New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1914-08-19

strange man shot in the upper room.
The place was charnel house, a spot
accused. crept back from that
CHASTITY scene of death as though in
visible hands gripped my throat.
fairly choked with the unutterable
horror which overcame me. And yet
knew l must act. must go on to the
end. Even as crouched there. trem-
bling and unnamed. seeing visions in
the darkness. hearing imaginary
sounds. my thoughts leaped back to
the girl upstairs. could feel the
courage returning. the leap of hot blood
through my veins as Strengthened up.
l risked one more match to make
certain Of the opening through the
wall, dimly glimpsed beyond the
berths. Ny eyes were not deceived.
Here was second wood supported
passage, unblocked so far could per-
ceive. but black as pitch. l held the
flaming splinter aloft. anxiously scan
ming the few feet thus revealed, but
as it sputtered out, the red ash drop
ping to the floor, l felt renewed conf
dence that l was alone, unobserved.
Whoever those assassins might be.
they had departed, leaving only the
helpless dead behind. No doubt they
would come again to remove the
bodies, to seek refuge in this hidden
hole. But for the moment was there
undiscovered and must utilize each
precious instant. for discoveries and
escape. Wild recklessness, desire to
break away from those grewsome sur
roundings, overcame all caution. Swift
~ as l dared in the dense blackness
crept forward. feeling the smooth wall
with eager fingers, my right hand still
pervously gripping the pistol butt.
Then came to the door. similar to the
other, although no cropping about would
reveal the catch or enable me to force
it open.
Again l struck match, guarding the
infant flame with both hands against
slight draft which threatened it's ex-
tinction. l caught glimpse of a
shadow on the wall and made one
swift. automatic effort to leap aside.
dropping the fatal match. The move
ment was too late. Something de-
scended crashing upon my head, and
pitched forward into Inconsistencies.
1t must be lay there practically
dead for some time l had no knowl-
edge of being approached or handled.
and yet every pocket was rifed, the
pistol jerked from my hand and nv
coat ripped from my body. Like so
much carrion the fellows had flung me
back against the wall so as to make
room for the swinging open of the
door. Little by little. silently, compre-
hending now what had occurred and
warned by the sound of voices not far
away. changed posture slightly.
Strengthening out cramped and aching
limbs and 50 turning my head as to en-
able me to see along the passage,
where ray of light streamed.
lay twenty feet from the entrance
to this habitation underground. thrust
into the black shadow behind the door.
which stood partially ajar. NV posi-
ton precluded any possibility of learn
ing what was beyond that wooden bar
rier, but could plainly view the entire
north portion of the interior, although
the only light radiated from flicker
ing candle. One edge of the table
came within my vision. man sitting
beside 1t. his back turned toward me.
He was smoking a short stemmed
pipe and contented himself with
growing. indistinct utterance when
addressed. opposite. however, was a
man Of a different type. slender and
active. his hair very dark and inclined
70 curl, rather long face, slightly
olive hued. with small mustache
waxed at the ends. His black. spar
king eyes attracted me first. and
then his long. shapely hands. These
grasped sheet of paper, and / no
ticed others. including several unopen-
I