The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-04-02

aired e.aa room. ho sHw. was lighted
by large glass lamp GA an empty
packing race. although he could plain
san "a rusty gas bracket close be-
ss1e the door. The camentsd walls
Of tho chamber itself were clammy
wtth moisture. as wera ths bricks
that showed through thu broken ce-
men{ or the floor where no lay Even
Tire iron grin ih the tranaom above
thh narrow door was red with rust
The HweatIHR walls and the heavi-
noses 1f the air. together with tbs
autIquated force pump which he
caught sight Of Ia the lowest corner
OK thn room tended to persuade him
that he was we'll below the water
line of the East River This eonvic-
ton did not add 20 his comfort Of
mind. any more than did the dlscov-
Urv Of three afurdy-l0oklng cases
piled ln a low gaulted gallery ai,l A.
ing off the farthest wall since no
could make out, even Ia that IN
certain light, the stenciied Inscription
of Tho Dnmoud Powder Company
ON ane q the boxes.
What frstted Manley most, now
ever. was his lack OF freedom. And
this brought his thoughts back - his
own aching limbs and the cotton
thongs 30 pain fully constructing them
Then. rolling little over on his side
be studied infinitely the rough brick
flooring IN which he lay After this
Inspection he wormed his way caro-
fully from side 70 side, lying face
down and trying each row OF exposed
bricks with his shoe toe, In the hope
ut finding one OF them loose.
He had deliberately tested eleven
rows before he found any reason for
hope In this direction A chill OF
excitement ran through his lIred
body Ia fact. as he discovered one
brick which seemed less securely
embedded tn cement thrn were ita
fellows He worked at Il patiently,
iaborlousiy. kicking away small r&r-
ticles Of plaster humping e with
his boot heel. prying at il with his
sole until Ia rocked free tn its row.
Then came tho even sterner task Of
shifting h from IT'S place, This he
did by turning about and lying close
10 it. on bis side so that the fingers
Of his dignity Imprisoned hand might
come in contact wEth It's edges Time
after time it felI back. but M tho end
he 5rjumphed
Yet 1T was not this unearthad brick
which Interested hlm. His attention
was directed toward the roush-edEed
paraIleiogram where that brick bad
originally rested. for tine corners OF
this opening he soon realized. pro
yided him with saw edge which
might serve 20 abrado and cur
fhe..gfgvL aRasgRa.4 ~ sss,yFF.n coma
But the consolation OF this hope did
not stay with him long Tor. even
as ne started 81 work. his movements
we're interrupted by tho sound OF
key ia the heavy iron lock On the
door that shut him In. He rolled
over quickly. twisting about 50 that
his apparently inert body covered
both the luuaaned brick and the spot
from wb4A it had been taken tAe
continued TO he there AS though In a
sleap Of exhaustion. for his yelled
eyes had already caught sight OF the
two heavy featured rufGlans adyanc-
ing into the room. lie could even
smell a rye-iaden breath as the
smaller If this two men leaned over
him
Let the poor boob sleep, warned
the larger man. tn q husky whisper
hes goln TO cash in before morn
luI~
The rye-laden breath was with
drawn
~But I'm sick % markin time down
ia this rat hole Way can't Legar
eeg back here where he belongs and
do his 0wa stIch-up Work3
a e. ia