New Britain herald., 1923-10-13

Were not seing to the attic
 Come ea.s She tnsgsd st his sleeve.
 "DoRt stand thsFe and argue. !
 know shat I'm deins."
 He yielded the neint and followed
 her without further TemonsiraRee
 into lens, los-esilsd chamber which
 he assumed to be directly above the
 dining-roem.
 New you esA rest for moment, 1T she said, suidins him inta q chair,
 "sit aesn, And, please, the matches again, oh,' anticipating his objse-
 ton, There will he no light that can
 De seen from the outside"
 His eyes accustomed to the dark.
 ness made out great stone fireplace at one side of the room, She passed ii, a light, gliding shadow among shadows. and stood before fhe wall beyond, in front of an oid.fashioned cupboard about two feet above the fioor, She stepped into it. There was a tiny spurt Of light as she struck match,
 By il, he saw her kneeling figure close to the dark wood which lined the hack Of the closet, One finger outstretehed, she was tapping the boards rapidly Counting. was shef
 The match went out. He heard her jump down, and she came toward him in an airy rush,
 "Let me tell you" she forced her self to sohnr eoherency, This is an old house. built in the early days of the Colonies, when people had 10 be constantly on guard against the In- dians and provide ways of escape. Can you make out that big. old-time chimney where the fireplace is? It runs un from the-cellar and there Is a fireplace just like this in the dining room below. and another back Of it in the kitchen which is in an ell or wing not quite so high as the main house.
 ''The chimney tapers gradually as It | goes un. and SO Is narrower on this floor than on the one beneath. That | leaves n space on either side Of it up | here, and the coionists utilized this as hidden passage by which they l could gel 10 the rear Of the house If the front was taken. or yice-yersa. The entrance on this side is through [ that cupboard where you saw me. All you have to do is to slide back two of the boards. and you are inside. Then by passing around the chimney. you can get out through similar opening into the attic Of the kitchen wing. Once there, you must crawl across the rafters. drop through scuttle intto small room over the kitchen. and from this down stair way to the woodshed outside. But it will not be necessary for us to do all that. We shall simply hide in the passageway until the search is over."
 She took up the crackers and jam from chair, and going back to the cupboard, slowed them in the aper- ture.
 Now I'll get some pillows to sit on. We'll be luxurious"
 She gathered them up from a ,ouch, and stuffed them also into the :. passage.
 A thought pricked the bubble Of , his exultation. But surely this is xnown al lover the neighborhood ?" i,
 No" positively My father showed it to me when was about welve years old. I had never heard | whisper of it before; and would lave, if it had been gossped about The servants would have been full ,f it'' ''s
 Through the dead quiet of the ' light they heard the sound of than one. They went o the window. Along the rough ? oad they had come they saw head E fghts approaching, moons of orange trough the fog. There was stop | ,here their car had crashed. I Hurry. We must hide now" she II rged. u He stepped up into the cupboard, nd crept into the passage behind. c he closed the cupboard-d door and N tipped the concealing panelinto place. s "Sit down on the pillows, and we IT han,t make a sound" she ordered. o Heavy thuds on door below, re- n through the house. Then e he tramp of feet and the slammihg f other doors. Men were on the E Lairs now Passing the chamber Y GOT, they went on up another flight al , the attic. IT They came down at last to begin ,eir search of this floor, and now E ,ey were in the room. The cup z bard doors were ierked open; threads rht streaked through the cracks Of le panel Kelsey and Hope sat otionless, hardly daring to breathe, sr hand clasped tight in his.