The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1917-06-02
Stumbled Out Into the Underground
Passage.

noises. to boot-aS though the intruderS
were moving furniture about. Then all
sounds ceased.
OF a sudden. simultaneously, Patria
and Parr turned startled faces toward
the vault door.
Round its edges thin wells of smoke
were secping into the chamber.
They have fired the house"
The strained. frightened whisper was
Patria'S. Mechanically Parr nodded.
Already the atmosphere in the vault
was oppressive-so impregnated with
smoke it WAS difficult to breathe, 50
warm that perSpiration beaded brOwS
and hands. =.
Another five minutes: he heard Il lit
tie choking cough. and turned to Pat
ria. She was on her feet, SWaying,
eyes blank, hands plucking feebly at
the throat of her waist. As she turned,
the light died out from her face and
she slipped slackly forward upon the
table.
Half-maGdCnCd, Parr put a shoulder
with his weight behind it against the
vault door. 1t swung QUITO admit a
sitting cloud of bitter smoke together
with Il blast of heated air that might
| have come from furnaces NAV.
Tu"ging the door shut again. he
turned and began rapidly to circle the
walls. hoping against hope TO discover
somewhere another exit.
I In his haste he tripped over til"
! broken box of coin aud fell against the
framed portrait of the first John Chan
ming. Its aged cord parted and the
portrait fell with crash. exposing tn
inner face of q stout door 0f steel
Plucking Practically ut it, bars ana
bolts, Parr succeeded in disiodsip'
then. Tie door swung out. A gust OF
damp. cold air invaded the vault. Be
yond the opening little was visible
shiny brick flooring between arched
walls of brick fading into blackneSs-
nothing more.
Stepping back, Parr gathered the in
sensible girl UP in his arms and STUN
bled out into the underground passage
Once beyond the threshold he put his
back against the door ana swung II
Into place. Then he Numbered Blind!
Oh.
TweAty PAGES through inky murk
He studied his toes against ;
step, and gently putting down his bur
den, found and struck match.
TIE brief-lived flame discovered ;
short fight of stone steps ascending T.
fiat roof. At the top was 10 sign o
any doorway or fastening. Yet som'
way CT escape must be there! He raj
Up the steps, crouched on the top
most. placed his shoulders against tina
flat roof Of stone, ana hcaved mightl.
and heaved and heaved. b.
Grudgingly half-inch by half-incl
the stone yielded; then more rapidly
: IL the end one tremendous final effCr
overturned it, and Parr SPRAYED GU
Of the opening into fresh air and morn
: ing sunlight.
lie picked himself up to realize
walled garden in the rear of the res
, dcnCe whose every window spOute
, smoke and fame. Then he hurri"
, back to patria, took her once again i
To- his arms, ana bore her To the uppe
world.
, She recovered swiftly. Two mi.
utcs more, and they stood in a quit
news on the far side of the vale
, garden. And there. for Il little, the
: heitatcd-Patria turning inslinctivel
: to Parr for counsel, Parr strugglin
f to regain his poise.
, At length, consulting his watch, Il
;. announced:
= The first thing 10 do, Of course, is
+ see about safeguarding that treasur
r It's safe enough for the time being
, and l know where to find the rigl
:. men to stand guard over it after ii
{ frcmen and police have gone. Late
e wen see about transferring it-bJ
i there's plenty of time for that no ban
r opens it's vaults before ten o'clock.
@ She nodded assent, and tucked COZ
g fident arm within his as they tsrne
+ toward the nearer corner.
(END OF SECOND EPISODE.)
!. futile work, serving no purpose, az