Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1919-07-10

All He Saw Was the Terrific Machine
Upon Which He Was lashed.
!. gan crept cautiously down the cellar
by means of the outside door. Care
FULLY he examined the ceiling, until in
the dim light he stood beneath the
place he sought. Directly above his
head was a trapdoor of sufficient di-
mrnSiunS to permit u man TO drop,
hinged upOn one side and held up on
the other by u huge iron bolt which
was worked by means Of a lever.
Drawing an oil can from his pocket,
the Hawk began carefully lubriCating
the rusty iron lever. Finishing this
and being assured that all was in
working order, he left the cellar with
| the secrecy with which he had come.
Nor during this time had the Spider
been idle.
Leaving the harness room in the
ghoStly glow of daybreak, the Spider
found a place on the mountain trail
that promised to suit his evil purpose.
4 slight fall of snow had come during
the night. and trodding his way along
it in such a way that anyone follow
in. il would he sure to follow in his
steps. the Spider bent his steps be
tween two trees with rough powders
upon each side of them. hating when
he reached the place he had chosen.
At this point a huge tree trunk had
fallen until it hung above the spot,
caught in the branches Of its fellow
trees, and here he began the setting
of his trap.
First cutting a trigger which he
placed and cunningly concealed across
the trail in such manner that a pass.
ing foot would strike ii. he cut the
log in such manner that the slightest
disturbance would send it crashing
down, inevitably crushing to death
whatever reature CHANGED to be pass
ing beneath. The connecting rope be-
tween the trigger and trunk he care
fully concealed with debris of the for.
est, then with a look of satisfaction
for II moment surveyed his work, after
which he stole away with the caution
Of a lynx.
As the breakfast horn blew, Nor.
gan and the Spider came from the
barn with the sleepy air of men just
awakened from a long nights sleep
Calling their mornings greetings tt
those of the cabin they entered thu
cabin and ate heartily as they talked
of the events of the day before. The
Hawk turned to the others.
mfr. BeIlas is a mining expert wh'
will Re Of great assistance to US II
locating the missing NINE" he said
with Il meaning glance at the Spider
This afternoon we will search tn
hills for it. Suppose that you, Rain
face, give friend Davis the keys t.
Cars desk that he may look owe
them while Bellas and are searchin
for the mine John. still weak an
shaky from his fall of the day before
nodded his assent.
II am afraid I could not keep u
with you today" he acquiesced with
weak smile. The prospect OF bein
several hours alone with the girl q
his side was ample compensation 70
his aches and bruises OF the LAY b'
fore. CunningIy the Hawk began plat
ing chairs and the table, arrangin
them so that his victim must sit owe
, the trapdoOr.
, and now for the search" he sal
-, as he drew the Spiders arm beneat
his own. OUT Of the door they wen
, merely glancing at Rainface VINO jus
. outside the door Of the p0rch wa
working at the stOrrndoOr with ak an
other tools, but no sooner were the
: beyond the vision of any possiDl
watchers than they wheeled, stole VI
\ on the cabin again and disappeare
: into the cellar.
= Through the knot hole in the moo
Z that the Hawk had unsuccessfuiiy use
in his former attempt upon the h1e
5 John. he pecred into the room ab0v
The chair In which Davis sat ar
u which had been cunningly placed
e the pIotter was just at the edge
. the trapdoor, which was concealed l
u a rug. Seeing that their victim WI
Il in the place desired, very cautious
I he drew the bolt Of the lever.
Sitting unsuspectingly in his chal
" John, caught by the trap, felt himse
~ going down. The desperate spriI
y which he made to right himself VI
all unavailing; beneath him the n
" disappeared and the next instant u
y legs were through the hole. Bero
" he had time to call out he was JERK
downward, his head striking vioieht
T. UPON the side Of the trap ana leaVll
IS his mind a blank, he neXt insth
81 landing a senseless, buddled heap u
'r on the basement floor below. with
u few swift movements the Spih
thrust the rug into the room apo
!" and rrplaced II rs II had been the NJ
d ment before, as quickly hoistlhg {
'r trap 10 its former place and sllootll
TX Lnck the lever. Not over five sec0h
NJ had passed. and the % above reinal
ed the same as before except tn
=. Davis vanished as q bubble bursts.