The Ordway new era., 1920-03-19


One thing was now clear to meas
long MS stayed In the flat was com
paratively safe-I must make my main
play that Billy had got my letter or
that somebody would cnll. Though of
course George would say I was oui-
he was paid for that hy monsieur.
In this manner of living-afraid TO
go out and being unable to commtnl-
cate even with the grocer-two days
wore away: to he exact, from Tues
day night to Friday morning. And
they were enlivened by some interest
ing experiences. On the second nlght
I was awakened by the sound of
latchkey working at my front door ]
tiptoed into the hall and listened. ]
can't say I was frightened. The chain
bolt was on and the only way 1t could
be got of was by first shutting the
door tight--vhlch meant 1t could not
he worked back with II wire. had
seen 10 that when the locksmith put
1t in.
Nothing came Of this attempt to III
key to my new lock. and l got com
fort out of the thought that it proved
monsieur regarded the fire escape as
much too public FOR his performances.
l hnd given George my letters to
mail on Wednesday morning. but ms
Thursday wore away and Billy didn't
come | saw what was In for--I was
to he starved into leaving the fiat. ]
was already weak for want of food:
I suppose my belief in imminent star
va:iOn had something to do with II.
hut Ms matter of fact had had noth-
ing that could he called Il square meal
since Monday night at the restaurant.
and / hadn't enteh much then-l WIS
too excited over my encounter with
monsieur. Oh. how | wished I'd eaten
that egg Mrs. Jimmson boiled for me
it might have saved my life, Yes.
was weak with hunger, and by Sunday
night there would not be mouthful
I'm the house to eat. 1t WIS now Thurs
dny evening.
That night monsieur picked tho new
Yale lock on the front door,
How long he'd been working at 1t
before | woke mp l can't say. and
might never have known II at all " he
hndn't accidentally dropped his bunch
of KEYS on the tiled floor. Their
tinkling awoke ne. knew on the In
stnnt what it was and lay perfectly
still while | felt him listening for Il
sound from me tc show that l was
awake. I should say l lay there tif-
teen minutes before he went on with
his job.
Softly crcpt out of bed. l tiptoed
through the hall and placed myself
back of the door where he could not
see me should he get 1t open.
We stood thus possibly five minutes.
his work lighted by the hall gas jet.
| in total darkness. while keys slid
into the lock. slid out and clicked
against the bunch he had in his hand.
1t was large bunch, judging from the
sound
The sixth key did it. The Yale lock
turned once-twice. He withdrew the
key and | heard him taking II on the
ring and droppiiig the bunch into his
pocket He put the key once more in
the lock and tried again to make sure.
1t was not ill then that lie unlocked
the lower lnck-the one he kept me
prisoner with. He'd never once given
me the chance to pop out on him till
he was ready to pop in on me.
And now he was ready. The key
turned-the door handle turned. \
strip of light showed over his head
and slowly wldened. The chnin-holt
slid and slid almost noiselessly. along
| its socket. Then IT stopped.
| | think he hadn't noticed it mt first
he had turned the gas low and ms he
| stood lie cut on the light. When the
door suddenly stopped he moved aside
to see what was hnmpcring him.
saw the glitter of the brass chain. He
saw it too. Then darkness again, and
! / felt rather than saw his fingers come
through the crack and feel the chain
Next came the whole hand and
worked Mt the cliain-but the farther
he pushed 1t back the tighter closed
the door 1t was meant to be that
/ way, but he didn't yet know 1t
| He barred his arm and thrust ii
through The crack and felt along the
slot TO the hole In the end. This was
my chance 10 give him one with the
hairbrush--but I didn't. Truth to tell
was too paralyzed with excitement
had my chance and let II 20.
did nothine-said noihing-scnrce
ly breathcd the whole time he was
there. And 10 this day don't know
If could have bettered the situation
by doing anything but what ! did
nothing.
He wasted very little time on lht
chain. 1t took him not more thar
two minutes to learn that he coultn'
get the bolt out at the end of tll'
slot without first shutting the door
Which meant ii couldn't be got ont ex
cept from TIL inside. He withdrew
his hand. '..';merc was n dead pause II
which he seemed 10 be conslderin;
what 10 do next. Then he closed tn,
1 tlnnr nnl locked me in nrrin dil