The Delta independent., 1910-11-25

nection would be made with the Ice
chamber. were blocked up; for that
matter. they were on that side of the
chamber which was built close into the
corner of the office.
, Orme drove his heel against the
wall The tiles did not break. Then
he stepped back toward the middle of
the chamber.
Where are you. Girl?" he asked.
Here" she answered, very near
him.
He reached out and found her hand.
and she did not withdraw 1t from his
clasp.
THE rascal has locked us in," he
said I'm afraid we shall have a long
wait
will 1t do any good to shout?"
mo one could hear us through these
walls. No, there's nothing to do but
remain quiet. But you needn't stand,
Girl"
He led her to the wall. Removing
his coat, he folded 1t and placed it on
the floor for a cushion. and she seated
herself upon it. He remained standing
near by.
"The papers," he said, "are in that
coat you are sitting on"
He laughed with a consciousness of
the grim and terrible humor of their
situation-which he hoped she had not
realized. Here they were. the hard
sought papers in their possession. yet
they were helpless even to save their
own lives.
81 wish you would shout" she said.
Very WELL" he said. and going over
to the door. he called out several
times with the full power of his lungs.
The sound. pent in that narrow room.
fairly crashed in their ears, but there
was no answer from without.
Don't do 1t again." she said at last.
Then she sighed. "Oh. the irony of III"
she exclaimed.
II know" He laughed But don't
give up. Girl. Well deliver those pa-
pers yet"
II will not give up" she said, grave
" ' tell me. how did you get the
uapers?-
Orme began the story of the after
mons adventures
Why don't you sit DOWN." she
asked
w ~ hO
He had been so conscious OF his
feeling toward her, so conscious of
the fact that the one woman in all the
world was locked in here alone with
him. that since he arranged her seat
he had not trusted himself to be near
her. And she did not seem to under
stand.
She wished him to sit beside her. not
knowing that he felt the almost over
powering impulse to take her In his
arms and crush her close to him. That
desire would have been more easily
controlled. had he not begun to believe
that she in some degree returned his
feeling for her. II they escaped from
this black prison. he would rest happy
In the faith that her affection for him.
now. as he supposed 30 largely friend
". would ripen into . glorious and
compelling love. But It would not be
right for him to presume-to take ad-
vantage Of a moment in which she
might think that she cared for him more
than she actually did. Then. too. he
already foresaw vaguely the possible
necessity for an act which would make
1t best that she should not hold him
too dear. So long he stood silent that
she spoke again.
DO sit down." she said. II will
give you part of your coat"
There was a tremulous note In her
laugh. but as he seated himself. she
spoke with great seriousness when
two persons understand each other as
well as you and l." she said. land are
as near death as you and l. they need
not be embarrassed by conventions"
I'VE never have been very con-
ventional with each other" he replied,
shakily. Her shoulder was against
his. He could hear her breathing.
Now tell me the rest of the story"
First must change your notion
that we are near DEATH
He could feel that she was looking
at him in the blackness. Don't you
think know" she whispered. They
will not find us until tomorrow. There
isn't air enough to last. have known
1t from the first."
Some one will open the door" he
replied. I'VE may have to stay here
quite a while. but"
mo, my friend. There is no likeli.
hood that 1t will be opened. The
clerks are leaving for the night"
He was silent
so finish the story" she went on.
Finish the story" That was all
that he could do.
Finish the story" His story and
hers-only just begun. and now to end
there in the dark
But with calmness as great as her
own. he proceeded to tell all that had
happened to him since he boarded the
electric car at Evanston and saw Maku
sitting within. She pressed his hand
| gently when he described the trick by