Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-01-22

" OF A BRIDE
BHlBTHHEHHHHgHmRHlMlaHHHIHaHHHMHaHmHIHHaEmHHH
Bob pulls me up to the
room agdin-the Others
are gone.

call up that shaft, Bob! Whistle to
them! Shout" I exclaimed.
1t had taken us but a few minutes
to hastel through our long explanations,
nevertheless, ] was appalled, to think
that we had wasted much valuable time.
Suddenly I realized that after the fall
of the heavy wall panel which Spence
and Archer had battered down, not
single sound had come from the friends
in the room high above us.
Call up the shaft" / cried again.
Bob whistled-I knew well the old
fraternity signal. But his brothers did
not return the whistle Only faint and
silly echo came back to our ears.
Then Bob cried, Spence Archer!
Chrys!" in his far-carrying voice. The
words Knocked US in a faint stage whis-
per, spence! Archer! Chrys!" Then
silence ensued, an abominable, ominous
silence. 1t made me cling closer to
Bob's arm as we stood in the darkness
and listened
What has happened-up there?" I IN
quired in awe.
Bob didn't reply to that INSTEAD, he
asked question of me:
1.-THE hammering which went on while
you were screaming to stop it--you said
it was the pounding which caused your
my pitt"
"By inches-yes- Bob" Then I rushed
on breathlessly, a new hope crowding
my thoughts so fast that my words
were almost a tumble:
The eell-it was like a little old Gle
yator settling down by fits and starts.
Something about the pounding seemed
10 loosen small levers or stones of
course, I don't understand Bob, but
maybe the wall has little cogs, or steps
down the corners? -
May be-" Bob admitted.
ANY possibility-probably couIt
climb up the wall by means Of them ?"
eff leave you-and make the attempt
you viii not be afraid-down here
all sIone?"
"Tu be stin with fright-almost
paralyzed," said. but what difference
does that make? Go up-try It! There's
rope up there"~-I described the one
Chrys and ] had knotted from the couch
covers-"you can pun me up with IT,"
Here's the automatic, Jane" Bob said.
placing the gun in my hand "Tf any
thing happens to me-if I should slip
and fall" He stopped. He did not
need to give me further directions
81 understand, darling" I whispered.
"If I fail, Jane dear, you will not let
yourshelf starve? You will not live to
suffer? You will use the gun while you
have the strength to use 1t? Promise
metz
"T-I-promise, Bob
kiss me-" he said And when tho
long ceremony was concluded. without
another word. Bob pushed his way 10
through the broken roof Of the closet.
! could hear his body scraping against
the wall. He was lifting his weight up
the vertical shaft by. some heroic process
Finally he began to tell me about bis
progress.
I'm making it," he called down 10 me
I'm making It just as an Alpine climbe:
goes up rock chimney 7 am work
ing with my back as well as my hands
and feet. Gosh, I'm winning out. my
dear. II all comes back to me-those
lessons In the Alps the first time Dad
took us boys to Switzerland I'm as
good as ever at IT,"
And he was. Finally he spoke once
more:
Honey I've got hold on tho beams!
I'm up. I'm safe Jane. And see the
rope ladder you spoke Of I'll shape
It into a basket. Put It on Ike
breeches buoy
Down came one end OF the rope.
obeyed orders.
to help. Just keep limp. Steady. dar-
ling. III haul away when you say So
If my body was still and limp, my
senses were very much alive I won
dered why my ears did not ten me
about Archer and the others
After much hard labor, Bob lifted me-
from the knotted basket and carried NE
to one Of the four big divans I looked
around the room and shuddered. The
friends I had left there-ChFys. Spence
and Archer-were nowhere TO he seen
And that awful place was set with traps
for human beings Copyright, 1920
tic BE COntinued)