The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-11-21
Then he heard q laugh, a cold,

Then he heard laugh, cold
!, mirthless chuckle.
Now the blood Of Thomas Barcus
ran cold Tor he thought it did: which
amounts to much the same thingl
For II his senses had played fair, the
laugh he had heard was the laugh OF
Mr.. Marrophat, headdevil in the serT.
ice Of Seneca THINE,
Flo twisted his head to one side
and glancing along the floor. saw moth
ing but the wall. Twisted the other
way at the cost Of splinter in his
nose, the effort was repaid by the dis
covery of Rose Urine in a plight like
his own-wrists and ankles bound
gagged into the bargain-the width OF
tho shed between them.
But OF Alan Law, no sign.
The heart Of Mr.. Barcus checked
momentari1y; he shut his eyes and
shivered in an uncomfortable seizure
Of dread. o.
Then, tormented beyond endurance
by the fears he suffered for the safety
Of his friend, he began to wriggle and
squlrm like crippled snake. pain
fully inching his way across the floor
toward Rose with what design, heaV
en- alone knows! Dimly his men.
tai vision comprehended the bare pos
sibility of his being able. with his fast
numblng fingers, to work loose the
knots at Roses wrists; but deep In
his heart he knew this to be nothing
but forlornest hope.
With infinite pains he had con.
trived to bridge the distance by halt
or possibly not quito so much, when
dark body put the sunlight Of the
open doorway into temporary eclipse
Another followed it. Boots clumped
heavily on the flooring. The laugh
sounded again, apparently in irontc ap.
probation of Mr.. Barcus' efforts. Two
pairs Of hands seized him, one be-
meath the shoulders, the other be-
meath the knees, and he was lugged!
Iaboriously out into the sunlight, car
ried considerable distance, and de-
posted unceremoniousiy within Few
feet Of the mouth Of the abandoned
mine lust ut the moment when he had
satisfied himself that the purpose
Of his captors was simply to throw
him into the black we'll.
He wasted look Of appeal on the
frozen mask of villatny that was Mar
rophat's (who bore the burden OF Bar
Gus head and shoulders) and got
laughed at for all his pains.
Then he was left to. himself once
more, but only for few moments
the interval ended when the two ap'
peared again, this time bringing Hose
In similar fashion.
Not until she had been put down pe'
side him did he discover that Alan
was likewise q captive-trussed to q
tree at some distance,
The remaining arrangements OF
their capto=s were swiftly and deity
contaminated, though their design re-
manned obscure to Mr.. Barcus until
he, after Rose, was dumped like q bale
into huge bucket, and therein by
means OF rope and wlndlass lowered
to the bottom Of the shaft-a descent
he estimated shrewdly, OF something
like hundred feet.
A hideous screeching followed, the
protests of rusty and greaseless ma
chinery. Twisting his neck, Barcua
saw the dim opening Of the SHAFT
slowly closing, as If curtain were
being drawn down over it. Jimmy
was closing the bulkhead door, leay
ing them definitely prisoners, beyond
human aid, there in that everlasting
black hole.
With a final squeal and thump the
bulkhead settled into place. A con
fusion Of remote sounds thereafter In
dicated that Jimmy with, perhaps
Marrophat's assistapce) was making
the bulkhead fast beyond question
weighing and blocking It with ttmbers
These ceased-and the silence wal
broken by Alan's voice.
"Barcus!"
The latter grunted soulfully by wa!
OF answer: he could do no more.
rive worked my gag loose" Allan
pursued in hurried whisper. but m1
hands are tied behind my back. Arr
yours? Grunt once for yes"
Dutitully Bracus grunted solitar!
grunt.
"Then roll over on your face and
give me a chance to work them fret
that way. given time :"
"Time!" was the nIrthless thought
OF Barcus. Haven't we got all eter
ln1tyY" y
For all that, he wasted no time
whatever In bey1ng gAlansa suggestion
then lay orgupYard Of ten ninutei
with Ills face In the mold % the TUNE
Alan chewcd and spat and
ehsHeds ana sspat end ,ehswsd agatn !. q q