The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1924-03-28

the Gorgam Trust there was no aenr,
now but one-escape from this gloom,
house, from this sinister fortune. =
once.
"I'll try 1t. anyhow" she said to her
self toward morning. For she coult
appreciate already how difficult escap,
would be, though up to then she hat
merely made small tests of the pos
sibility Of II.
That night she made her FIRST at
tempt at going-an attempt doubly un
successful. The thought had come tc
her to try that door--the entrance
through which the strange visitor had
twice appeared. She had indeed nc
exact knowledge of where It led, but
it must certainly end outside some
where-evidently upon the side street.
She had not tried 1t before, having
the feeling that she was being more
and more closely watched: but now,
this night, she must.
She stood in the dark silence of the
| great room; all black, but for two old
blue patches of high windows she
could see behind her. The handle Of
the door moved, the door opened and
she felt instinctiyely, as one WILL that
she was at the head of a flight Of
stairs-which of course was what she
had expected.
1t was even more solidly black be-
fore her. The air was cold and damp.
Stretching out her hand to guide her
self, she found a wall of stone and
then stone hand-railing. So far. so
good. She drew back her left hand
from the door, 1t swung-evidently by
a spring-and clicked behind her.
Turning again she tried the knob. 1t
did not move. The door, she soon saw.
was of the common type, which opens
by the knob on the inner side but only
by key from without
The ward of the Gorgam Trust gave
little cry at this. She was nat
urally neither an aggressive nor adj
venturous creature. However, there
was but one thing now to be done for
anyone-to go wherever this staircase
led her. She found the stair-rail again
and walked down the polished stone
steps. This required time-and eau
ton; but after while it was not so
difficult. IT was evidently a bare
spiral staircase inclosed in stone, very
much, the girl recalled, like the in
closed brick fire escape in the school
she had attended as child.
She found herself at last at the bot |
tom-at the end. Another door evil
IDENTIFY opened upon the street. She |
tried It, 1t would not open. She tried |
again-and again-and again. The |
door would not open-except by key. |
And when she found this to be GER
tain the girl hurried back, as much as
she could hurry in that blackness, to
the upper door. in sort of panic
haste. She tried the door again. IT |
would not open. She shook 1t to make
sure. She was sure now, and she
stopped = understanding thoroughly
what she had feared before. She was
trapped in that blind passageway, that
stone fire escape-whatever II was
And she would be held there ignomini-
,usly until some one found her.
She sat down in the dark upon the
stair considering the situation, got up
md shook the door again with fool
sh desperation. There was no doubt
If 1t; she was trapped They would
ind her there in the morning-when-
'ver the thought of this place occurred
o their minds.
But then all at once, when she was
herself to this, she heard.
he thought, the sound of steps be-
ond the door, and fumbling hand.
md suddenly the interior of the
mooth stone spiral below her sprang
ut into vivid Wilderness under a
trong electric light.
The door opened. Madam" said
he severe-faced woman who acted as
err personal maid-speaking. she
bought. in a voice in which anxiety
I'd satisfaction mingled-''would bet
II go back TO bed"
A strange sensation came over the
rl as she heard her. 1t was as II she
1t a great cold hand upon her Shout
impersonaI, inhuman touch
! the Gorgam Trust arresting her,
king her back to her luxurious
-ison-to await one of the two dis
iters which was now to come rpon
n.