Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1917-08-23


instant the stone was dislodged and,
slipping off the edge of the wall, fell
with all its mighty weight that shook
the ground beneath their feet.
Pausing only for second to get his
the aperture and then sprang through
after her.
Liberty's heart beat rapidly with an
dcipation of escape, for she felt GER
tain when they were once through the
wall the rest would be easy, especially
for one who possessed such courage as
Pedro.
However, as soon as the two prison
ers had crawled through the opening
she realized how badly she was mis-
taken. They had been duped. for they
found themselves in a steel-lined cham
Der which WIS as impregnable as a
fortress and more terrible than the
one they had just left
She was right. The stone had been
loosened by the guards merely as
plant" and while Pedro had been
working to remove it some of them
had been peering through an aperture
in the steel chamber, gloating cruelty
as they looked on.
Liberty, as she gazed about the great
steel wallis.
1--WE no beaten yet, Senorita," said
the slave, whose courage refused to
be shaken in spite of their apparent
defeat
But Liberty was not so certain. The
walls were composed of big steel
plates, riveted together with great
a.
could save them now, or there was not
even a window. The nearest thing to
one was small panel, near the top
of the wall. which was showed aside by
the guards as they stood grinning at
the two prisoners. who were now at
their mercy.
One of these guards pulled a cord
which rang a bell directly over two
Mexicans who were stationed in front
of a furnace which was located under
the steel chamber. Immediately upon
hearing the bell these two began to
throw some of the wood, which was
piled high about them, into the fire.
Liberty, who had now given up in
despair, was standing against the wall.
looking helplessly at the old slave, who
refused to give up hopes, and was
closely scrutinizing the plates and riv-
cts which composed their prison.
Suddenly Liberty drew back from
the wall in terror. MY God, they are
going to burn US alive!" she cried as
she turned to Pedro.
mo, no, Senorita ,'' cried Pedro.
'"They would not do that"
But the girl took him by the arm
and led him over to the wall, where
she had been standing, and placed his
hand against the steel plate. 1t was
quite warm. He held it there for
moment and waited. Gradually 1t
heated. His mistress was right; they
intended to destroy them in this fur
mace! For some time they both stood
in silence as they pictured the awful
death which awaited them. Liberty
turned an agonfzing appeal to Pedro
and he, realizing there was nothing he
could do, looked down into her beauti-
full countenance with all the misery in
his heart depicted in his rough face.
He knew now that they had been
tricked, and he glared with the great
est hatred that ever filled a mans soul
at the wicked face of the Mexican, who
looked down on them from the little
opening with evil in his eyes.
At that moment the guard moved to
a windlasS, which was situated in
small room directly across from the
steel chamber and began turning it.
Instantly the walls of the chamber be-
gan moving in. AS the two prisoners
noticed this, Liberty became stricken
with terror and, falling on her knees.
began to pray.
The walls moved rapidly together,
and 1T seemed as though Liberty and
Pedro would be crushed to pieces the
next instant. The walls were so close
that Pedro could brace his feet against
one wall and his back against the
other, which, of course. pitted his
strength against the man at the wind
lass. The slave knew this was his only
chance of saving Liberty and himself
and even then he was not certain how
long he could keep this position. Even
as he wondered he heard one of the
to assist the man at the windlass; but
Pedro did not fear them and he braced
against the walls, forming a
human wedge between the plates of
steel which threatened at any moment
to smash him into powder. and as he
did this Liberty stood trembling. for
she realized her life was hanging by a
single thread and If Pedro weakened
one degree it meant certain death for
both of them.
But Pedro didn't weaken. and by
every muscle he held the
walls apart The men at the windlass
old Sfr 70