The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1910-11-18

vertical iron ladder. fastened 10 the
wall outside OF the BALLROOM. and per.
haps IL feet high. The 10 feet looked
short from below, but they were diff.
flcult TO climb. ! gathered my silk
gown around me, and succeeded final.
~ in making the top OF the ladder.
Once there. however was complete
ly out OF breath sat down, my feet
on the top rung, and put my hasr.pins
Ia more securely, while the wind bel.
lowed my dressinggown out like a
sail had torn great strip OF the
silk loose. and now | rnthlessly fin.
iahed the destruction of my gown by
jerking It free and tying II around my
head
Luckily, the roof was fiat. and !
WAC able 10 90 over every inch OF II. But
the result was disappointing; no trap.
door revealed Itself no glass window;
nothing bnt o couple of pipes two
inches across, and standing perhaps
IS inches high and three feet apart,
with cap TO prevent rain from en-
tering aud raised to permit the pas
sage of afr. picked up pebble
from the roof and dropped II down,
listening with my car at one OF the
pipes. | could hear II strike on some
thing with sharp. metallic sound.
but II was Impossible for me 10 tell
how far II had gone.
! gave up finally and went down the
ladder again, getting In through the
ballroom window without being OBJ
served went back at once to the
trunkroom, and. sitting down on a
box, gave my mind as consistently as
| could, to the problem before me. II
the pipes in the roof were yentilators
10 the secret room, and there was no
trap-door above. the entrance was
probably in one OF the two rooms be-
tween which 1t lay--unless, Indeed,
the room had been built. and the open.
Ing closed with brick and mortar
wall.
The mantel fascinated me Made OF
wood and carved, the more ! looked
the more ! wondered that I had not
noticed before the absurdity of such
a mantel In such place. II was COW
cred with scrolls and panels, and I'm
ally. By the merest accident, pushed
one Of the panels at the side. 1t
moved easily, revealing small brass
knob.
1t Is not necessary TO detail the
fluctuations of hope and despair, and
not little fear OF what lay beyond,
with which ! twisted and turned the
knob II moved, but nothing seemed
Nv happen, and then discovered the
trouble. pushed the knob vigorous
ly TO one side. and the whole mantel
swung loose from the wall almost a
foot, revealing cayernous space be.
yond
took long breath, closed the
door from the trunkroom into the hall
thank heaven, did not lock it--and
pulling the mantel-door wide open, !
stepped into the chimney-room. | had
time 10 get hazy view of a small
portable safe, common wooden table
and chalr-then the mantel door
swung to, and clicked behind me. |
stood quite still for moment, In the
darkness, unable to comprehend what
had happened Then turned and beat
furionsly at the door with my fists.
II was closed and locked again, and
my fingers in the darkness slid over a
smooth wooden surface without sign
OF knob.
was furionsly angry--at myself, at
the manteLdoor, at everything. did
not fear suffocation; before the
thought had come to me I had already
seen CLEAN OF light from the two
small yentilating pipes In the roof.
They supplied air, but nothing else.
The room itself was shrouded in
blaekness.
| must have dozed of, ! am sure
! did not faint. was never more
composed In my life. | remember