San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-04-15

those words. With a gesture he
stopped the protestations which
he saw I was about to express, and
closing the door, began talking
again in the darkness which now
surrounded us once more.
"You are at that impulsive age
when the emotions act directly upon
,<-he heart of a man. This child
shares your apprehensions and
your scruples and I have relied up
on you to take her away from our
troubles and viOlences. Later"
In the darkness it seemed to me
that his voice trembled slightly;
but it hardened again and became
imperious as he added: "Need /
warn you of the reprisals which
win occur. if you do not &C.
quit yourself scrupulously of the
mission which I have resolved to
sentrust to you? What you know
about me is enough to make you
certain. For the present stay here
until I return, and if anything alb
normal occurs, press that button
which you see shining there near
you; it will blow a whistle which
will inform me. When 1 come
back I shall explain to you how I
expect to get you out Of here" i
gathered from his voice that he
was going away; / heard the noise
of the closing door. I was alone
in that immense dark hall. had
been there fifteen minutes, hardly
daring to move lest lose sight of
the slightly phosphorescent. button
which Avery had pointed out, when
dull sound near me made me pay
attention. hardly had
time to listen! few steps away a
door was opened. By the light OF
:
a portable electric lamp which he
raised in the air to find his way d
saw old Rassmuss. Putting his
lamp down he bent over and /
heard the same dull noise again. l.
then saw that the old man was
stretching out his arms still power
full for his age, with all his
strength, pushing in front OF HIM
a kind of flat trunk, which seemed
very heavy. He made his way the
length of the hall in this way, stop
ping to take breath, and then drew
out key from his pocket which he
put into, the lock and turned the
bolt, A low door turned on its
hinges and showed dark passage
into which the old man went, TAX
ing his burden with him. The
door swung to behind him, and had
almost closed, when dark shadow
passed before my eyes. / saw It
glide along noiselessly in the slit
of light cast by the the savant's
lamp, slip into the doorway of the
door through which Rassmuss had
just disappeared, which closed with
a sharp snap. Immediately l
thought that l heard smothered
cries, the sound of blows, and then
fall. Then long silence.
After a few minutes I saw that
door open behind which sus-
pected that there had been strug-
gle. A man appeared bent under
a heavy burden, which he held on
his back by both hands. A small
miners lamp attached to his fore
head gave light as he staggered un-
der his crushing burden. He pass
ed through the hall slowly and
went out. Darkness settled down
again and l tried to pierce the
murk with that kind of clairvoy-
ance which comes to eyes trained
to darkness; a thin ray of light
striking the floor at last caught
my attention. Tremblingly went
towards it; it was in the corridor
Ato which / had seen Rassmuss
<sappear, a small portable lamp
which lit up the ground where it
had fallen. 1t was the work of an
o~A-x - ,>;oI- - So, drau, tba danr