Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1911-08-04

from him. When he looked again MS
gaze fell on the little yellow tongue of
fame in the lantern globe. 1t was not
the steady, unwinking eye OF few
minutes before. There was a sputter-
ing weakness about 1t now, and as he
watched the light grew fainter and
fainter. The flame was going out. A
few minutes more and he would be in
Darkness At first the Significance of
it did not come to him. Then he
Strengthened himself with jerk that
frightened the thong about his neck un-
til it choked him. Hours must have
passed since the lantern had been plac
ed on that rock. else the oil would not
be burned out Of 1t now
For the first time Rowland realized
that 1t was becoming more and more
difficult for him to get breath. The
thing about his neck was tightening
slowly, inexorably, like n hot band Of
steel, and suddenly. because Of this
tightening, he found that he had re-
covered his voice.
This rawhide Is pinching my Ad-
ANS APPLE
Whatever had been about his mouth
had slipped down. and his words sound
ed hollow and choking in the rock
bound chamber. He tried to raise his
voice in a shout. though he knew how
futile his loudest shrieks would be.
The effort choked him more. His SUI
fering was becoming excruciating.
Sharp pains darted like redhot needles
through his limbs. his back tortured
him. and his head ached as thought a
knife had cleft the base Of his skull.
The strength of his limbs was leav-
ing him. He no longer felt any sensa-
ton in his cramped feet. He meas
ured the paralysis creeping up his legs
inch by inch. driving the sharp pains
before 1t, and then a groan Of horror
rose to his lips.
The light had gone out.
As If that dying Of the little yellow
fame were the signal for his death.
there came to his ears a sharp kissing
sound; spark leaped up into the
blackness before his eyes. and slow.
creeping glow came toward him over
the rock at his feet.
The hour, the minute. the second.
had come. land Macdonald had press
ed the little white button that was to
send him into eternity. He did not
cry out now. He knew that the end was
very near. and In its nearness he found
new strength. Once he had seen a
man walk to his death on the scatfold.
and as the condemned had spoken his
last farewell. with the moose about his
neck. he had marveled at the clearness
Of his voice. ut the fearlessness Of this
creature in his last moment on earth.
Now he understood. Inch by inch
the fuse burned toward him-a fifth
Of the distance. Il quarter. now third
At last it reached half-was almost
under his feet Two minutes more Of
life. He put his whole strength once
again in an attempt to free his hands.
This time his attempt was cool, steady.
with death 100 seconds
away. His heart gave a sudden burst
Ing leap into his throat when he felt
give. Another effort. and
In the powder chOked vault there rang
out thrilling cry Of triumph. His
hands were free! He reached forward
to the fuse, and this time moaning,
wordless sob fell from him. faint. ter
rifying. with all the horror that might
fill human soul in its inarticulatc
note. He could not reach the fuse be-
cause Of the thong about his neck.
He felt for his knife. He had left it
in his room. Sixty seconds more
forty-thirty! He could see the fiery
end Of the fuse almost ut his feet Sud
denly his cropping fingers came in con-
tact with the cold steel Of his pocket
revolver. and with last hope he
snatched it forth. stretching down his
pistol arm until the muzzle Of the
weapon was within dozen inches of
the deadly spark. At his first shot the
spark lcaped. but did not so out. After
the second there was no longer the
fiery. creeping thing on the floor. and
crushing his head back against the
sacks, Rowland sat for many minutes
as If death had in reality come to him
in the moment Of his deliverance.
After a time. with tedious slowness.
he worked Il hand into his trousers
pocket, where he carried penknife.
1t took him long time to saw through
A. hi
After that he cut the rope that bound
his ankles.
He made an effort to rise. but no
sooner had he gained his feet than
his paralyzed limbs gave way under
him and he dropped III heap on the
floor. Very slowly the blood began
finding its way through his choked
veins again. and with the change there
came over him feeling Of infinite
He stretched himself out.
with his face turned to the black wall
above. realizing only that he was
saved. that he had outwitted his mys-
terious enemies again and that he was
He made no effort to
think-to scheme out his further de-
liverance. He was with the powder
md the dynamite. and the powder and
dynamite could not be exploded until
human hands came to attach new
fuse. Macdonald would attend to
that very soon. so he went Off into a
ioze that was almost sleep. In his
half consciousness there came to him
but one sound-that dreadful ticking
IF his watch. Tie seemed to have lis
tened to 1t for hours when there arose
,pothor sound-the ticking OF another