The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1916-12-30

You're all right, lady" he pro-
claimed. And I'll be there, wit bells
on, as soon as you take the count.
But Margery was already stealing
along the shadOwy roadside to the
spot where she had seen Legar creep
in through the bushes. She followed
as best she could, found herself face
to face with a tunnel-opening that
showed itself dimly in the moonlight
and after moments hesitation
stopped low and Crept into this tunnel
feeling her way cautiously along the
smooth brickwork of its walls. She
came to a turn. buttressed with heaV-
Ter masonry, and padded along this
wall until her cropping fingers came IN
contact with a light switch. THIS, al
ter a moments thought, she turned on.
The next moment a number of bulbs
along the corridor roof above her flow
cred into light.
Staring ahead of her, she saw that
the corridor ended in nothing but a
blank wall. But as she stared lntently
at the wall she detected in one side OF
il a partially concealed electric but
ton. She moved toward this cautious
". for she had learned of old to be
wary of approach to any of Legar
Businesses. Then, as she advanced
she came to a sudden stop. For she
| saw on the flagstone upon which she
was about to step a small cross. There
!
| able in its companions, about TINS
! quadrangle so suspiCiOusly marked by
! it's cross. So she stepped carefully
over the suspected area, crept forward
to the button, and touched it with
| tentative fingertip.
The next moment a remarkable
! thing happened. A section OF the
heavy masonry shutting off the END
| of the corridor, at that touch. swung
silently about on its axis, leaving an
aperture wide enough for human
body to pass through. The girl, hold
ing her breath, stepped through the
ponderous masonry. Then sudden
pang Of fear took possession of her,
for she noticed that the moment her
left hand left the revolving stone 1t
swung back into place, shutting OF all
retreat. But she breathed again when
she found a wrought-iron handle set in
the back of the stone and discovered
by actual experiment that it could be
swung into place without difficulty by
anyone inside the chamber where she
stood.
This chamber. she saw. was empty.
except for two mysterious strands of
iron chain that ran from ceiling to
floor. close against the wall, while
against the other stood a deal table
and a camp couch across which lay a
couple of very dirty blankets. But
along the floor at the far end of the
room her quick eye detected a thin
pencil of light So she tiptoed quietly
forward until she stood close to the
door above this illuminated crevice
Then she stopped lower, listening in
tently. for the sound of muffled voices
came to her from the room within.
81 tell you we can't afford to fail II
, this move" she heard the voice o.
Legar himself announce. The things
: got to be settled, and settled before
+ morning."
} But how" asked one Of his fol
r lowers.
r with two pounds of guncotton ant
( a time fuse" was Legar's reply.
y "In the O'Mara cottage?' asked an
4 other voice.
/ Yes; | want that cottage wiped OF
9 the face of the earth, and the famil,
!. with it, And l want it done befor
morning!"
;. Margery listened, oblivious Of tn
t passing of time, as the conspirator
4 behind the closed door continued t
v debate on their plan of action. The
s she started, even as much as they die
when the sudden buzzing Of an ele'
8 trio annunciator warned that inter
group of ar intruder's approach.
9 1t was then and only then that tn
e girl remembered her parting messag
t. to the taxicab driver. But she had II
time to intercept that driver, for a
n ready she could hear the sound {
IS steps crossing the stone floor OF tn
inner chamber All that was left h'
e. to do was to dart over to the camp CO
IT drop down on the stone floor beside
and then roll deity in behind Il
=" soiled blankets draped untidily alor
n its side.
" The next moment Legar and
men were in the outer chamber. WIFI
e. one of the men crept to secret OF
1t look crevice in the farther wall L
Or gar himself stepped to one of the co
o. troll chains which ran from floor
III ceiling on the other side of the roo
err and by pulling one of these start
a into action some mysterious meo
e, anism which the watching girl cou
II, not quite comprehend. She Sc
d them run back to the inner roc
lg and stand waiting while Leg
is. manipulated still another seer
ed spring which threw open a hidd
a door in the back wall of that roo
,e- And that door, she surmised. led
IL. some unknown passage to the out
10 world.
But Margery did not give mu
thought to this, for there came to
In as she regained her feet the repeat
GU cry of a human being, a cry hus
with terror She ran to the pivot de
ut In the masonry, swung 1t back, q
IA tbere beheld a sight which made