'll With her free and smart
enough as she is to put the bulls on
cur track, there's no knowing
Here" he interrupted himself ex-
C.tedly, Il must find out what's doing.
Wait mere. all of you, and don't make
2 move OF any kind until / get back
s heavy door changed hurTledly, and
he was gone.
Then a long and tedious interval en-
sued. The Chinese gathered to one side
muttered among themselves IN their
CWn language, and once somebody came
and tested the stout cords with which
Tom had been tied Immediately on ms
arrival IN the vault but otherwise the
season Of waiting was without incident.
His bonds cut cruelty into the young
mans wrists and ankles, and ne began
10 suffer fortunes from his cTamped and
uncomfortable position, but the angry
NuJburst he had heard gave him thrill
of hope which largely served TO mlu-
gate these AFFECTIONS
MilIicent was free In some miraCu-
IOus manner she had been enabled to
eTade the clutches OF the raidlng par y
and was not now numbered with the
capJives
In what way she had managed 10
escape he could not puzzle out, for there
lad certainly been no time 20 gain the
outer entrance, and there was no other
exit from the restaurant.
Yet the fact remained that she had
Gus band WAS thrown into cOnsterna-
ton over the circumstance
She was at liberty She must know
1t least the entrance TO tle secret
passage by which her friends ana him
self had been taken 10 this underground
retreat, and with that Information ia
their possession, the police, as the leader
OF this gang had suggested would not
be long IN finding out the nest. Even
now, the plain clothes men Of the dis
1rIct were probably following up the
trail
true. these inspiritlng reflections were
also coupled with others not quite so
reassuring. He could not disguise from
himself that he was IN the hands Of
desperate men, who knew that their
necks were already lu jeopardy by Fea-
son OF the murder of old man Bates
Might they not callOusly reason that
s. were not worse 10 Dee hung FOR three
deaths than Tor one ana acting upon
the theory that dead men tell no tales
pnectually stiN the tongues or such uu-
dCsira ble Witnesses
The utter ruthlessuess and ferOcity Of
the cold-blOoded murder in the restaur-
amt gave him no reason 10 nope for
mercy or f0rebearance from such Il
source. yet his natural optimism caused
him to look more to the brighter side
and ne was confidently expecting a
rescue.
Consequently. il came TO him as a
bitter appointment, when al last
cautious dOuble-rap three times re-
peated sounded on the door of the vault
and the leader returning from his
reconnaissance. was promptly admitted
It's All right. Chinks' he growled,
although no thanks TO your thick
rig-tailed heads that it is So"
Girlce no there eh2" spoke up one
nf his sub0rdinates with triumph. Me
tclle you So
on. 'girlee was there all right. II
Was simply. as I said that YOU fools
overlooked her clip and clean
Then she no see hole where We
duckee eh2
You bet she saw II, but" he broke
seat4E4 ssEks tae kalis zHlless ahE efa
as Isl a@&t a. 3esa flF -. KS