American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1921-06-10

appointment over here"
"Herel How did she know the way
outf"
"She didn't, for the matter OF that;
But she had been piped or on JAMS
place, and agreed to be there as soon
as IL was dark. I'm wondering IL she
showed up; let's go in and see"
The three moved off down the pas
sage, still %conversing in subdued tones,
the sharp accent of the Spaniard most
prominent, and I became acutely
aware of the black silence In which I
stood. There was no occasion for me
to risk my life farther in an effort to
learn more. | had located the secret
rendezvous of this gang Of revolu-
tionary plotters. l was aware OF their
connection with the Chilean Junta at
Washington. and IL would be a com
p~aratively easy matter now to capture
them ~red-handed. l saw therefore no
reason why / should venture further,
or endeavor to learn In detail the ma
ture OF this message intrusted to the
girl for delivery. My duty now was
to report what l had discovered, when
the prompt arrest of Alva, and a few
others, would end the whole scheme.
II seemed simple enough, II l could
only find my way out safely.
But escape unobserved was far from
being assured. Any retreat by way of
the lighted passage was impossible;
there were guards there at both ends;
the only hope lay In a blind effort for
ward.
/ accepted the only course possible,
and began to feel my way to the left,
skirting the wall of rough boarding.
until It widened out into what was ap-
parently the larger room beyond. No
sound reached me from any direction,
she silence and darkness depressing
me, as though they had weight.
Yet n fact became more and more
clear-the deliberate purpose with
which this deserted iron factory had
been prepared for a secret rendezvous.
Apparently, from without, II stood
grim, desolate and deserted, yet the
interior arrangements were such that
conspirators could meet securely in
side, protected from observation, I'm
rooms through whose walls no gieam
of light might be visible from either
street or alley. Only an accident, or
constant vigilance without, could re-
veal the true use TO which the building
was now being devoted. This knowl-
edge rendered the peril Of my W po-
sition the more intense. | could be
killed, murdered. and no mar would
ever. be the wiser. l would simply dis
appear. vanish. and that would be the
end.
AT that moment I had no thought but
TO discover some means of escape. The
knowledge OF the danger / was In
robbed me of all courage. l was like
a child afraid in the dark. 1 moved
forward, inch by inch, feeling my way
along the rough planking with one
hand, my limbs actually trembling I'M
der me. If l could only find some
opening; wee some CLEAN of light ;
brenk away from this terrible silent
darkness.
I supposed | was moving with the ut
tiifEi 'Ail' Wv fNflN lH'INF IN RuUH.
feeling a wuy forward with hnnds and
feet. Once l stepped upon a shell of
some kind which crunched beneath the
weight. and again my cropping hand
dislodged a small block of wood, which
fell with a slight clatter. ] halted
both times, my heart in my mouth, yet
nothing happened, and | moved for
ward again confident of not being over
heard.
I could not have told what Il was
that halted me. I remember ! stopped
as though shot, my very breath sus-
pended, one foot still upllfted In a step
forward, my eyes staring ~helplessly
into the black void. The silence was
that OF a tomb. / could feel the
perspiration flow down my face In a
stream; It was an instant Of torture.
Then an unseen hand gripped me and
an electric nash-light glared into my
eyes.