The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1912-07-02


10 my deiohce- tnat We're necessary
without delay / looked. too nj Her
mann Rudsic, the colonels partner
ana | confess that contempt FOR his
] physical powers was my first thought.
was convinced that If &c were a cues
ton OF fight, | could hold the two
men till Abel, who was in the SER
wants hall, came to my assistance.
and while the others were present
/ had no fear of any of those machina.
tons which are chiefly the property
| or imaginative flction-makers. This
! knowledge gave TO me my nerve again.
and without more ado took the case
from my pocket and showed the stone
The vision of the glorious gem. rim.
ping on its surface with n myriad
lights, white, and golden. and many
colored, In the play of radiating fire.
was one that compelled the silence of
amazed admiration for many minutes.
Margaret Klein spoke, her face bent
to the diamond so that it's waves of
color seemed to float up to her raw.
ished eyes; and with a little cry
wrune from her satisfaction she
ssid.-
"oh, Mr.. Sutton. it's too beautiful
to look att"
Il am glad that it does not disap-
point" said |.
1T would disappoint no one, tho
invalid said, stretching out hand
/ which trembled to draw the treasure
closer to his eyes.
Its the whitest stone I've seen for
three years" the colonel remarked
coolly. and then, as with a new
thought, he added
Il believe It's whittier than the Bra
lillian stone in my old ring. 1 should
ike to compare them, If you'll let me?
me other STUFF is i'm my dressing
room there; Margaret, will you get
it?"
He gave her his keys, and taking
lamp from the shelf, she passed into
tho chamber which was behind me.
In the same moment Rudisic asked
his host to prop him up higher upon
me couch, and the colonel had just
begun to place the pillows when
heard Margarets voice crying
Father, | can't open the drawer
It's stuck; do come and help"
1t was an act of consummate folly
that l concede you; but l was so
completely unaware of any signs OF
trickery here, and had so forgotten
my fears, that l found it the most
natural thing in the world to step
into the room, and to enjoy helping
the girl in her difficulty. / discovered
her before an open door-the door
or wardrobe / thought 1t was for
moment, but | saw at the second
look that it gave access to tiny
chamber, whereof the walls were all
drawers Margaret Klein herself stood
within this curiously fashioned safe.
built as part of the house. and was
still struggling with the refractory
! drawer; so that had no hesitation
nor, indeed, thought suspiciously-in
| gong TO her side She laughed slyly
as we stood in the semi-dark together.
and my hand falling by chance on
hers, she pressed it, and put her face
very close to mine-so close that TO
have resisted kissing her would have
been crime for which n man would
have repented until his last day.
cannot tell accurately how long I
held her In n passionate embrace. feel
ing her lips glued upon my own: but
| suddenly she pushed me from her with
a surprising strength OF arm. and be
fore l could regain my balance she
| mad sprung into the room, and the
door of the small chamber in which
| was left swung to with a clang.
striking me backwards as 1t pressed
upon me, and coming nigh TO stun
ming me. So thick was this door. so
impenetrable that its closing was sue
ceeded by the stiffness of vault or
catacomb ! mad scarce realized the
Whole trick, or the predicament sheer
folly had placed me in when was
plunged into the abyss of utter dark
ness shut as it were into the coffin
that had been prepared for me. A
! frightful panic a hideous terror an in
describable anger came upon me from
the very first moment OF that io2rfm
ria.
When the first great terro, had
passed. and mental struggle aad
! lcft me with some sense iearei
against the steei door and thought
aGttn OF my fate j had little science.
VT J knew that the hours of am .on,
slut in an air-tight chamber such as
! thdt room or stool was, could be few.
| had heard that asphyxiation was
peaceful DEATH and think could have
had courage to face it if little light
had been given me-
If ! could have reasoned sanely I
should have seen that my hope was
all bound up in Abel and the detective
in the house. Klein, and the invalid.
and the girl-they had been gone long
siEcc, unless others had put hands
ppoD them. My own servant, I knew.
would seek for me first; but even IL
he came to the safe, how would he
open 1t, how cut through these inches
OF steel before death had ended It all?
1t was even possible that the door OF
the strong room was a concealed door
and so afterwards I proved it to be.
In that case, how would they know
even OF my necessity? These tortur.
Ing reflections threw at last glimmer
OF necessary activity upon my despair.
! raised my voice, though / had then
the strangest sensation in my veins.