Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-07-12

Q 'o't'h " INV w IOiION
We stood in little room, floored
with rottlng boards On one side IL
steep wooden stairway ran up. and be
/ You'd US Was yet another door The
detective hooded y the stairs.
One way out he observed dryly:
but Reich seems 10 have gone
straight on"
He dropped his light upon a bit OF
damp lime lying beside the opposite
door. crossed The room and pushed
The door before him.
We emerged into passage so low
that We walked with a stoop 1t was
lined on either side By little doors moi
over TWO feet high. They were Just
about large enough 10 admit human
body creeping
L seemed almost inconceiyable that
they had been designed as even A TEN.
porarS abode tor human beings.
We crept along 1t. still led by the
prints of shOd feet sometimes now of
Al H.,
times of both.
! heard Mckabe whispering to Dual
snd pfioked my ears to listen.
I've an idea that il they brought
the girl in here they'd stick her into
one III these cribs" declared the de.
tective. 1T would be just about i'm.
possible for any one not wise to the
place 10 get TINS tar in IL il wasn't
Tor the trail we've had We couldn't
have done II iii "a thousand years.
What gets me is how the fellow
who made II ever done ii unless he
followed the marks of the woman and
biotted them With his own. Al that
ne must have had a light.
We'll, all can say is, he had his
nerve. They could grab d man an
croak him like rat down here, an
nobody's ever know. See here. He
was walkln along here He'd quit run
min, We'd better 60 slow"
His whisper died away and the 81
lence came back.
The passage turned at right angles
and ran bota ways We crept to the
end and The trail led down hill. On
the instant the lights in the hands Of
Mckabe and Semi died
l glanced forward and found the
cause
lhere before US, as we crouched
uhoer the low, pressing roof, for The
lIrst time in all our searching, WAS
llSht II shot from one OF the kennel.
IKE dools ana streamed across the
tunnel, striking in an oblong blot on
the opposite wall
II was faint, like the glow of
candle, yet in the gloom of the pas.
sage It struck out distinctly and as
we watched it wayered and paled and
Frightened as though from "A flicker.
ing flame.
we crouched and listened with ey
cry nerve dfawn tense. As we turned
toward the light We had seen that
he footsteps We had followed ran d.
rectiy toward it.
Whether they passed the light beam
'r stopped We did not know. but |
hlnk We all asked ourselves what had
happened in or i'll front of that light.
ID room.
I.l
HAD we come too late after all?
Had the man Reich rushed blinuly
o ms death in this underground bur.
'ow?
rad some one sprung upon him and
Junk u knife into his body?
was he even now perhaps lying
here in the shadows beyond the wan
II light?
ntt mere was nothing to answer.
No sound filled the low walls save our
'"h beating hearts and low breath.
ne. Alter moment of painful wait,
ng Dual began TO move forward. Me.
.abe joined him, and sheldon and |
oilowed. So We came to the light and
enl down to peer inside of the little
DOR,
II was merely a cell with a board
OF and box on which stood a little
lass lamp with a flaming wick, Me.
,aDe thrust in his head and Shoulders
nd orawled through and on the in.
lant he spoke.
Come on in here, quick"
There was suppressed excitement in
ls tone and as quickly as the space
'ould permit We obeyed The room
frightened hey the door TO an or.
mary height, and we rose to find Me.
abe standing beside the cot holding
cmmpled woman's kimono in his
ands. He turned with this TO Shel.
on, shaking II out before him.
DO you know it?' he asked.
Colonel Mac seized It. scanned il for
moment, and nodded slowly.
ITS hers-Lillys,r he made an.
Fer She's been here. They brought
eI down hara Iua 49,.