The Glenwood post., 1923-09-06

deserted, for all that passer-by could
tell. The room was close and fear
somely silent. The gas spurted up
now and then with an angry sizzling.
Lettie's frightened glance Travelled
around the bare room, seeking for
some means Of outwitting the woman
before her. Nothing occurred to her.
Suddenly she heard sound that
was like faint moan. 1t seemed to
come from a distance. She heard It
again. 1t might be in the basement.
Again! She was sure it was below her
somewhere.
"Oh" Lettie started to her feet. II
hear him. It's Thad. Let me"
The woman pushed her back Into
her seat. you fool! 'Tain't nothing
but cats"
Lettie struggled to free herself. ut
is, too. I know it's Thad. Leggol
Leggo! Darn 1t all, leggo"
"Shut up. 1 got ways to keep you
STILL" She seized the chlld's arms and
twisted them back with swift
wrench. Lettie gasped; she turned
faint with the pain. But when the
first agony had passed, she was filled
with renewed defiance. 1t flashed into
her mind that the woman was waiting
for something. Lettie wished 1t would
come. Whatever 1t was. surely she
could
The moan struck her ears again, a
long wall of human suffering. the des-
olation Of child that is spent with
crying. Lettie's fingers worked, but
she held herself still. Perhaps the
woman would go to sleep after while.
Nobody could stay awake always.
The gas shot up at one side, sank
again with a dismal gurgle.
Presently there was sound outside
faint, momentary, like step. Let
ties heart gave bound Of relief. But
evidently 1t was not the sound that the
woman had been waiting for. She sat
straighter In her chair, in an attitude
of alarmed listening. The sound came
again. The woman sprang up, turned
off the gas, and went out quickly to-
ward the front Of the house.
Instantly Lettie dashed the other
way, through door which she had
previously decided must lead to the
kitchen. Cropping her way around the
wall, she opened a door into another
room, and then one which opened into
space-the stairway.
She plunged recklessly down the
dark stairs, her nerves keyed high by
the fear of pursuit. The moaning was
louder now. Thad was near; she
knew 1t. Stumbling over rubbish, half
falling before she could regain her
footing, she made for the direction
from which the moaning seemed to
come, and encountered a rough wall.
But there was door. There was
key. It turned. AS Lettie dashed into
the room, she heard steps on the stairs.
There was noise everywhere steps
overhead Things were happening.
Folks were after her. She must hurry.
"Oh, 1 wanter go home" whimpered
small voice. II want Penzie."
"Yes, darling-you shall have her."
painted Lettie, bending over and un-
| tangling Thad from ragged quilt.
| She could see nothing, but her senses
were sharpened by emergency. She
| could make out the window as gray
patch in the blackness, but there was
| not light enough from the street to
shine in She dragged Thad toward
| the window, unlocked and lifted 1t,
pushed him through. AS she followed.
somebody stumbled into the room,
swooped down upon her.
"Leggoi' screamed Lettie, In
panic, kicking and struggling.
"Leggo!"
"Shut up, or I'll kill you," retorted
q hoarse voice, scarcely more than q
whisper. 1t was the woman. She had
followed. She was trying to pre-
vent.
The next instant they were outside
Thad, Lettie, the woman.
| stop, there!" shouted voice. It
was mans voice, from the yard.
stop, or I'll shoot. Stop! I'll shoot"
1t was the climax of terror for Let
tie. The command to stop was the
signal to run. She snatched Thad In
to her arms with strength that had
never before been hers, and struck
through the broken fence, into the va
cant lot. The woman ran, too-in q
flight Of her own, although Lettie did
not suspect 1t.
A shot rang out. Another! A
third Lettie bounded through the
air. spurred on by the very things
which should have stopped her. A hot
tingling ran across her arm. :.
Many voices behind her Thad slipped
out of her grasp. She pulled him by
| one hand. She must reach the
ravlne in the back of the lot They
could hide under the live-oak trees
| At last they got there Lettie lis
tened. No one was following-not
even the woman. The first danger
was over. There were houses near.
She drew Thad close to her behind Il
tree. She must rest minute Her
arm felt hot 1t hurt. The sleeve was
| wet.
They started on again, but 1t was
| II hard journey home Lettie wayered