Charlevoix county herald., 1918-10-04

sheldon. Wait. Don't try to run
in the dark"
McKabe and joined the others and
we bent to examine the floor. heard
Sheldon breathing as one under the
grip of an overwhelming emotion.
McKabe's flash showed the foot
prints of a man and what seemed like
two women running off along the
passage beyond the beam Of light from
the door. We rose and ran in the
direction they pointed.
Again we came to a blind end and
a low arch in foundation wall. With
out a word we crawled through and
rose and ran on up a slanting floor
which seemed to lead back the way We
had come.
1t came over me now that we must
be getting close. 1t seemed that they
must have left the room behind us in
a hurry, not to have put out the light.
That would mean that perhaps they
had even heard our advance and
slipped out just before we turned the
last corner beyond the room.
Yet why, asked, should Reich have
gone along as he seemed to have done
and the thought came that perhaps he
had compelled Greek Annie to lead
him out some shorter way than the
hack tyack would have been.
We came to yet another lighted
room far larger than any of the others
we had seen. AS we ran past caught
a glimpse of its interior through the
half-opened door.
1t was furnished, and well fur
nished at that. 1t looked like COM
Portable apartment. / wondered at it
and ran on.
Another angle led us off at a slant,
continued for perhaps fifty feet, and
divided again.
McKabe bent to follow the prints
with his light, and heard him grunt
and speak quickly to Dual.
zone Of the women went up here"
he said, pointing with his torch, "and
'he man turned off up this way" He
dropped the light on the larger tracks
Enich led into the other passage.
Sheldon swore.
They're wise to us, an they're try
IN to fool u.s." he growled and quite
without warning cried out loudly:
Lilly! oh, Lilly! It's Colonel Mac.
Honey, Leetle gall"
His voice woke the echoes of the
place and rang weirdly through the
passage.
McKabe Strengthened and whirleo
upon him.
"Quit it," he rasped, and stiffened
into surprised attention.
Muffled, choked, distorted yet clear.
ly perceptible to our ears, woman's
voice had screamed.
Its shrill appeal rang thin and eery
in the darkness, thrilled us once and
died in a gurgle, and it seemed to me
that there came the sounds of a scuf-
file somewhere beyond us.
McKabe leaped into the passage
marked by the large track and ran
forward.
We followed with what speed we
could gather in the dark.
Lilly" cried Sheldon again as we
ran. Lilly! Reich! We're comm!
Wait!
Quite abruptly a voice spoke out Of
the gloom before us.
THAT you, Sheldon?"
THANK Cod" gasped the colonel,
even before he answered. Sure,
Homer! Where are you, you darned
lucky fool?"
Here" answered Reich. stop
where you are. can see your light"
We paused and waited. Duaps and
McKabe's flashes came up and pointed
in the direction of the voice. They met
and focused beyond us in blot like
the spot of a theatres light and into
their beam stepped the figure Of Reich
half supporting a woman who leaned
ON his arm.
Lilly! Thank God!" whispered
Sheldon hoarsely at my elbow.
1t was gripping tableau. The
slender, tawny youth, his hat gone, his
fair hair awry, his pale face, with
wide eyes blinking in the brilliant
light, and the girl, brown-haired,
sweet-faced yet haggard, clinging to
him for support and protection.
felt my own heart swell and throb
with emotion and thanksgiving as /
gazed upon them in that night-soaked
passage where we stood.
Homer advanced and joined us
while the light played upon him.
"Why didn't you call sooner?" he
questioned. We've been running
away for the last fifteen minutes and
then Annie gave us the slip back
there"
Never mind. We've met up now"
said Sheldon. "Oh, Lilly girl, I'm
sure glad to see you. We all been
most crazy about you, honey. How
air We, anyway"
"All right" murmured the girl.
'Oh, it was good of you to come to
hunt me- Homer has told me all about
1t. I'm so glad"
"Just how did you get into this
dump?" he asked.
Reich grinned as the detective
turned the light once more on his