Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1911-09-05

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barking of dogs. the hollow SOUND OF
mems voices. A moment later there
came to him an echo as Of swiftly
tramping feet and. after that. silence.
"Jean," he called tensely. "ho. Jean!
Jean CrOisset"-
He caught up the paper and ran
from one black opening to another.
calling the Frenchman's name.
"As you love your God. Jean. as you
have hope Of heaven. take this note
to Meleese!' he pleaded. 'Jean-Jean
Cruiser
There came no answer. no movement
outside. and Rowland stilled the beat
ing Of his heart to listen. Surely Crols-
set was there! He looked again at the
watch he held in bis hand. In four
minutes the shot would be fired. A
cold sweat bathed bis face. He tried
to cry out again. but something rose
in his throat and choked him until his
voice was only gasp. DE sprang
back to the table and placed the note
once more under the watch. Two min
utes! One and half! One!
With a sudden fearless cry he sprang
into the very center of bis prison and
flung out his arms with bis face to
the hole next the door. This time bis
voice was almost shout
Jean Croisset, there Is note under
nv watch on the table. After you have
killed me take 1t to Meieese. II you
fail l shall haunt you to your grave"
Still no sound. no CLEAN Of steel
pointing at him through the black aper-
ture. Would the shot come from be-
hind?
Observation-Disclosures
He counted the beating of his watch
up to twenty. A sound stopped him
then. and he closed bis eyes, and
great shiver passed through his body.
1t was the tiny bell of bis watch
tinkling of the hour Of six:
Scarcely had that sound ceased to
ring in his brain when from far
through the darkness beyond the wall
of his prison there came creaking
noise as If a heavy door had been
swung slowly on its hinges or a trap
opened. then voices. low. quick. excited
voices. the hurrying tread of feet. .
fash of light shooting through the
gloom. They we're coming. After all.
it was not to be private affair. and
Jean was to do bis killing as the hang
mans Job Is done in civilization-be-
fore a crowd. Howland's arms drop
ped to bis side. This was more terri
BILE than the other-this seeing and
hearing Of preparation. In which he
fancied that he heard the click Of
Croisset's gun as be lifted the hammer.
Instead It was q hand fumbling at
the door. There were no voices now.
only strange moaning sound that he
could not account for. In another mo-
ment it was made clear to him. The
door swung open and the white robed
figure of Meleese sprang toward him
with cry that echoed through the
dungeon chambers. What happened
then-the passing Of white faces BE-
yond the doorway. the subdued muir
muir of voices-were all lost to How
land in the knowledge that at the last
moment they had let her come to him.
that he held her in his arms and that
she was crushing her face to his breast
and sobbing things to him which he
could not understand. Once or twice
d, Asa Rp., b., md ruopdoporS - noe lies 90
might not be dreams. and the thought
came to him now when he felt the
warmth Of her hands. her face. her
hair and then the passionate pressure
of her lips on his own. He lifted his
eyes. and In the doorway he saw Jean
Croisset and behind him a Wild. beard
ed face-the face that had been over
him when life was almost ch0ked from
him on the great north trail. And be-
yond these two be saw still others.
shining ghostly and indistinct in the
deeper gloom of the outer darkness.
He strained Meleese to him. and when
he looked down into her face he saw
her beautiful eyes flooded with tears
and yet shining with a great Joy. Her
lips trembled as she struggled to speak.
Then suddenly she broke from his
arms and ran to the door. and Jean
Croisset came between them. with the
wild, bearded man still staring over
his shoulder.
"Mseur. will you come with usY
said Jean.
The bearded man dropped back into
the thick gloom. and without speak
ing Rowland followed Croisset. his
eyes on the shadowy form of Me-
leese. The ghostly faces turned from
the light. and the tread Of their re-
treating feet marked the passage
through the blackness. Jean fell back
beside Rowland. the huge bulk Of the
bearded man three PAGES ahead. A
dozen steps more and they came to a
stair. down which light shone. The
Frenchman's hand fell detainingly on
Howland's arm. and when a moment
later they reached the top Of the stairs
all had disappeared but Jean aud the
bearded man. Dawn was breaking.
and pale light fell through the two
windows of the room they had enter
ed. On q table burned a lamp. and
near the table were several chairs.
To one of these CrOtsset motioned the
engineer, and as Rowland sat down
the bearded man turned slowly and
passed through a door, Jean ehrug-