Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-08-26
SIN 10 stiiae, II Vas eight
In IA minute now"

In minute now"
The thought flashed in my brain In
one minute, il Connel had been as he
said "on the job, he would strike for
the freedom OF Lucille and his man Nc.
kabe.
In one minute, sixty seconds
Dual paused before me, SO that !
trod well nigh on his heels.
| loohed ~ to find That we stood
before the dingy front OF Il shall shop.
In an instant ii was familiar a. the
one through which we had led Lily
LAYTON and Annie and Reich the night
before.
Back of its giimy windows dim cleo
tries cast a reddish-yellow light about
a squaid interior OF wooden counter
and halifilled shelves, where sat one
or TWO denizens OF The quarter, holl.
ing long bamboo pipes and smoking in
u passive sort OF enjoyment
So much saw and then Dual turned
TO the great man who followed behind
me and spoke quickly in the native
tongue.
In response he advanced passed to
the front and sci his hand on the latch
of the door swinging it before him and
stepping inside.
Dual and | followed. In a moment
we were in the shop.
The same little keeper of the place,
who had shown such palpable fear and
surprise at our advent Of the night be
fore, showed before me.
Like his fellows, he glanced up as
We entered. and began to chatter in
what seemed question to me.
For the first time in my presence
the grim-faced giant opened his mouth
and spoke. He snapped forth his
words in a torrent OF deep-toned
phrases, seemingly addressing the se,
eral occupants of the place in collee-
tive fashion.
AT the end OF his speech he waved
his arm in gesture which seemed to
clear the room. They rose from before
him those stolidfaced sons OF the
East, and skunk out OF the door, all
save the little keeper of the shop, who
sianoed here and there in furtipa
manner, while his companion scat,
tered away
OF course, | understood no word OF
what the hawk.eyed man had said,
but even without could see that they
seemed to have carried terror to all
those present.
/ glanced from the little shop-man,
whose face showed fear and sort OF
desperate determination, to the man
who faced him. and surprised on his
hin-lipped mouth sort OF awful
smile.
Again he waved an arm; this time
toward the door at the rear OF the
room which led back to the entrance
TO the tunnel, as | knew.
/ Very slowly and as one driven by
superior force the proprietor OF the
shop sided along back of his counter
before the others advance.
| So We reached the rear OF the room
and passed through its door to another
apartment behind 1t.
And first of us all walked the keep.
er Of the shop.
He seemed cowed overawed, but he
was still not without sort of cor
nered courage, such as the weak
things show at times in unacceptable
places.
OF a sudden, and before had
dreamed of the action, he sprang for
ward. cried out in shrill sort OF
scream and threw himself toward
second door hey us.
As | followed that mad leap my
eyes distinctly saw an electric button
set into the frame of the door.
saw 1t and found my gaze fastened
upon it az a target toward which the
little man had launched himself in
wild chance of sounding an alarm.
But he never reached it,
Have you ever seen hawk strike a
running rabbit have, and to this
day always liken that scene to the
other which TRANSFERRED now.
AS the little figure hurled itself for.
ward the man with the hawk eyes
acted, as quickly even as the hawk It.
self sweeps down.
He lunged from his position at the
others heels His great arm with Its
long talon.like nails reached out its
fingers spreading like the claws OF the
bird itself.
They spread out and closed with Il
srasping, prehensile motion, and -
they closed on the throat OF the man
who leaped before.
The little man screamed again -
screamed as the rabbit cries out when
the hawks claws pierce i. .------