The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1916-08-05

mother is?" asked Margery. gathering
up her skirts as she glanced into the
dingy storeroom feebly lighted by It's
one dingy electric bulb.
"I'll be back in a minute, ma am.' the
girl replied. only too glad Of any rea-
sonable excuse for disappearing.
Margery, in the meantime. peered
doubtfully about the somber building
In which she found herself 30 unex-
pectedly visitor. Along one side of
the room In which she stood she could
make out dark masses Of dye wood
piled as high as her head. Beside this
she saw, in the uncertain light, an
open pit filed with water. Into one
side of this pit ran cement-walled
sluiceway, stained almost black, with
watergate set in the upper part OF
its channel. The opening In the far
side of the pit, which was guarded by
heavy iron grill as big as park
gate, led into a high-walled cavern
across which stretched number OF
huge steel drums. Set in these drums
were rows of knife-edged cleavers.
The polished surfaces of these great
blades Of steel shone ominously in the
half-light.
Margery was still staring at the
great drums bristling with cleavers
when with a suddenness that startled
her the electric lights were thrown on
across the roof of the chamber. She
wheeled about quickly to discover the
cause for this. AS she did so, an invol
untary gasp escaped from her lips. Fol-
standing beside the door. with his fin
ger still on the switch, the Iron Claw
himself confronted her.
why are you afraid OF me? he con
fdently purred. For the girl drew
slowly away while he as slowly fol
lowed after her. step by step. Then
with movement that was feline In its
quickness, he flung out an arm and
seized her. Then he turned her DELHI
erately about until she faced the black
walled sluiceway. But the girl shrank
back.
Don't be afraid Of It. my dear" he
Knocked as he led her forcibly. step by
step, to the lip Of the channel through
which the mill water was curling and
eddying. I'm fact. I want you to look
at It closely and understand 1t fully
It's wonderful, wonderful for many
reasons At the end of this sluice, you
see. is log mangle. have seen those
knives shred a six-inch timber In less
than a minutes time"
He turned and stared down at the
white-faced girl, drinking to the full
the dizzy wine OF her terror, wringine
a voluptuous delight out of her word
less cape of horror. Then the look on
his face suddenly altered, and he
wheeled about, still clutching the girl
close to his side. He stood staring al
the door which he had locked but q
minute before. And his face sudden
ly hardened as he saw the heavy Iron
latch of that door move.
Margery. following his glance, also
watched that door. And when she
heard the thump of heavy timber or
its panels new hope sped through
her. That hope equipped her will
fresh strength. It prompted her Il
struggle against the Iron Claw with
the utmost power Of her desperate
young body. But her enemy, for al
her efforts, was too much for her. Foo
by foot he forced her back towards
the open sluiceway. Then, with NUT
tered gasp Of finality and sudden up
| I'D NJ Ia oh hA
the girl headlong into the water.
AS he did so the door burst open
For the heavy-hearted Peggy O'Mara
after slipping guilty away from tn,
sluiceroom where she had left he
quite unsuspecting victim, awakened
for the first time to the full enormit!
OF her offense. AS she stood there II
the darkness, staring back at the darl
mass of the factory walls, the aches o
remorse lay heavy on her young heart
She was standing there, with tear
Of helplessness in her eyes, when
figure stepped up to her. She woult
have fed, incontinently, at the up
proach Of that intruder. But thu
stranger held her with a gently re
straining hand. And as she peered vi
at his face she saw that It was tn,
man In the laughing mask.
"The righting Of wrongs is q part o.
my business in life. Can help your
The girl hesitated.
yes" she finally confessed. with I
burst Of tears. And through her sobi
she brokenly recounted a. much III
she dared Of that nights PROCEEDINGS
But she continued 70 weep s.,
and me- fathse1l - toin' 70 Thu
pen for what I'm tsllln' yOu,- sh'
walled out n her Misery.