Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-21
THE WHITE BLACKBIRD

BY
HUDSON DOUGLAS.

must be some one within. For moment
he hesitated, and then he pulled the bolt
free
Who's there?" he asked of the dark
ness, that gave him back only another
low groan for answer.
The heavy hinges of the door creaked
as he thrust it open and entered. His
last match showed him a huddled white
heap In one corner. two hands tied be-
hind it, a gray-haired and bleeding head.
He turned back and pushed up into the
sunroom without more ado. 1t was
empty
bright lamplight and his eyes fell on a
couple of candlesticks. He picked one up
and found a full box Of matches beside 1t.
From the decanter on the table before
the fire he partly filled glass, and dis
appeared down the steps again with his
candle to show him the way. drawing
the panel back into place behind him.
Within the cell door he set down the
glass he was carrying. and, pulling out
pocket knife, cut through the cord which
secured the wrists Of the prone figure in
the corner It's hands fell Imply apart
and lay palms upward. He did not at
once release it's ankles. but, STOPPING over
1t. pulled it round on to it's back. and
sprang away from 1t in such frantic
haste that the candle jumped from its
holder and left him in darkness again.
He all but Drained himself as he rushed
for the door, but he got outside, and,
oSuiiiCu do hC was. oct Ills SIlOulueT 10 IL.
1t closed with clang. and as he shot the
bolt home he sank to his knees, breathing
brOkenly, his forehead on it's rusty iron.
He righted himself with an effort, but
STAYED where he was sitting huddled to-
gether against the rock wall, his face
damp with cold perspiraton. He was
blind in the blackness about him and
could hear nothing but the trip-hammer
beat of his own strained heart.
Its turbulence began to die down by
degrees h
command of his stupefied faculties.
1T couldn't possibly be- he kept on
assuring himself. II must have been
mistaken. 1t couldn't possibly
He pulled his slack limbs up under him
and rose, slowly forcing them to obey
him.
But I must make sure" he muttered.
and still let himself linger outside the
cell door to listen for any sound from
within.
A groan, fainter than the first he had
heard. encouraged him.
Pretty far through whoever he is
said he to himself, and with another eff
fort of will power once more pulled back
the bolt
The fresh match he struck. before go
ing farther, showed him that the man
inside had not moved and he found his
candle where it had fallen in time to
light 1t before his match burned out.
With it in one hand he went forward on
tfptoe to study the others features in
tently his own expressing fear, absolute
disbelief, doubt, a growing conviction, in
turn.
1T is M'Kissock!' he cried, finally, and
at the words. unconsciously uttered, the
others eyelids began to flicker in the
candle light until at length they opened
and remained open at their widest. And
for long time they two stayed thus, re-
garding each other as If bereft of power
Of movement or speech.
Then Parish M'Kissock's slack jaws
took to twitching convulsively. A low
moaning broke from his mouth. A film
came over his dreadfully staring eyes.
He would have fallen unconscious again
had not the engineer snatched up the
glass at one sidd and poured down his
throat a few drops of the spirit it held.
His teeth closed with a snap and he
groaned again. heartrendingly; but in a
little he had so far benefited by that hurt
full remedy as to recover the use of his
voice His lips moved and his rescuer
leaned forward to catch the hoarse, agon-
lied whisper that came from them.
CTo be continued tomorrow