The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1916-03-17

up, and, clinging to the edge of the
hole, brought my eyes to level with
the rent in the paper. The vista was
not wide one and / dare not enlarge
the space, yet saw sufficient to yield
me full knowledge of the party and
its occasion. The floor was crowded
the men almost without exception in
Federal uniform.
The couples whirled past, circling
the room. | watched the faces ca,
gerly, but they were all strange. No
doubt some of those young women
had known as girls, but they had
grown out of my recollection None
among the officers present so far as
! could tell. had l ever come in con-
: tact witn-ah! yes! there was Whit
lock sitting disconsolately alone below
the judges bench. | chung to my
perch determining to assure myself.
but my eyes encountered no other
familiar countenance. Of course No
reen would not attend, but there must
be some special cause to account for
Raymond's absence. He was the sort
to whom such an occasion as this
would naturally appeal.
Satisfied by my scrutiny, | explored
the opposite wall in vain for any SINH
lar opening. AS | remembered there
were offices there, where in days of
peace the county officers held sway.
and the floor above was an unfur
nished attic. extending the full length
of the building, having a low, unceiled
roof. In the old days it had been
used for storage purposes, and there
was a narrow stairway leading down
| into the sheriff's office. Ay! and there
was a continuance there once in which
| they used to burn waste papers. | re-
membered a certain house cleaning in
which | assisted, and was assigned to
the job of stirring the papers fire.
| quently with an iron poker. | thought
| it fun, and the chimney funnel was
a big one. Possibly it was there still,
but could l succeed in getting up that
far? The light shining through the
broken paper permitted faint glimpse
of my immediate surroundings, yet re-
vealed little to encourage me. The
chimney was barely large enough to
admit the upward passage of my body.
and was black mystery. However,
the irregularity of the stones promised
finger and foot hold. 1t offered
chance, a hope-and l could ask no
more
| was climbing before the music
ceased. clinging desperately to every
slight projection. and bracing myself
against the walls. Progress was slow.
and occasionally painful; the con-
tracted space gave me feeling of suf
location, and / dislodged enough SCOT
so | was compelled to struggle con-
stantly to refrain from coughing My
only relief was to bind a handkerchief
across mouth and nostrils.
While the music remained silent,
rested. fearful lest my struggles would
be overheard, taking such meager
comfort as | could. The first blare
of the horns started me off once more.
careless in the midst of so much noise |
as to whether | ratified the loosened |
plaster. or even dislodged an ill !
secured stone. But at the best the |
passage was made by inches, and !
took more than one desperate chance
of slipping; twice | chung GREATNESS
as the music ceased, but the secord
time | felt convinced ! had attained
to the level of the upper floor
With the next burst of melody from
below, now somewhat mellowed by
distance and the intervening walls, I
made another attempt to ascend but
had scarcely attained more than a
foot or two when my right hand
plunged into wide opening Clinging
as best | could to a precarious foot
ing. | ran my arm deeper in until !
came in contact with tin covering.
which fell rather noisily to the floor.
paused, startled at the sound, but no
CLEAN of light came through the open
ing. and instantly realized that the
attic was unoccupied. The rattle of
the tin would. in all proba bility. Gre
ate no alarm because of the din be-
low.
| knew now exactly where | was. the
only immediate problem being my
ability to squeeze through that mar
row space. The old-time burner had
evidently been removed | wriggled
my way in head first My knees
we're doubled up in the chimney, and
ny feet found solid purchase against
he stones. felt as though the very
skin was being peeled off me. but |
hot forward, my head and shoulders ,
into the open. Heavens ,
What relief! / drew long breath, :
laughing over the floor, unable to !,
each any support; then kicked and !
truggled until fell out headlong, and {
ay too exhausted even to move
1t was SO still | could plainly hear +
be swift beating of my heart. and so c
ark that not an object was discern t
Die. The music below had ceased. f
nd, as ! was now on the opposite y
ide of the building the sound of con- s
ersation and movement did not reach d
lie. For a long moment lay there I
ndeavoring to recall the surround
lgs, but dare not waste much time
! such idleness. The night was slip
Ing aWav and ovorv jnGropf 0oinod a..