Catoctin clarion., 1918-01-31
NO. 47

At signal from the latter his assO-
ciate seized Dare by the arms and
backed him to the wall Delbridge
picked up the books Dare had dropped
when assailed.
"Well see to 1t that these telltale
documents don't see the light again."
he chuckled. Then he turned upon the
affrighted Verda. 1--WE mean business"
he said cOOlly, 'but you're not going to
be harmed. Your friends have tried to
blacken my reputation and you've got
to pay for it."
"What do you mean?" breathed Yer.
da in tremulous tone.
II mean that I'm going to leave these
parts and propose that 70, finance me
for the Journey" bluntly responded the
villain. "You have plenty of money.
You will give me an order or check
for five thousand dollars. I'll send one
Of my men to get 1t cashed. When he
does, you shall 60 free"
"Yes, yes" assented Verda readily,
"only do not mistreat Mr.. Dare!"
The latter was struggling to release
himself and his two captors were treat
Ing him roughly.
''DO not give these scoundrels cent,
Miss Bliss!" shouted Dare. and made
a desperate effort to break away from
them.
"Here!" cried Delbridge, sliding back
q door at one side of the little room.
"Give him the benefit of solitude and
darkness till we finish our negotiations
with the young lady,"
Verda screamed in outright terror as
the two men gave Dare fling into
dark space and Delbridge drew close
the door again. Dare felt himself fall
ing. He swung out both hands. One
grazed chain, there was sharp
click. The chain slipped through his
fingers and he went downward several
feet and landed on a mass resembling
bank of shifting sand.
In a flash he guessed where he was
in one Of those sealed compartments
where grain was stored. The close
musty air was sitting He had
sunk up to the knees in the mass of
oats. Like lllitll III Qui'NNal"
his body began to sink deeper and
deeper. He tried to anchor himself
steany. The feat could not be accom-
plished. Then he noted with thrill
of concern that the mass was moving
and that he was moving with it,
The grain was going down the dis.
charge chute he decided.
The chain he had grazed must be
the one controlling the door to the
chute down which ordinarily grain was
loaded into the holds of boats taking In
cargo. Twice the mass nearly en-.
quilted him. With a prodigious effort
Dare drew his feet out of the gyrat-
ing mass and managed to lay flat on
his back. At the rate of hundreds of
bushels minute the grain was pour
ing into the mouth of the chute. He
was tossed, rolled, engulfed, east up.
wards like feather amid tumbling,
rushing sea drift. Gradually the vor.
tex current lowered, he aimed to strike
the side of the great bin with his feet,
missed, and was whrled into the con.
fined space of the glaSS-smOoth sides
of the chute.
SPLASH He had reached the end of
the chute to fall not into the hold of
some boat, but squarely into the river.
He came up to find himself In the
midst of flood of thousands of bush.
els of floating grain.
"Ahoy, there I" rang out boisterous
tone from the dock, and a rope was
flung him by one Of a throng wonder.
ingly viewing the strange waste OF
precious grain. Dare was pulled up
to the wharf platform, half blinded.
choking well-nigh collapsing.
"Quick" he gasped-"some one hur-
ry for the police"
"What's up?" challenged his rescuer.
"Some scoundrels-they tried to kill
me. They are holding young lady
captive up in the elevator office"
Contrary to their designs, the schem.
ing Delbridge and his confederates
were led out Of the building hand
cuffed by the emissaries of the law.
Miss Bliss clung to Dare's arm in few
erish, almost hysterical agitation.
She shuddered as Dare recited his
uncanny experience. She was soicitous
and kindly, more than friendly, as they
proceeded back to the lawyers office.
Wise, observant Samuel Crompton
smiled quietly to himself as he heard
what had happened.
"My client will soon have husband
to look after her affairs" he solilo-
quized. ... 4.
And he was right. =!