The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1911-03-16

Orme fingered the purse. He would
have to get rid of 1t, but he dared not
to drop It to the floor, and If he thrust
1t through the grating and let 1t fall
into the elevator we'll, some one would
be almost certain to detect the action.
There was only a moment left before
the car would stop. He looked down at
Alcatrante, who was close in front of
him. Then his face relaxed and in
spite of the gravity Of his situation he
smiled; for he had found a solution.
Promptly he acted upon 1t.
The car halted just below the ceiling
Of the first floor. What's the matter
with your" called voice-the voice
Of the starter.
Man robbed" said the elevator boy.
Bring the car down"
mol" shouted Alcatrante. The
thief is in the car. He must not es-
cape"
II won't let him out. Bring the car
down"
The boy let the car descend to the
floor level The starter placed himself
against the gate. Now then, who was
robbed?" he demanded.
Alcatrante crowded forward. 1T was
l. My purse is gone. had 1t Just
before got In"
"Oh, it was you, was it," The start
er remembered the trouble Alcatrante
had made few minutes before. Sure
you didn't drop it,"
Il am certain that did not"
The passengers were shuffiing their
feet about, in a vain effort to touch the
lost property. A young girl was gig
Cling Historically.
Perhaps you put It in the wrong
pocket, and didn't look careful
enough"
81 looked, I looked" exclaimed AL
catrante. do you think 1 would not
know. See! put 1t in this pocket.
which is now empty"
He thrust his hand into the pocket
which he had indicated. Suddenly his
expression changed to astonishment
Find it?" grinned the starter.
With the blankest of looks Alca-
trante pulled the purse from his pock.
ct. 1T was not there two minutes
ago." he muttered.
You've been dreamin'," remarked
the starter, opening the gate with a
bang. All out!"
Orme chuckled to himself In a mo
ment Alcatrante would realize how the
purse had been replaced in his pocket
and he would be furious. Meantime
Orme entered another elevator, to &C
back to the eighth floor, and, as he had
expected, the minister followed him.
When they were outside the Office Of
the Walllngham company Orme paused
his hand on the door. "Senor Alca
trante." he said, this business must
end. l shall simply have to call the
police"
AT your own risk" said Alcatrante
Then an ugly light flashed in his eye!
and his upper lip lifted above his vel
low teeth. You got the better of me
there in the elevator" he snarled
You won't get the better again"
Orme opened the office door. He
glanced about the reception room, t
see whether the girl had hidden her
self. She was not in view; indeed
there was even no one at the inquiry
window.
The door Of the great sample re
frigerator was ajar only two or three
feet. When Orme was there a few
minutes before It had been wide open
He wondered whether the girl haC
: chosen 1t as her hiding place. II she
had, his plan Of action would be sim
plified, for he would slip the papers il
to her, then get Alcatrante from the
room.
In a casual way he folded his arms
He could now put his hand into his in
} side coat pocket and the motion woult
hardly be noticed.
For a moment he stood as though
! waiting for some one to appear at thu
inquiry window. Though Alcatrantt
was watching him closely, Orme con
tinued to act as II he were the onl.
person in the room.
And now the dial of the big ther
mometer in the outer wall Of the re
frigerator appeared to catch his eye
and he strOlled over to it. This placed
him almost in the open doorway. Ap
parently his eyes were on the dial, but
in reality he was glancing sidewise into
the chamber Of the refrigerator He
glimpsed moving figure in there
heard faint rustling. Thrusting his
hand into the inside of his coat, he was
about to take out the precious papers
to pass them in to her.
Then he received a violent push
from behind. He plunged forward
tripped with one foot on the sill of the
refrigerator doorway, G1d went in
headlong, sprawling On the tiled floor
His clutching hand caught the fold OF
a woman's skirt. Then, though he re,
mained conscious, everything suddenly
turned black.
Bewtldered as he was, several sec
onds passed before he realized that the
massive door had been closed-that he
and the girl were prisonSTO.
CHAPTER XIV.
Prisoners in the Dark.
u L 4 "A