The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1917-04-05


The very name F'reneau seemed to
madden Trask. He emitted q loud yelp
of hate and derision and left the table.
He moved toward Gloria, but changed
his mind or deferred his purpose and
went mp the stairs, closing the hatch
and fastening 1t above. There was
nothing %reassuring in his last look at
Gloria.
Nell was clearing up the table when
she saw that Gloria was faint with
hunger or terror. She offered Gloria
the remnant Of the supper. Gloria was
glad to get 1t. She ate like another
pauper. She felt that she would need
what strength she would acquire. Her
wits were dancing as she tried to think
out a means of escape. She could not
fight Nell and her father and the big
man, too. She could not overcome
them with force, and she had no weap-
on but her five wits, and they had new
er been trained to such problems.
She was as helpless before them as
she had been when she was a little
ifteen-year-old FLY at Palm Beach and
her g~overness had given her q problem
in algebra (a-b)x(a-b)-? She had
stared at that riddle as she stared at
this one.
Doctor Royce had happened along
then and smiled at the easy task. He
could probably solve this problem, too,
but he was not here. She was alone
and the solution depended solely on
her.
She thought and thought while Nell
cleared the table. She offered to help
Nell and was permitted to aid in the
work. When the last dish was re-
moved to the wash basin Gloria and
Nell took opposite ends of tie coarse
tablecloth. When it was folded twice
the two girls began to bring the two
ends together, as people do who are
folding tablecloths.
Nell stopped short at the proper mo-
ment; Gloria went toward her. The
solution came TO her in a fash. In
stead of putting the two ends of the
tablecloth in Nelfs fingers, she sudden
ly whipped the cloth over her head,
brought 1t down around her elbows
and, after q furious struggle, forced
Nell back into q chair and knotted
the tablecloth corners under the arms.
FShe snatched q pair of dish towels
from the wall and tied Nelrs feet to
the legs of the chair. Nell fought like
a mad woman in a straitjacket, but the
knots held.
Gloria was out of breath, but she
was proud as Punch over her victory.
She stood up painting and exclaimed:
swell 7"
So far so good. But there was still
Trask to settle with, and Jed, also.
She had not tablecloths enough for all
three, and she doubted If she could
hOodwink those giants in the same
way.
Another scheme occurred to her.
She had noticed Nell poking up the fire
In the little stove. Now Nell was
| quieting down and 1t was safe to leave
her.
She ran to the stove, lifted the lid
and set the poker in the red Goals.
1t was a grand idea and she was ire
mendously enthusiastic. But the polk
er was not. 1t was In no hurry what
ever. They say that a watched poker
never CLOVIS. Gloria heard somebody
working at the hatch before the poker
had attained as much blush as q hard
ened sinner feels on his cheek at q lit
tie mistake.
She heard Trask's footsteps. She
could see his feet on the stairway.
She stared at the poker and whis-
pered: Hurry up" The poker was
In no hurry.
Trask paused to call Jed, then he
began to come down the stairway.
Gloria was stupefied to see how much
there was Of him. His face appeared
last Of all and it appalled, her. He
carried q rope in his hand.
Trask did not see Gloria at first.
But he caught sight Of the animated
bolster In the rocking chair and 1t
frightened him. He stared back. But
a mufied shrek came from the depths.
PA! Pal It's me! She did It"
Trask understood that the witch
woman had performed another Of her
| feats and he was sure that he was I'M
| der the voodoo. Then he saw Gloria
| standing by the stove. She looked so
small and so timid that he regained
courage. He roared at Gloria and
moved toward Nell. Gloria cried:
Stand back"