Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-15


second heavy hose wound with steel
wire lying beside a handieless pick
az over everything in the room
WAS q powdering of dust. On ad-
'ahcihg into the room / discovered
across the opening in the wall
metal mat about two feet by three
IN size. The position of that mat
struck me as interesting. So I drop
pea on one knee and stopped over 1t.
Then l lifted one corner of II ever
30 little to see whether or not it was
wired l found out all right, for i'm
mediately l heard the muffied tinkle
or bell somewhere deep beyond the
wall opening.
Get on that mat" cried an angry
voice out of the blackness in front
or me. Then my blood ran cold as I
heard the sound of heavy breathing
advancing upon me out of the dark
ness. l had no time to rise. so I
swung about where l still knelt on
the floor and stopped low over two
metal drums in the pretense of eX-
aiming the labels wired on the pres
sure gauges adjusted to their ends.
One. l noticed, bore the word "Oxy-
gen" on it and the other "Acetylene."
why in the name of Mike can't
you keep Off that matt" This was
the peevish demand of the man who
now pushed his way crouchingly out
through the hole in the wall didn't
answer him. l didn't even look at
him.
Amt I got troubles enough with
out you THROWN a scare into me ev'ry
dam time you get down into this
ROOM" he demanded. And it's 60
ing to take US good ten hours to
get through this blank blank party
wall and around that elevators shaft
base" he further announced. Still
l kept my silence. for ! knew my
voice would betray me. He suddenly
turned away from the shaded window
and looked at me. l wheeled about
with my back to the wall at almost
the same instant. And as I did so l
reached forward and caught up the
mud stained handle of a pick. Then
the man realized that the familiar
looking raglan wasn't covering the
woman he had expected 1t to cover.
There was light in his cioseset
eyes that sent the last shred Of hope
out of my heart. 1t was then that
I raised the pick handle above my
head, but 1t didn't for a moment keep
him back.
His right hand shot out like fash.
could feel his dust stained fingers
entangled in my clothing. Then he
lifted me clear of the lime-covered
moor and shook me the same rs a ter
rier shakes a rat. In return l bit his
hand until the blood oozed warm
against my own face. He uttered his
first sound at that and aung me bodily
from him. He sent me fiat against the
solid wall, with an impact that must
have stunned me little. for l wasn't
at first conscious Of a second man en-
tering the room.
"Oh. you bullhead!' shouted the
newcomer. Get out or by the living
God I'll pound you to a pulp"
The other man. backing away still
tried to argue brokenly before the
repeated threat of the pick-handle.
Did he hurt you much:" imperson-
ally asked my deliverer. There was
more annoyance than anything else
in his voice.
I'm all right" l said in stified
voice. spoke through the handker-
chief which was slightly stained with
red. and spoke in little more than a
whisper. l knew that my fallen hair,
my CORY hankie and the grave show
ing Of blood which I'd managed to
mop pretty we'll over my face. gave
me good promise Of leaving me mask
ed from his preoccupied eye.
Il guess you'd better get upstairs
and explain this to Pareto." the new
conner morosely announced. 1t dis
turbed me even more than the shak-
ing l had received to realize that
Pareto was under the same roof with
me. l got to the door and went
through it. At every step l expected
to be called back. But ! reached that
unlighted basement hall without in
terruption. slipped through the
shadows, found the stairway down
which l had come. and mounted 1t
with allthe speed l could command.
Then I ran toward the massive door.
reached 1t and shot a hand out toward
the spring lock that held II shut.