Charlevoix county herald., 1915-01-30

tainty and waiting. AS long as it
was fully day he had been content
in a way to lie on the ledge and
watch. Now, with a failing light,
came impatience CT delay, unan-
swered questions and doubt.
What had Karloff learned? Was
Shiela really there? Was she safe?
Was she even alive, or had she
chosen to die, perhaps? Would the
Russian really meet him? Had he
been convinced, or had he but pre-
tended in order to learn of his at
tempted mission? Had he really
talked to Oshitu of pretended mes
sage, or told him of man he had
met in the hills? 1t seemed to CAT
ford that the twilight brought these
doubts upon him as he waited and
watched.
Lights began to twinkle i'm the
valley under the pail of smoke. A
faint glow rose from the tall stacks
and the open mouths of the cupolas,
where the molten metals waited to
make the castings Of the bombs. A
faint wind came up and rustled the
grasses and weeds on the edge of
the ledge where he sat.
Presently inaction grew irksome
bevond endurance. With a last
glance to the west, where the sink
ing sun still made lemon-yellow
streak in the heavens, he rose and
moved away.
He made his way back toward the
hut of the wireless, and with it as a
landmark went on to the road which
led down the mountain to the plant.
When he had gone far enough along
this as his recollection of his obser-
vations from the ledge warned him,
he turned off and struck through the
dusky timber toward the right-of-
way of the railroad.
Above him it was still twilight,
but here under the trees it was al
most night He began to hurry as
he went forward, so far as he con
sistently could with caution. After
time he saw a faint tightening Of
the gloom before him and came out
beside the track. He mounted it and
turned again toward the valley at
smart trot.
As he went on the night came
completely down, and the glare Of
the furnaces shone above him on the
cloud Of smoke. Their glow reflected
until his way became family lighted
by strange red light. AS on the
night before, it waxed and waned
as the fires in the FORCES leaped and
died.
1t reminded him of the midnight
fires he had witnessed as a boy when
he had crept from his bed to look at
the reflections of flames or had gone
racing after the fire-engines as they
dashed by. He became aware of
dull reverberation which beat about
him. and knew il was the roar of the
great plant in the night.
1t was though it had become
sensate thing and roared out the
malace of the things born within its
fiery heart. To Gaff6rd, in his mood,
it seemed that it might be the mod
ern metamorphosis of the tabled
dragon-a creature with heart of
fire, breathing a fiery breath which
blighted all it touched.
He moved through the red refiec-
ton of its breathing, a lone knight
seeking to destroy its might. He
smiled as he trotted forward and
recognized the thought.
Not only was he a knight pre-
pared to do battle, but his mission
was one of rescue for a captive
maiden as we'll 81 must slay the
dragon and save the damsel this
night" said Gafford, and ran on.
By and by he came to the point
where the switch turned off toward
the magazine of the bombs, and to
the little hut of the track-workers.
1t was merely shed set TO the side
of the track, and closed at one end
by door. Two rails ran under the
closed leaf of the opening, which he
saw at a glance were for the ac-
commodation of the motor Karloff
had mentioned. Suddenly it oc-
Cured to him that the car might be
useful in escaping after they had
freed Shiela McRae.
He crept forward from where he
had leaned in the shadow of the shed
and began an examination Of the
fastenings of the door. He found
them to be nothing more than a hasp
and a paddock of not particularly
strong design. Without more con
sideration he began working to
break into the shed. and come at the
car. Here the knife he had brought
from White Rates came into play.
The door was of soft pine, and the
knife was strong. Gafford began to
cut away at the section which held
the hasp to the door. The waxing
and waning glare showed him the
progress he was making. He cut
and gouged until a deep groove
grew in the board about the staple
Of the hasp. When it was as deep
as he judged sufficient, he covered
the hasp with corner of his blan-
ket and struck it sharply with the
butt of Yamata's revolver. It yielded,
detaching the piece he had cut out
and freeing the strip of metal which
formed the bar of the hasp.
He chuckled as he seized the door
and slid it back.
He stepped inside and rolled the
door shut behind him, CROPPED for the