Omaha daily bee., 1915-05-16

vapor. She moved her head from side
to side. but had not yet regained con-
seriousness.
stu as the minutes heightened she be-
ban to breathe more II gularly as the
Supplying effects OF the vapor wore off
and was just beginning to move her head
in the first conconscious endeavors to
grasp at consciousness.
II must have been just about at this
point that, following Kennedy's instruc-
lions. arrived at Eiaines house.
AS Jennings led me into the library.
was met by Aunt Josephine.
Craig has gone off on a clue, l ex-
planned, land has asked me to drop in
10 see how things are. Is Elaine all
right?''
why. I haven't seen her for an hour
or more" answered Aunt Josephine. II
think she must have gone out Won't
you sit DOWN.
There was nothing else TO do. On the
chance that she might come back. sat
down, considerably worried now, about
the note and her absence.
Upstairs, II we had only known 1t,
Elaine had now regaiaed consciousness.
Worse than that, the time was up for
the water to drain off from the phos-
phorus.
As the last drop was siphoned off the
vessel by the capillary tube. the deadly
element seemed to burst into flames and
white fumes. Instantly the dry finder
like excelsior and other stuff caught
fire.
Elaine stared-fascinated. Helpless In
,ha hy the CfrOnn
she could scarcely move.
She screamed. But who would hear her
off here in the attic, with the heavy door
locked?
On the other side Of the door to the
back room OF the opium joint, WI Fang,
the terrible, and his slave, Long Sin,
whispered in low tones. while Long Sin
eagerly fingered a murderous knife.
Master. let mo finish him."
Long Sin begged the boon, almost
pleadlngly. WI thought minute, then
shook his head.
Wait" he denied. 1.-THE fire is just
starting. 1t is better that he should
know that the white girl is dying than
that he should die first"
I1tlpltcce NAca " bAAC pOoN WmNh was
designed after some of those exquisite
tortures devised by the subtle oriental
mind, Kennedy had not ceased strug-
Cling to free himself, though without
avail All he could do was to move his
arms just a bit.
Suddenly an idea occurred to him., He
gazed down at his hands and wrists
Suppose they were not freer Was there
no way to use themf
Slowly he turned his arm around until
the outside Of his wrist pressed on a
rope. Then he drew his upper arm tight
to his side. still with his wrist pressing
on the rope.
His heart fairly leaped. It worked.
The cuff link which he had devised as
a cigarette lighter as a joke on me was
burning the rope.
He had now q bit more freedom. could
move his forearm to another of the
thongs that bound him. He pressed the
glowing bit Of wire on the cuff link to a
new place on the rope. Again and again
he tried. each time gaining Just a little
more freedom of motion.
Then he pulled at the weakened ropes,
as he had before in his futile struggles
They broke.
Just OH the other side of, the door he
could hear the low buzz of the argument
still as Long Sin urged WI to allow him
to kill Kennedy.
Very well them" WI at last agreed,
looking at his watch and nodding to Long
Sin and the others. who sprang forward.
Free from his bonds. Kennedy had been
standing a second wondering how to es-
cape from the room. Just then he heard
footsteps outside. Quickly he replaced
the ropes about him. so that they looked
as II he were still bound by them
The door opened and WI and Long Sin
entered each with a knife. while behind
them were three other Cinnamon.
WI advanced. Slowly he raised his
Knife to strike.
The white girl is slowly being burned
70 DEATH" he Missed. brandshing the
Knife. The allotted time is spsnt."
As he poised the knife in fiendish slee.
kennedy leaped forward from his Ioos-
ened bonds and knocked him to the floor.