The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1916-09-01

She Was Helpless in the Strong
Grasp Of Her Rugged captors.
helpless prisoner. She had seen Lund
disappear from sight. but had no way
OF finding out what had actually be-
come OF him.
Although the edge Of the open trap
was only a few feet away, her brain
palsied by the s~uddenness Of the bar
rowing experience could not devise q
plan that. in her h~elplessness, she
could even hope to execute.
And as she crouched there In tho
corner she gradually began to realize
that q new danger was at hand.
Through q door that had been opened
by some Unseen force, there appeared
in stealthy, catlike procession. four
lions-perhaps the very n that had
menaced the life Of herself and young
Lund a few hours before.
The hateful face OF the Hindoo
leered at her from the top OF the
stairs. He watched her struggles to
free her bonds. He saw the lions
stealthily enter the room and then
with a jeering laugh he called out to
her:
You'll be quite safe there, y,ang
lady," and he was gone.
Chockro assembled his gang in front
of the building. They were greatly
unnerved by their experience, and
were about ready to desert, but the
Hindoo renewed tkeir courage by
passing to each one of them q bulky
roll of bills.
Don't weaken" said Chockro. "Tou
will be well paid for what you d..
am now going back to report at lead
quarters the progress we have made.
With the girl bound tightly as she is
and practically fed to the lions, 1t
looks to me as though we would soon
collect.
I'll play fair with you. boys" the
HindOO continued. and we will all
have enough money to keep us the
rest Of our lives. when this Job il we'll
done. You men stay here for a while
and watch, then meet me this after
noon at the show grounds. Today's
town is not far from here. and you
have plenty OF time to get there. I'm
going back and report"
And Chockro started off to walk
back to the littlo station by tho lum-
Der yard where he hoped to loon catch
a train. His three hired thugs dis
onnnopod hohfn1 thu hn1,Co ond tn all
outward appearance the s%torehousc of
the East India Animal company a
deserted.
The terror-stricken girl, crouching
in the corne OF the cellar. found some
relief in believing that Chockro had
gone. Although she knew not why
there seemed some faint hope when
her human enemies had removed chem
selves from the scene.
Although she was; alone and round
helpless, at the mercy Of the wild
beasts, she resigned herself to fate
with a greater satisfaction, believing
the hated Hindoo and his gang were
not there to taunt her.
Through the open rapdoor she
could family hear young Lund splash
ing In the waters below.
The lions sneaking slowly arouni the
room, close to the wall. had thuo far
seemed to pay little attention to the
poor girl az she crouched in tho cor
. The moments that seemed %
hours to the helpless circus girl
dragged slowly along.
Only an occasional shout from young
Lund and the faint splashing Of his
arms and legs IN the water brokS the
silence. Peg crouched - far into the
corner as she could.
She fixed her frightened eyes ntar.
ingly upon the foremost Of tho lions
a. they skunk along the wall. crouch
ing close to the door and steadily
moylng are
She watched them intently, ~ 1hsy
seemed to return bsr frightened taso
with eyes that glinted dondlghfy:
nearer they crept toward tho tesri0ea
girl-and then oil was darkness be6oro
tr,sn or rpraonn THnn1