The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1917-01-19

she saw that Gloria was faint with
hunger or terror She offered Gloria
the remnant of the supper. Gloria was
glad to get it. 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
fifteen-year-old filly at Palm Beach and
her governess had given her a 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 the 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 flash. In
stead of putting the two ends of the
tablecloth in Nell's fingers, she sudden
Iy whipped the cloth over her head,
brought it down around her elbows
Nell back into a chair and knOtted
the tablecloth corners under the arms.
She snatched a pair of dish towels
from the wall and tied Nell's feet to
the legs of the chair. Nell fought like
a mad woman in 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:
'Well e
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
N the little stove. Now Nell was
Iuieting down and it was safe to leave
Ter.
She ran to the stove, lifted the lid |
and set the poker in the red Goals.
t was grand idea and she was ire
enthusiastic. But the polk
n was not. 1t was in no hurry what
,ver. They say that watched poker
lever CLOVIS. Gloria heard somebody
working at the hatch before the poker
lad attained as much blush as hard
med sinner feels on his cheek at lit
lie mistake.
She heard Trask's footsteps. She
ould see his feet on the stairway.
'he stared at the poker and whis-
erred: Hurry up" The poker was
4 no hurry.
Trask paused to call Jed, then he
egan to come down the stairway.
Iloria was stupefed to see how much
here was of him. His face appeared
ist of all and it appalled, her. He
arried a rope in his hand.
Trask did not see Gloria at first.
Tut he caught sight of the animated
olster in the rocking chair and it
'ightened him. He stared back. But
muffled shrek came from the depths.
Pal Pa It's me! She did it !"
Trask understood that the Witch ,
oman had performed another of her
eats and he was sure that he was I'M {
ar the voodoo. Then he saw Gloria