The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1915-05-19

his power.
He drew long. wicked-looking Chi
nese knife and carefully tested its
edge. 1t was keen.
In the sitting room Elaine. Aunt
Tabby and Joshua had been listening
intently at the fireplace. but hearing
nothing
They were now getting decidedly
worried. Finally the fumes which we
had released made their way to the
room.
81 can't stand it any longer" cried
Elaine. Pm going down there to see
what has become of them"
Aunt Tabby and Joshua tried to
stop her. but she broke away from
them and went down the ladder. Rusty
leaped down after her.
Joshua tried to follow, but Aunt
Tabby held him back. He would have
gone, too, if she had not managed to
strike the spring and shut the door,
closing up the passageway.
Joshua got angry then. You are
making a coward of me-" he cried,
beating on the panel with the butt of
his gun and struggling to open it.
Elaine was now making her way as
rapidly as she could through the tun-
mel, with Rusty beside her.
1t was just as Long Sin had raised
his knife that the sound of footsteps
alarmed him.
He paused and leaped to his feet.
There was no time for either
to retreat He started toward Elaine
and coizad har r0uOhIu
Back and forth over the rocky floor
they struggled. AS they fought, she
with frantic strength, he craftily. he
backed her slowly up against the prop
that upheld the roof.
He raised his keen knife.
She recoiled. The prop. none too
strong, suddenly gave way under her
weight
The whole roof of the chamber fell
with a crash, earth and stone over
whelming Elaine and her assailant.
By this time Joshua had left the
house and had gone out into the gar
den to get something to pry open the
fireplace door.
OF a sudden, to his utter amaZement,
a few feet from him, it seemed as If
the very earth sank in his garden, leav-
ing yawning chasm.
He looked. unable to make it out.
Before his very eyes a strange fig
ure. the figure of Long Sin in his oxy.
gen helmet, appeared, struggling up
as If by magic, from the very earth
shaking the debris of himself. as a
dog would shake off the water after 6
plunge in a pond.
Long Sin was gone in a moment.
Then again the earth began to move
A paw appeared, then a sharp black
nose, and a moment later Rusty, too
dug himself out.
Joshua had run into the house to gel
a spade, when Rusty, like a shot. bolt
ed for the house, took the window at 6
leap and, all covered with earth, land
ed before Joshua and Aunt Tabby.
"See,-he went down there-noV
he's herei" cried Aunt Tabby, point
ing at the fireplace, then looking at the
window.
: Rusty was running back and fortl
from Joshua to the window.
Follow himi" cried Aunt Tabby.
Rusty led the way back again to thu
garden, to the cave-in.
|
BY this time Joshua was digging fu
riously.
Aunt Tabby rushed up as Joshui
laid down the spade and lifted on
Elaine.
They were about to carry her int,
the house, when she cried weakly, Blu
with all her remaining strength:
"No-no- Dig! Craig-Walter!'
she managed to gasp.
Rusty, too, was still at it. Joshui
fell to again. Man and dog WORKED
with a will.
There they are!" cried Elaine, a
all three pulled us out, unconscious bu
still alive.
Though we did not know it, the!
carried us into the house, While Elain,
and Aunt Tabby hustled about to ge
something to revive US.
At last 1 opened my eyes and saw
the motherly Aunt Tabby bending owe
me. Craig was already revived. weak
| but ready now to do anything Elain
ordered, as she held his hand ant
stroked his forehead softly.
Meanwhile Long Sin had made hi
way to the automobile, where his mas
ter, WI, waited impatiently.
! did you get it?" asked WI eagerly
Long Sin showed him the box.
Hurry, masteri" he cried breath
lessly, leaping into the car and strue
Cling to take off the helmet as the.
drove away They may be here-a
any moment"
: The machine was OF like shot, AM
even if we had been free. we could no
now have caught it.
Back in Wu's sumptuous apartment
later. WI and his slave. Long Sir
: after their hurried ride. dismissed al
the servants and placed the little bo
on the table. WI rose and locked tn
: door.
: Then. together. they took shar-
instrument and tried to pry on the Ii
of the box.
! The lid few of. They gazed il
eagerly.
Inside was smaller box. which w
seized and opened.
! There, on the plush cushion, la
merely round knobbed ringi
Was this the end of their great ez
pectations? Were Benefits million
merely mythical?
The two stared at each other Il
,, chagrin.
/. WI was the first to speak.
. Where there should have bee
seven million dollars he muttered :
. J himself. why is there only a mysti
ring?"
eTo BE coNTNuED.)