The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-07-26
THE SIGNAL OF DEATH

answered with a fine show of uncon-
Germ, the prisoner is all right. dldn
see any use of waiting for you Fellows
and so chucked him in myself. The rats
have Toasted on him long aSo.
The other showed traces or diSapPolh'-
ment.
"Chief in awful hurry" he grumbledi:
why no can wait so let US all see!
He paused and suddenly bent forward
What matter with chleI ne , Ge
handed smartly He no speak Ike
alice samee Chief got new voice
Railing at himself tor his IorgeJIul-
ness, Tom INDUCED in series OF sepul-
chral coughs.
explained hurriedly," and the worst /
believe, that j have ever had It is a
wonder IVC got any voice lett uVlnS
down in this hole
He raised his hand TO his throat ana
COughed again.
Anything more you want?" he ques-
toned. IF not, wish you clear
out and leave me alone. I believe II
/ could go To sleep foT little while
l might feel better
Alice light" consented the lieuten-
ant, giving a gesture OF dismissal 10
the little band behind him, "allee light
but next time, chief, please not be
so quick. Tong boys liSee to see pills
Oner go TO the rats
He gave a quick nod of his head and
turned away, but Tom, struck by a
sudden thought, halted him.
oh, by the way" he said, Il think
/ should like to talk with the girl
prisoner. Possibly / might feel bet
ter if 1 listened TO a little music" He
waved lis hama toward the grand piano
which occupied one corner OF the apart
mcnt and she. no doubt, can play.
Have her brought in to me at once"
Chief exclaimed the other, with
every evidence Of lively disapproval.
Chief have girl plisoner bloght in
4 Ir441
/ that not tong rule. She must stay in
other hangOut with woman guards until
lot is drawn and she come wIfee TO man
who gets her"
cot course, OF course" assented Tom,
| hastily, "but I thought rules might be
/ stretched a little when a chap is as
sick as I am and needs some diver
sion. However, 1t makes no difference w
! striving TO speak with unCoHcern, she
would probably only bother me any
way"
| once more alone he quickly threw
! of the mask and dabbed his perspir-
/ ing brow with his handkerchief.
| "Whew!' he gasped. so that ordeal
/ IS over. A man ought to nave a million
| dollars a minute 10 repay him for Such
/ a succession Of heart shocks. And this,
/ he muttered gloomily, is only the be
! ginning of it, Evidently 1 shall buck
1 up against their little pecuitarities and
/ pTejudiCes. their thousand and one rules
/ and regulations every time 7 turn
/ around or chance 20 open my mouth.
still" he went on. whats the use
/ Of looking on the dark side. The first
/ trial is always the hardest, and I have
/ gotten over that Who knows, per-
! haps I m9y carry this thing through
and win ous after aH2
/ But that rule about the girl" he
rubbed his cnln thOughtfully. sis gong
to be a hard ore to get over. Manifest
/ " 7 shall have 20 smash the tong
/ entire code Of etiquette II l am 10 get
/ speech With her. It's going to be a
/ bigger risk than I thought and, after
all. what good could I do now by simply
speaking TO her. No" he decided, ''the
thing to do is to plan out the way Of
escape and have everything In readi-
ness first. Then when I am prepared
TO offer her a rescue, II vii be time
enough 10 tackle the Job OF getting In
touch with her.
/. But IL was many a weary hour and
only after he hcd learned by hazard
Gus experience most Of the formality
and special observances Of the tong thai
u at last he gained the knowledge fOl
which ne was so eagerly seeking.
i He dared not make inquiry. he dared
not mako an open investigation: II Wa
only bv indirect methods Of observation
and apparently aimless ramblings abou
J in the corridors and passageways Of TIT
underground retreat that he could ever
II seek t. discover that for which he wa
/ searching And for fully a week all hi
I
] He tried MANY doors. he wandered S,
] if seemed TO him, for miles round and
round through those intricate concealed
burrows but nowhere above a certain
level could he find any avenue leadnl
to the surface Inevitably at some pOin
/ I'm his examination. further progress
I was always blocked.
At last. though. one day. after prob
ably week had clans d. the lieutenan
/ appeared and announced that the lead
! er's presence was desired.
we try lifty machine he explained
we got use for him tonight 7 think
so can go UP into Iestalant. Chic
want come and see everything ale
/ lightee2''
! do To- calculated Tom. do To-
He was at last 10 learn the secre
{ methods Of ascent out Of this disma
| retreat
/ The Continuation OF This story WI
BE Found in TOmOTrOVs
I Issue Of The Times,