Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1911-03-15


He could feel that she was looking
at him in the blackness. Don't you
think I know?" she whispered. "They
will not find US until tomorrow There
isn't air enough to last have known
it from the first"
Some one will open the door, he
replied. I'VE may have to stay here
quite a while, but"
mo, my friend There is no likeli.
hood that it 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 a 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 it ranked now. Not
that he blamed himself foolishly; but
he wished that it had not happened.
THAT woman did a 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 l couldn't see
you, Girl. And you seemed to doubt
me-"
"To doubt your"
Don't you remember? You said
that no American had the papers; but
you added, unless"
Unless Walsh, the burglar, had
played a trick on Peritol and held the
true papers back. l went straight
from Arima's 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.
Il have never doubted YOU she
said simply.
There was silence. Only their breath
ing and the ticking of Orme's watch
broke the stiffness.
Il don't believe that Alcatrante knew
that this place was unventilated," she
remarked at last.
mo; and he didn't know that you
were here"
HE thinks that you will be released
in the morning, and that you will think
it 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?"
Her voice was steady "The clerks
must all have gone by this time. We
can't make ourselves heard"
L
fighting with the door"
You can't open it,"
But some one of the clerks going
out may have seen that it was bolted
Wouldn't he have pushed the bolt
back? I'm going to See"
He CROPPED to the door and tugged at
the handle. The door, for all the eff
feet his effort had on it, 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
her shoulder against his side, and the
touch sent a 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, it makes us breathe
that much faster.
'Yes," he sighed, q suppose we can
only sit here and wait"
do you know" she said softly, II
am wondering why our situation does
not seem more terrible to me. 1t
should, shouldn't it?"
II 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 it! Ny father-he-"
Her shoulders shook for moment I'M
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
own whirling thoughts were of sort
that he could not fathom; they pos
sessed him completely, they destroyed,
seemingly, all power of analysis. they
made him dumb; and they were tan