The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-07-14
CHAPTER XXVI.
THE CRUCIBLE.

NLY Miss Brewster herself could have answered the
 question of her wherea bouts
 at the exact moment of Van Lew's asking. She was left behind. standing aghast in the midst of tu- mults, on the platform of the Crows Nest. Terrified, like the others, at the sudden outburst of violence, she had ventured from the car to look for Lidgerwoods messenger, and in the moment of frightened bewilderment the Nadia had been whisked away.
 Naturally her first impulse was to fly, and the only refuge that offered was the superintendent's office on the second floor The stairway door was only a little distance down the plat form, and she was presently groping her way up, the light through the up- per corridor windows enabling her t go directly to the open door of the su- perintendent's office. But when she reached the door and looked within the trembling terror returned and held her spellbound, speeehless, unable to move or even to cry out.
 What she saw fitted itself to noth- ing real. It was more like scene clipped from play. Two masked men were covering with revolverss a third, who was tied helpless in a chair. The captive's face was ghastly and blood stained, and at first she thought he was dead. Then she saw his lips move in curious twitchings that showed his teeth. He seemed to be trying to speak, but the ruff1an at his right would not give him leave.
 '"This is where you pass out, MT Iidgerwood," the man was saying threateningly. "You give us your word that you will resign and leave the Red Butte Western for keeps or you'll sit in that chair till somebody comes to take you out and bury you"
 The twitching lips were controlled with what appeared to be an almost superhuman effort, but the words came jerkily.
 'What would my word, extorted un- der such conditions, be worth to you !'
 Eleanor conld hear in spite of the terror that would not let her cry out or run for help. He was yielding to them, bargaining for his life!
 "We'n take it, said the spokesman coolly. eff you break faith with us there are more than two of us who will see to it that you don't live long enough to brag about it. You've had your day, and you've got to go."
 And if I refuse?" Eleanor made sure that the voice was steadier now.
 "It's this, here and now" grated the taller man, who had hitherto kept si- lence, and he cooked his revolver and jammed the muzzle of it against the bleeding temple of the man in the chair.
 The captive strengthened himself as we'll as his bonds would let him.
 "You--you've let the psychological moment go by, gentlemen. live got my second wind. You may burn and destroy and shoot as you please, but while I'm alive I'll stay with you. Blaze away, if that's what you want 10 do."
 The horror stricken watcher at the door covered her face with her hands to shut out the sight of the murder. Ii was not until Lidgerwood's voice, calm and even toned and taunting, broke the silence that she ventured to look again.
 ''Well, gentlemen, I'm waiting. Why don't you shoot? You are greater cow ards than I have ever been, with all my shiverings and teeth chatterings. Isn't the stake big enough to warrant your last desperate play? I'll make it bigger. You are the two men who