Evening star., 1926-10-03

her-muff1ed sounds from WheeZv
old melodeon but this time there was
no mistaking their meaning ~ uuFG1
service was about to take place
Yes. the voice belonged to priest,
chanting. Vespers,
A church! A great tide OF thank
fulness overwhelmed the girl, A
church, Not prison! No harm
could come 70 one In holy place!
She began to picture her surround
ings. imagining wayside chapel such
as she had seen beside the road dur
ing her wild automobile trip, and be-
ing a South American IL did not oc-
cur to her that there was anything
strange about such a place, one was
accustomed to churches.
Once again she reviewed her situa'
ton and found it much less appalling.
She must be directly under the altar.
In safe place She had fruit. cake
and wine. One could live a long time
on such nourishmen- It was com
forting to hear the music. crude as II
was. She lay back upon the straw,
infinitely relieved.
The vesper service drew to a close.
the church was empty once more.
thought of a long night alone in the
church brought fresh qualms. How
long would this Imprisonment last?
1t occurred to her that II might be
we'll to find out all that was possible
before darkness overlook her. and
moving cautiously she explored her
small quarters. finding g. small door
in the grated walls. It was locked.
The ceiling next claimed her atten'
ton. Solid boards. The floor? Care
fully she swept aside the straw, go
ing over the stone floor inch by inch.
Stone Immediately beneath her. More
stone then wood. Her heart thumped
as she cleared larger space and
found door. tightly closed.
What lay beneath? Dare she Iook?
She debated the question so long
that darkness overlook her and With
a sense of relief she returned to her
bed at the other end or her hiding
place and lay down once more. She
would pray and sleep and morning
would come.
Black night. Mice running about,
and in spite Of all the courage she
could muster. terror deepened in her
heart Thoughts of Paul. the dear
old convent. where she had been at
peace: the future mingled with the
fearful awe of her present position.
Hours must have passed and still the
darkness did not lift. Then a. queer
grating sound beneath slight creak.
ing. The trapdoor was being raised.
Carolita gave up all hope, only
praying, that death might come quick.
ly. She could hear some one scuffling
through the darkness, a, whisper
reached her:
Missy! No scream! no hurt!
make you safe!'
Strong arms lifted her, and so. para.
lyzed by fright that admitted Of no
sound or resistance, she felt herself
being carried through the trap in the
floor, down some stairs and deposited
upon the ground in the darkness. A
moment she was released, while her
captor closed the trap above him.
Then once more she was being car.
ried. dragged along a low passage.
while the man spoke to her in low.
rapid tones, foreign tones
Missy, no frighten. no hurt. much.
ly safe at home soon. no speak,
No need to warn her into silence.
She could not have spoken then. No.
not TO save her immortal SOUL
The passage through which she was
being dragged was long and damp.
The blanket in which she was rolled
grew wet and uncomfortable, and the
air was very hot. She felt as If she
were being carried in the crater Of
volcano, yet she could not have made
a move to help herself. BY the time
the end of the tunnel was reached she
was mercifully beyond fear. Nature
had come to her rescue. inclosing her
in a blessed oblivion.
When Carolita regained conscious.
ness she was huddled into the back
seat of an automobile. dashing through
the night, and it took some minutes
for her to find herself and recall the
thrilling circumstances from which
she had SO recently emerged. Except
for the driver she was the sole occu-
pant of the car, a closely curtained
touring model, making tremendous
speed.
"On my way to nowhere again"
was her dreary. hopeless reaction.
Soon III come to the end of the
world and have to jump off. Nobody
will miss me!' Bitterness overcalne
her
The driver Of the car was silent.
never turning his head in her direc-
ton. He was a small man, undoubt.
edly the one who had dragged her
from the church. Why hadn't she
called out to the priest to come to her
rescue? Had she been hypnotized dur.
ing those hours under the altar?
who are you? Where are you TAX.
ing me-" she called to her captor at
last. desperate with suspense and IA
tigue. "If YOU don't tell me I'll throw
myself out Of the car. You can't stop
me-"
The driver did not turn his head.
but his answer came promptly.
II Japan boy for Missys friends.
Tell Missy, always no hurt. soon ack
home now. Muchly lovely. no trouble.
Missy sleep. yes?"
But how can I know" the girl re-
Piled desperately. Are you the one
who took me from the church,"
Japan boy take Missy all places, all