The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1916-06-02

LeveIed Straight at the
flung itself upon his still crouching
shoulders that he awakened to the fact
that he was being attacked, the
startled eavesdropper found himself
flung bodily through the suddenly
opened door, even before no could
draw his revolver. For he knew now
beyond doubt that he was in the terri
tory of the enemy. He knew that still
another trap had been sat for the un-
wary. He knew it. oven before he
caught sight of Legar himself and
Margery Golden shrinking close to the
wall at his side.
1t was on Legar that he fixed his
eye as he whipped out his firearm and
steadied himself with one hand
against the broken wall.
his body. He saw the look on Man
ley's coiorless face. He knew what
was coming
He did not stop to argue; he did
not even turn to fee. But as he stood
ther,. with his deep-set eyes liked on
E-anley's face, his long right arm that
terminated in its claw of iron shot
out and caught at the arm of the girl
still crouching so close to the wall be-
side him. But even quicker was Man
ley's discovery of Legars intentions
tc swing the body of the girl about
in, 30 III
shield. And Manley, while the path
was still clear, leveled his gun and
nred.
There was shout, half of horror
and half of rage, as Legar went down
in heap, his wooden arm-end thump-
ing on the rough flooring like a mall
let as he !ell. AnG ut the same mo-
ment that the brawny-armed amazon
boldly struck Manleys right arm up
towards the ceiling, that startled band
of Legar's followers united in a rush
for the s-ssailant o. their cader and
chief.
In the first two minutos of that al
together hopeless struggle Manley had
lost both his gun and his coat In the
next minute he had lost lis breath.
In the next his liberty itself was gone,
for those worthless lost no time in tying
and trussing him up as, neatly as
a French chef trusses a capon. AS
he was rudely backed away to where
Margery Golden, equally corded and
tied, already stood, he heard one of
the mon hehind him sneak
did he croak the chief"
NAV, he's still breathin'!"
Then we gotta get him outa here.
Pip, you call taxi. We gotta
get him back To his own 'Malina'. or
therell be hell to pay!"
How about THIS gun boob and the
rib?'
Gag EN- and throw 'em into that
bathroom there! and if youse turn
on the gas by accident, guess it's go
in to save us all not O. troubled"
The Creeping Message.
David Manley, for all the predica-
ment confronting him, tried to school
himself to calmness.
Close beside him, bound and gagged
like himself. he callld feel the inert
body of Margery Golden. He could
see that body still sLaken by its noise
less little sobs of .-asn and exhaustion.
But what moss disturbed him was
the gas jet that Stood out from the
green-papered wSa high above his
head. That had Seen the finishing
touch at the hands sf his enemies. He
could hear the sterdy hiss of the es-
Gaping gas as it Poured out into the
narrow room where he lay. 1t seemed
as venomous as tho hiss Of {. serpent.
And it would net be long, ManrTy
knew, before that sound would sp>l1
Inconsistencies FOR him and for TIRE
girl at his side. So, while his broia
was still clear, he tried to study oft
some method or avenue of escape.
He looked carefully about the room,
point by point II was nothing but a
commonplace bathroom, with a door
OIL one side and z, small window high
up in the wall Of the opposite si6e.
Both window and door were shut ard
locked. At the bottom of the door ,se
could even see the paper which Ind
been wedged in slong the cracks, IT,
shut off the air fy:::sn that little charn-
Der of slowly accommodating death. Be-
side him stood the white enamel wall
of the bathtub.
He found nothing, in that methodic
inventory of his surroundings, to re-
vive the slowly dying embers of hope
He could neither move nor call out
But there was still a wy of sending
a message out to the world.
He worked and floundered about I'M
til he was in sitting position. Then
he worked his way closer to the
enamel bathtub, leaning, painting and
helpless over its edge, for a moment
or two, as a drunken man leans over a
cell cot Then energy again revived
in him. He slowly AID painfully edged
further and further over TITO the bath
tub, like a cut worm rounding a leaf
edge. until with his forehead he was
able to push and bunt the loose drain
plug into its socket. Then, once more
Withdrawing from the bathtub, he d.
rected his attention to the nearer of
the two taps that stood at its head.
He had the use of neither hand nor
foot, to turn that tap. But by the
pressure of his OWE skull against the
furnished brass tap handle he was
finally able to throw the faucet open.
Then he sank YEARLY back to the
floor. for bis head was swimming dr.