The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1919-06-19
wife did not know where Il was bid


safe down to something like Ave de-
grees below zero: SO that. even II he
were located. and n dynamite charge
used to break down the door. II was
long odds that BY the time he was
taken out he would be frozen stiff a.
an iceberg.
He screamed and yelled; he kicked
and he hammered at the door; he
dashed himself bodily agninst Il; 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 ut 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. Ills
daughter--lIttle ten-year-old Marj5ryl
Why. he would never see her againl
| Escape was impossible; he was rs
sure OF death as II he were sitting in
| the electric chair. He was actually
dying by inches.
The tears welled up In his eyes ana
trlckled down his frozen cheeks. No,
by heaven, he would not dicl or. II he
must. he would die fighting.
| A. f.<,k -
lethargy and numbness that was
enveioping him. With an effort he
sat up and climbed stiflly to his feet.
He caught sight of number Of stout
oaken billets he had brought down the
previous day. intending to Ak up sup
ports for another shelf. He recollect-
ed bringing hammer. too.
Yes. there It 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. II was a
poor chance. but he wouldn't miss Il /;
anyway. he would die fighting death.
His vigorous efforts restored life
to his body. HIS blows became moro
violent and presently the hammer han
die snapped short at the head. Then
! a 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.
Seizing one Of the oak billcts. he
beat at the door MS II It were Mr..
Smart's ingenious head he was ham
mering. His arms ached horribly. but
still he continued.
Presently his frenxy-nlled eyea
seemed to see faint crack in the
, solid metal In front Of him.
The length Of timber splintered and
q broke In his hands. but snatching an
0 other piece he continued his furioul
: onslaught. His straiuing eyes saw th>
. solid metal slab bulging outwards.
God In heaveni It was true. then
: The steel had split. the crack WAS b
! coming wider before his eyes, streal
> Of white showed between the dark
u ragged edges.
: No thought Of the smart eastern On
cheering firm came into Jacob Hich
8 mans mind as he pushed his nnge
i into the gap and plucked forth sof
$ shavings, cotton waste and refuse WOO
y until his finger nails scratched on tn
u outside steel covering Of the door.
Inserting one end Of his piece o
" oak into the crack-alas for the du
e plicity Of mankind. the iron wa
% no thicker than that Of cooklns-pal
Hickman showed inward and used
n as a lever. tugging and straiuing unit
n the sheet Of metal ripped away like
" strip Of brown paper. Then using hl
'e weapon as rammer he stabbed 1t tn
at outside steel.
lg The sound of a human voice caugh
- his ears.
~ "what de hell's de matterr II SAID
Some one strollihg into the basl
III ment had heard the Internal row an
~ come to investigate.
" He screamed hoarse direction. an
in few minutes the sharp teeth q
mt center bit was cutting into tn
us iron.
p A small hole was soon made. Hicl
man passed the key through It to h
n delIverer. and then promptly tainted
he There were wet bandages arOun
g. Hlckman's hend when he came roun'
m A dull ringing filed his ears; his hant
le. were enveloped In wrappings; he VI
rt In bed: and his whole body was Z
stiff and sore that when he moved J
nm groancd with pain.
'e- To Judge by the sensations In h
feet, he had no toes at all but II
nt stumps burned and throbbed no
lis ribly.
or The Doctors bearded face was ben
To- Ing over him when he opened his eye
ID and his little daughter Marjory sto<
to- by the bedside holding his head.
Touch and CO." said the doct'
a cheerfuily. II thought you we
as never coming to. Looked like q ca
on for the coroner. Here. take dr.
Of this"