Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1920-09-09
"Mhat is it,"

"A secret paSSageWay leadlns INTO
my room. It seems to run along the
hall. The wall there is at least four
feet thick-roOm for a man 10 walk.
There is a panel in the wall in my
room leading into il. | was just pry-
ing 1t open when you slgnaled."
"Oh. how l wish | could see it!"
"Why can't you? Slip out of your
front door, and I'll be at my door TO
admit you"
81 can't do that. Mother and Claire
are in the front part of the house
playing bridge with some guests. They
will be sure toNHear me going out
"COme in tomorrow morning, then,
suggested.
She did not answer and before l
realized what she was doing, Barbara
was out on the ledge making her
perilous way across to my window.
"If Claire can do this, can" she
announced triumphantly, as l, trem-
bling all over at the thought OF the
peril she had been in, put my arms
about her and helped her in.
Darling" l cried, still holding her
in my arms, don't ever do that again
It's too dangerous. Promise me, Bar
bara, dear, you'll never again try
that"
With her pretty face flushed ct the
terms of endearment that had uh"lt-
tingly escaped me, she iaughlhSH re-
leased herself from my arms.
"That was nothing" she said m a
tense whisper. "Where's the panel Z
Relieved to find that she was hot
angered by my presumption, mas
tened to turn up the light and poln'ed
! at the hole in the wall. AS had done
she sprang up on the chair and en-
deavored to push the panel further
back, but was unable to bulge H.
| Quicker witted than /, she then trled
! sliding it along. At the sllgbteS'
| touch it slid back in a groove, reveal
| ing the notwithstanding into what!
Striking a match, we both OF US
peered in. The space between the
walls was certainly high enough ana
side enough for a man to walk there
| in comfort SO far as the tlcKerlh2
/ light of the match enabled us to Judge
/ it ran the length of the hail. ana neal
its further end there appeared TO De
some steps.
Come" cried the intrepid Barbara,
"let's explore it."
"No," / said firmly. I'VE musl
lo nothing until / have seen the de-
] tective. We have put the case in his
hands,"
"But we must find out about it,"
protested the girl
''Tomorrow," l said. eve know
where it 10. We know where the
voices and whispers come from now
81 wonder" she said thoughtfully'
"if there is the same sort OF pas
sageway in our apartment"
"Promse me that if you find there
is one, you will not attempt to explore
it alone"
As we argued about it we both
stoned short and with blanchih2
faces listened. From sOmeWhere-l'
| sounded as IL IL was TlShl Delo" u"
we heard sounds as If two people were
struggling. Then came a woman
shrek, a wild scream with the death
terror in it. The sound seemed close
at hand. 1t seemed to come right Ut
from the opening in the panel by Whlci
we were standing.
Once more there came an aWtu'
scream-a scream stopped off short aS
if some brutal hand had throttled the
wOmans throat.
"What is it?" cried Barbara.
Listen" l commanded. ut seems
to come from the floor below"
Holding our breaths we strained our
ears for further sounds. Suddenly {
shot rang out, and there was thuo
as If body had fallen to the hoor
Then all was silence.
With terror in our faces we turned
to each other, seeking an explanation
which neither could give.
"NTother-Claire! !" cried Barbara
"They'n be alarmed. | must go Dacf
to them at once