Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1926-05-21

have been the envy Of the most sue
cessful exponent of that art.
For a long time nothing happened.
Then he felt the box work up toward
the mouth of his pocket He re-
newed his efforts, performing the
most ridiculous antics; but 1t stuck,
and for many minutes he could not
move it farther.
He was almost on the point Of de-
spair when the box suddenly slipped
out and fell lightly to the floor With
an exclamation Of delight, Dick
dropped his legs, and began eagerly
searching for the box with his mouth.
He picked it up finally, and tried
to open it with his lips and teeth, but
this was a feat beyond him. Half in
anger at his failure, he crunched the
wooden box with his teeth and spilled
the matches out
With another grunt of satisfaction
he fished around on the floor until he
had a match in his lips. Holding it
firmly with his teeth, he tried to
scratch 1t against the chemically
treated strip. But here again he met
with difficulty.
The light box constantly eluded
him. 1t would not remain stationary
long enough for him to scratch the
head Of the match against It, Again
and again he essayed to light one.
Dripping with cold perspiration
and desperate at his failure, he tried
every trick he could think of, and only
gave it up when exhausted. With a
groan he dropped down.
Now what all his skill had failed in
accomplishing accident performed for
! him. In dropping his body back, he
landed plump on the box and com
pletely crushed in the sides that his
teeth had started.
Dick never knew how it occurred :;
| but one match in the heap must have
been so placed that his body forced
| the impregnated head against the
rough surface of the box
There was a flash and glare, and
the whole pile of matches was ignit-
ed. The box itself took fire, forming
gOOd-sized blaze. Startled at first,
Dick stared at the fire, and then real
izing that his opportunity was quick
ly passing he thrust his two hands
over the flame until the rope began
smoking.
1t was frightful ordeal, for the
flames made no exception to his
wrists, burning them as we'll as the
rope. He had to grit his teeth to hold
back a cry Of pain, but with all the
stoicism he could command he waited
silently and patiently until box and
! matches were consumed.
BY that time the rope was burning.
He waited as long as he could, watch
ing the flames eat their way through
strand after strand. Then with a
mighty effort he jerked his hands
apart.
The rope parted near the middle,
freeing him so he could tackle the rest
/ Of his bonds with both hands. Ex
! tinguishing the fire, he began feverish-
ly to unfasten the rope that still held
his legs.
Once free and on his feet, he began
exercising his limbs to restore the cir
culatiOn. Then he flung himself down
near the small aperture in the wall,
and began tearing at the rocks.
At first he made no perceptibe
progress, but a piece of rock the size
of his fist finally yielded to his efforts.
A little examination showed him that
the wall was cracked and broken in
many places, and that by taking ad-
vantage of these he could make better
progress.
Half an hour Of hard work made him
| jubilant. The aperture was big enough
to admit a mans thigh. Renewing his
efforts he enlarged it a little more.
Thrusting a hand into the hole, he
found that beyond the mouth it was
deeper and wider
1t was nearly an hour later before
he had the hole large enough to admit
his body. He crawled through eagerly
and tremblingly. The sea air reached
his nostrils now with a strong salty
flavor.
Dick was sure that the other end
opened into a sea cove. The thought
of concealing his method of escape
came to him. SO far as possible he
had to cover up his trail.
Returning to the cave he gathered
up the other ends of the rope and
thrust them into the opening. Then
crawling in feet first, he gathered the
loose rocks up and walled up the open
ing as deftly as possible.
He shuddered little when the last
ray Of light was excluded. He felt
like a man walled up In living tomb.
If there was no way Of exit at the
other end, and If McGee should dis
cover his method Of escape and seal
up the entrance, he would indeed be
imprisoned in a living tomb without
chance of escape.
The horror of such finish sickened