The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-03-09
The Contents
OF a Box
By EDITH V. ROSS

AS he passed me the wheel dropped
from the sidewalk to the street, a dis
lance of about twelve inches. From in
side the box came suppressed groan,
rs of some one who haG been hurt or
badly joggled by an unexpected faiL'
knew some one was inside the box,
and by the tone of the cry | surmised
that it was woman, girl or boy.
The man who pushed the barrow
went on his way. Whether he had
heard the sound from within | don't
know. / think he had, for ] saw him
bite his lip as though displeased with
himself at this carelessness. But ne
pretended that nothing was amiss and
did not notice me proceeding with ar
| footed unconcern. l walked on a short
distance. then turned and, curious TOT
an explanation of the mystery, follow
| ed him.
On reaching building containing
government Offices he opened a base
! ment door and pushed his load inside,
closing the door behind him. This shut
me off so far as that means of entrance
| was concerned, but the building being
public one could go in through the
main door on the floor above. This |
did. and after giving the man time TO
set down his burden went down into
the basement by an interior staircase.
7 - - +h.~ bo ,.rn.t- fattchaI Gh0yinp
his barrow out of the door through
which he had entered. In the base
ment. standing against the wall, was
the box that had been left there.
stood some distance from 1t con-
sidering what should do. | was born
with full measure of curiosity ana
desired to see the mystery unfold IT.
self To 60 TO the box and tell who
ever was inside that had the secret
of his or her being there would arrest
the matter where it was. for the de-
sign. whatever it might be, would
doubtless be thus forestalled. The only
way could hope to observe its devel-
opment would be to hide in the base
ment overnight Which of these two
plans should adopt?
Shortly after 6 heard some one
come down the stairs and lock up.
Then. turning out all the lights except
one In the hall, which he left burning
low, he mounted the stairs, and /
heard his footsteps die away above.
Nothing but the prospect of an adj
venture would have induced me to be
thus locked up for all night As 1t
was | did not regret my action for a
moment. / was sure that some one-l
believed a woman-was in that box
and during the night she would do
something unusual While waiting |
tried to conjure up something she
might do. But confess could think
of nothing whatever.
/ expected TO have to wait till mid
night or morning before a denouement
but when clock outside struck In |
deep tones the hour Of 8 the play be |
gan. | heard the squeak Of turning |
screws. Either some one beside the |
person in the box was in the basement
or a part of the box had been screwed |
on from the inside When the screw /
turning stopped | heard the removal
OF wood. Whoever moved from the /
box must pass near me. / heard no
step, but figure fitted before me,
and as it passed into the hall where
the light was burning / saw that 1t
was young woman.
This naturally added spice to the ad-
venture. Emerging from my hiding
place, | followed on tiptoe. As ! /
reached the hall | saw the figure turn
from the topmost step into the upper
hall. Still following. | tracked the
woman through corridor till she
stopped before an Office door with a
glass panel. through which shone a
light /, being in darkness, was en-
abled TO steal up near TO the figure. l
saw her look through the glass into the
Office
She raised her arm above her head.
The light struck something in her
hand. Her other hand was on the door
knob dashed forward, but without
sound. running on my toe tips, and
caught her wrist just as she turned
the doorknob and pulled the door
slightly ajar. Suppressing cry, she
stood without motion except to turn
her head and fix her eyes on me. We
both stood silent, motionless. Through
The glass l saw man with his back i
10 us working at a desk. The girl :
.losed the door softly, and. still holding ]
her wrist. drew her to the main hall, y
where there was light burning. {
"Are you spy?" she asked.
mo"
"One of the police?"
mo. l am simple citizen OF St
/ have saved life and ,
have saved you from crime" (
"You have prevented my breaking a c
ink in the chain that holds the Rus a
sian people. What are you going to do
with me?" G
Nothing. But you shall not go back !
here. Who Is he?"
"The chief of police"
"Give me that glass ball you hold" !,
She did so. and. ringing the janitor's I
,ell. when he came told him that we
rad been locked in the building and o
Wished to be let out He unlocked the d
main door for us. and we departed. h
Tho Girl conId uot have bean over I