Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1918-12-19

also. He whispered to the man OF the
tongs, who. in turn, addressed his
captive briefly.
At the end he showed him up to the
door, and then sank slowly behind
him, using his body as a blind. In
the faint glow of the distant light he
was no more than shadowy outline.
He muttered hoarsely. The hand
of our guide went up and rang the
bell, paused, and rang again.
The light from the peephole fell on
his face. saw it livid and drawn
with double fear. He was caught
between two fates, as he saw it, with
small escape from either.
Yet he dared the one in the near
future to be spared the present men,
ace of the man who had driven him
here.
The light in the peephole died.
seeking identification of the one who
rang.
Evidently they could not see dis
tinctly in the absence of light in the
tunnel. There was click as of some
thing falling into socket, and some
one spoke abruptly.
l sensed that the glass had been
turned back. and left space for voice.
The man we had captured hissed
sharply. as against his volition. l
knew that once more the claw-like
hand was biting into his flesh. He
spoke quickly Immediately after.
The voice from the inside answered.
Again the glass clicked into place, and
light streamed through it.
Then, while listened to my pulses
hammering loudly, while | strained
forward waiting, / saw the steel door
move slightly and swing partly ajar.
"Now" barked Dual.
We three hurled ourselves against
it, the shopkeeper showed before us
and adding his weight to ours.
For second a surprised resistance
met us. and then the door yielded.
We plunged into room brilliant
with the soft light of modern cleo
tries; the same room which Miss
Foote has described.
/ saw it's equipment of office fix
lures in the first glance of entry, and
then my eyes flashed to the occupants
of that strange underground place of
business. '..
In a way 1t was strangely in keep
ing with the business transacted, that
it was done underground, away from
the light of day.
A smothered oath struck my ears,
and whirled.
Halfway between large desk in
the center of the room and the door,
at place where our inward rush had
hurled him, man with reddish-brown
hair and mustache, and full red lips,
was glaring upon us.
l threw down my hand, holding
the automatic, and waved him back
ward from our front.
My eyes followed his movements.
Dimly, as we entered, l had heard
a woman scream. AS my man re-
treated before the menace of my
weapon l saw two women.
Zone was Greek Annie. She was
sitting in a chair and staring with un-
believing eyes full into my own.
Back of her was Reich, who had
leaped to his feet.
From him my eyes turned to man
- tall, thin with hair brushed back
from his forehead, and narrow, deep.
set eyes.
He sat at the desk itself, or had
been sitting. Now he had half risen
aud was leaning forward, his hands
gripping the edge of the desks top, as
he viewed sOur unexpected arrival.
In the brilliant light his eyes glowed
and glistened with what seemed sort
OF catlike sheen to me-a sort OF
greenish yellow, as though they might
be slightly phosphorescent in the dark.
1 But 1t was the second woman who
made me fairly gasp. have never
seen anything like her.
II may as well describe her as gor-
geous rose in vase of gold. Even in
that moment it was the thought which
came 10 me.
b. She was dark-one of those clear
skinned brunettes one sometimes finds
WIN ShIuS Ike pdle Wah. AAci ""ii
was black, and into its dusky masses
were thrust on each side in front of
the ears the fresh flowers of two
crimson peon.cs.
Her eyes were dark, and darkened
underneath until they looked like
pools OF midnight blacl,ness. Her skin,
as l have said, was waxen; but her
cheeks and lips were rouged until
they made whirls and red slit OF
crimson in the mask of white.
She lay back in great padded chair
of crimson, and she had not moved at
our entrance save to tura her eyes;
yet every line of her supple body was
tense.
And she was dressed in gold. Her
entire dress, which fitted her like the
sheath OF flower, was of some gold.
Ell fabric. which glinted and flashed
with a thousand tiny points of brill.
lance under the lights.
lie