Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1919-08-01
wife did not know where 1T was hid

used to break down the door, it was
long odds that by the time he was
taken out he would be frozen stiff as
an iceberg.
He screamed and yelled; he kicked
and he hammered at the door; he
dashed himself bodily against it; he
wept, prayed and cursed, alternately
and then altogether.
Finally he lay on the floor quite
still, utterly worn out and moaning
like dog caught in trap.
His eyes gazed without sense of
sight at the joints of meat hanging
from the racks fixed below the ceiling.
Something suddenly jolted his brain.
A joint Of venison at which he had
been vaguely staring awakened his
mind to feeble activity.
Back to his memory came the recol-
lection that he had purchased that
Joint to be cooked in celebration of
the birthday of his daughter. His
daughter-llttle ten-year-old Marjoryl
Why, he would never see her againi
Escape was impossible; he was as
sure Of death as If he were sitting in
the electric chair. He was actually
dying by inches.
The tears welled up in his eyes and
trickled down his frozen cheeks. No,
by heaven, he would not die or, IL he
must, he would die fighting.
Fiercely he fought against the
lethargy and numbness that was
nrr nh hn
sat up and climbed stiflly to his feet.
He caught sight of a number of stout
oaken billets he had brought down the
previous day, intending to fix up sup
ports for another shelf. He recollect-
ed bringing hammer, too.
Yes, there 1t lay in the corner.
Selling the tool, he once more beat
on the door. Perhaps someone would
come down to the safe and hear the
sound Of his hammering. It was a
poor chance, but he wouldn't miss It /;
anyway, he would die fighting death.
His vigorous efforts restored life
to his body. His blows became more
violent and presently the hammer han
die snapped short at the head. Then
furious anger seized him. He called
down curses on the clever engineer
who had constructed the door and In
vented the patent lock, on himself, and
on all creation.
Selling one Of the oak billets, he
beat at the door as If 1t were Mr..
Smart's ingenious head he was ham,
mering. His arms ached horribly, but
still he continued.
Presently his frenzy-flled eyes
seemed to see faint crack In the
solid metal in front Of him.
The length of timber splintered and
broke in his hands, but snatchlng an
other piece he continued his furious
onslaught His stralning eyes saw the
solid metal slab bullying outwards.
God In heaven It was true, then /
The steel had split, the crack was be-
coming wider before his eyes, streak
of white showed between the dark,
ragged edges.
No thought of the smart eastern en-
cheering firm came into Jacob Hlck-
mans mind as he pushed his finger
into the gap and plucked forth soft
shavings, cotton waste and refuse wool
until his finger nails scratched on the
outside steel covering Of the door.
Inserting one end of his piece of
oak into the crack-alas for the du-
plicity Of mankind, the iron was
no thicker than that Of n cookingpan
Hickman showed inward and used 1t
as a lever, Juggling and stralnlng until
the sheet Of metal ripped away like n
strip Of brown paper. Then using his
weapon as a rammer he stabbed Mt the
outside steel.
The sound Of human voice caught
his ears.
"What de hell's de matter2" 1t said
Some one strolling into the base
ment had heard the Internal row and
come to investigate.
He screamed hoarse direction, and
in few minutes the sharp teeth Of
center bit was cutting into the
iron.
A small hole was soon made. Hick-
man passed the key through 1t to his
dellverer, and then promptly tainted.
There were wet bandages around
Hickman's head when he came round
A dull ringing filled his ears his hands
were enveloped in wrappings; he was
in bed; and his whole body was SO
stiff and sore that when he moved he
groaned with pain.
To Judge by the sensations in his
no haA at oil hytN tho
stumps burned and throbbed nor
rlbly.
The Doctors bearded face was bend
ing over him when he opened his eyes,
and his little daughter Marjory stood
by the bedside holding his head.
Touch and CO." said the doctor
cheerfully. ~ thought you were
never coming to. Looked like case
for the coroner. Here, take a drop
Of this"
"Where am ~ whispered Hlck-
man when he had swallowed the
brandy.
"At home You've been lying here
like this for three days. Thought
It was all up. Don't you remember1
"They found you in your ice safe,
almost dead. Rather think one Of your
toes Is gone for good otherwise, you're
all right"
Jacob Hickman did not go under.
The first thing he did was TO bring
suit against the eastern engineering
firm who had built his ice safe, for
misrepresentation and failure to ad-
here to contract specifications
The shock Of his terrible imprison-
ment in the cold room had turned his
hair quite white, but 1t left his brain
In frst-class working order.
He won his suit and got the dam
auaa ha nIaInood