The Arvada enterprise., 1911-03-09

shakily. Her shoulder was against
his. He could hear her breathing.
Now tell me the rest of the story"
First l 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 while, but"
No, 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
! which the Japanese had brought the
pursuit to an end She laughed when
he came to the meeting with the de-
tective in his apartment. The episode
with Madam Ala he passed over
lightly. for part of 1t ranked now. Not
that he blamed himself foolishly; but
he wished that it had not happened.
That woman did fine thing" said
the girl
He went on to describe his efforts
to get free from Alcatrante
And you were under the table in
Arima's room," she exclaimed, when
he had finished.
Il was there; but couldn't see
you, Girl. And you seemed to doubt
me-"
Don't YOU remember? You said
that no American had the papers; but
you added, unless"
Unless Walsh. the burglar, had
played trick on Poritol and held the
true papers back. went straight
from Arimas to the Jail and had an
other talk with Walsh. He convinced
me that he knew nothing at all about
the papers. He seemed to think that
they were letters which Poritol wanted
for his own purposes"
Then you did not doubt me-" Glad
relief was in his voice.
"I have never doubted you," she
said, simply.
There was silence. Only their breath
ing and the ticking of Orme's watch
broke the stiffness.
II don't believe that Alcatrante knew
that this place was unventilated," she
remarked at last.
No; and he didn't know that your
were here"
He thinks that you will be released
in the morning. and that you will think
1t wiser to make no charges. What
do you suppose his conscience will say
when he learns"
Girl. ! simply can't believe that
there is no hope for U.S."
What possible chance is there?"
I1eI NolCe was sleduy. ne ClerKS
must all have gone by this time. We
can't make ourselves heard"
"StilA feel as though | should be
fghting with the door"
You can't open It,"
But some one of the clerks going
out may have seen that 1t was bolted.
Wouldn't he have pushed the bolt
back? I'm going to see.
He groped to the door and tugged at
the handle. The door, for all the ef-
feet his effort had on 1t, might have
been a section of solid wall.
Come back" she called.
He felt his way until his foot touched
the coat. AS he let himself down be-
side her, his hand brushed over her
hair, and unconsciously she leaned
toward him. He felt the pressure of
her shoulder against his side, and the
touch sent thrill through him. He
leaned back against the wall and
stared into the blackness with eyes
that saw only visions Of the happiness
that might have been.
I'VE mustn't make any effort to
break out" she said 1T is useless.
And every time we move about and
tug at the door. 1t makes us breathe
that much faster"
Yes" he sighed, 81 suppose we can
only sit here and wait"
do you know" she said softly, 81
am wondering why our situation does
not seem more terrible to me. II
should, shouldn't it,"
Il hardly think so,' he replied.
THE relative Importance of our
worldly affairs" she went on dream
lily, appears to change when one sees
that they are all to stop at once They
recede into the background of the
mind. What counts then is, OH don't
want to think of 1t! My father-he-"
Her shoulders shook for a moment un.
der the stress of sudden grief, but
she quickly regained her control.
There. now" she whispered. Il won't
do that
For a time they sat In silence. His