Gunnison news-champion., 1919-08-22
Help Wanted
Byf. n AI0RRoo0

=
Z to find the Help wanted- column
| The narrow street was on was de
serted. a lonely locality given over TO
warehouse structures Ny eyes were
I fiIed upon the paper. my mind ah-
sorbei with the hope Of finding work.
I minded not my feet Suddenly. AZ
I they rested on one side Of a large coal
cover. IL tipped A. niftily as might
I a Hump,y Dumpty harlequin disap-
[ pcar through a stage trap. straight
I down went
The giInts Of light where the cover
I fitted in showed that ! must have
dropped fully fifteen feet. I struggled
TO my feet. fared a match and sur
vcyed my surroundings
Ny means If entrance was not TO be
reached. was In n grewsome prison
FEELING my way across stonehagged
space. I came up against closed door.
This yielded TO my touch. Just be-
yond n stairway began ! assembled IL.
Another door. another stairway and
yet another. and found myself In
corridor. ! groped along until II
turned: then a CLINT OF light II pro
eeetled from n -oom the inside door
Of which was slightly sjar. Its out
side door aroused a sense of mystery.
for Il was composed Of heavy iron
bars.
stumbled slightly. A slight cry
fell upon my ear. Glancing into the
room beyond lighted by hanging
iamp: and comfortably. almost luxuri-
ously furnished. my eyes rested upon
a beautiful young girl. who gllded to
the door and scspDed me closely.
"A strnnger" she uttered with In
tens. excitement OF manner. Quick!
Take this letter. See that II is mailed,
ami will bless you for the rest OF
my life"
The strangeness Of the presentation.
my unusual environment. the feryent
appeal OF the girl, n sense Of having
ini-uded upon guarded and forbidden
ground held me speechless-
"Oh. do not deny mel" pleaded the
girl. "The letter bears an address.
believer II. and you Will be richly re-
warded. besides bringing TO Justice
the inhuman plovers who hold me =
captive"
ringing shrek ended the sem
tence. l was seized from behind. My
arms were pinioned helplessly In an
Iron grasp. ! was pushed. led. forced
from the spot up a flight Of stairs,
sni then. besides my captor. l was
aware Of the presence Of q fitting
feminine form which brushed by me,
opened door and was forced into Q
lIerted room and thrown bodily across
Q couch.
My captor. huge. swarthy. a man Of
exceptionally powerful build. giowereJ
down upon me. The woman was fair
and graceful. but there was a piercing
atecly glow to her eyes that told Of
an evil spirit within, vivid contrast
to the innocent girl captive.
"How came you feres' demanded
the man and told him the simple
truth. The woman had snatched the
letter from my hand. Now she and
the man conversed IN whispering
tones She left the room. He faced
me grimly.
s'1 believe you have told the truth"
he said. you have stumbled into
bad situation. however. and there IL
only one thing for you to do. Are
you willing to remain a prisoner In
this room for one week, living on the
hest, keeping your ears and mouth
shut and at the erd of that time re-
ceivc a hundred dollars. 20 your way
and forget the poor demented creature
you saw In the room below your
-Why notf" / challenged casually.
II am out Of work. your affairs are
moi mine. your liberal financing will
place me on my feet-yes"
was treated sumptuously. The
room occupied had a barred door,
AMI one iron-shuttered window look
Ing out upon a dreary court. The
shutters were strongly padlocked, but
old and rusted. and through a break
In their surface could make ort an
equally ancient and dilapldated nre es-
cape.
Now might have been content to
enjoy such elegant leisure but for
thinking Of the pleading face Of the gin
N8ksAsCs Auio WuS ciuYuA-
sized, as 1t seemed to me that con-
stanfly. day and night. could hear
her pace the floor Of the room below
Al though too restless and anxious to
remain Quiescent. Why should I be-
lieve the statement that she was In
saTef Why not her own clear accusa-
ti0n OF being in cruel handsf
In q drawer In q closet I foand
some tools, among them q small saw.
Ny room and the one below had no
ceiling except that provided BY floor
boards and rafters- found that I
could break through the thin. rusted
away surface Of the iron shutter. It
was only foot to the fire escape.
sawed through the hoor one night
after silence had settled down over
the llrparv nlaro Ro1ou, v,-lSh ~ ~.