Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-02-11

The professor and Patricia stared down at
him in amazement.
Goldl
Carson suddenly staggered to his feet.
his eyes shot with a terrible avarice. The
woman and a fortune; And nothing stand
Patricia screamed as she saw the look
In his eyes. The professor turned quickly at
her cry-but not in time. With terrific sud
d%enness Carson flung himself forward. AMI
demon.
Patricia grew still with a deadly still.
ness. All the fear that had gone before was
as nothing compared to this. The profess
sor was weary-breathless. The struggle
would be over before it had begun. The
two fell rolling to the floor at her feet.
Over and over they rolled, reaching for
each others throats-eyes-
With a ferocity of which she had not be-
lieved herself capable, Patricia suddenly
brought the butt end of her flashlight down
on Carson's face. Again-again-
He uttered a howl of rage and momen-
tarily relaxed his hold. The professor got
to his feet: half blinded. AS he tossed the
hair out of his eyes Carson was up again,
charging at him like a bull
Through a daze Patricia heard his laugh.
She would be left alone-walled up in this
room with that beast. That other dead.
She fell to her knees.
The cry was q prayer.
She suddenly realized that her knees were
resting on something soft. She pressed the
button of her flashlight with a last mad
hope.
4 woman's red silk shawl heavily
embroidered, useless thing, fashioned to
crafty feminine vanity and frivoiity.
She turned 1t over with a cry that was
terrible / nits Illustration. She had prayed
for help and this had been given her.
carson had the professor up against the
wall now He hppt his hpad hapk
Once-twice-
Patricia screamed. For a moment she
stood inert. Then her body Strengthened
With a sudden pantherlike movement she
flung down her flashlight and swung the
enveloping folds of the shawl over Carson's
head,
Taken aback by the sudden onslaught
he staggered-Patricia twisted the shawl
round and round and drew it savagely
back.
The professor, suddenly released, hurled
himself on Carson's body, bearing 1t down.
The man kicked and fought like a steer,
but the professor, with the strength OF
desperation, choked the folds of the shawl
into his face-dug his hands into his
Sobbing, Patricia CROPPED for the light
she had left fall. The horrid choking sounds
unnerved her.
Ell family, when at last there was silence.
Hell keep quiet for a while at least, y
he said. "But i've got to find something
to bind and gag him."
Patricia's fingers touched her light. 1--WE
can use the shawl" she whispered. 'If
you have a knife. 1t Is so heavy it will be
hard to tear it." She was painting; the hot
excited blood was in her cheeks; her eyes
flashed.
The professor faced her with the whim-
steal light she had first seen In his eyes.
"You are not a ghost" he said.
Patricia began to cry. He told her 1t
wasn't necessary to do that-he had been
convinced long ago.
How can you-jest," sobbed Patricia,
when we are buried-alive?"
Life is a Jest said the professor, as he
proceeded to bind and gag Carson. 1--WE
have only platitudes with which to face
death!
lie went over and examined the door
again-very carefully this time.
Time has been kind" he said. 1.-THE
wood in which the clamps holding these
stanchions is embedded has almost rotted
away. If had some sort OF a
lever now. Let's investigate, Thank God
for your light"
They went carefully over every inch OF
space in the room. Most Of the chests and
boxes resisted all efforts to open them,
but the rotted sacks gave away at q touch.
Gold and embroderies fliched from affairs.
Precious relics and jewels. Treasurers of
all sorts had been stuffed into them by
ravenous hands.
"By Jovei" stammered the man, stag
gered. There's a fortune buried here"
Patricia turned over the gold indiffer-
emily. what does 1t matter" she said trag-
ically, IF we are buried here with it2"
The man gave an exclamation. He had
come suddenly upon a heavy silver cup,
He lifted it In his hands, and going over
to the door began to rain fierce blows on
the stanchions.
They did not move!
"Nobody knows we are here" walled Pa
tricia. mo one will ever come to find us =
The professor smiled his little whimsical
smile. "People have died worse deaths" he
said philosophically. Look at those lonely
blood stains on the wall. Little
white hands. Can't you imagine the
owner plucking at that door? Perhaps she
helped her lover store this booty here,
meaning to escape with him If her husband
had not interfered. Perhaps she
was walled up here as a punishment for
her infidelity, and her lover In revenge
killed her husband and then ran mad.
Perhaps"
but what does it all matter to us 2"
walled Patricia mutinously, 'if we have
| got to die"
The tall thin man applied his shoulder to
the door. 1--WE only known you for a night
of my life" he said. But IL death must
come | would like to have you by me.
A hot flush swept over Patricia's face
20, try again. she cried desperately. The
man battered with the cup on the door.
I'm afraid Ii isn't any USE" he said, and
then, even as he spoke. the cup bent In his
hand.
With a crash the stanchions pulled loose
from the wood. The heavy door swung In
ward.
They stood for a moment, stunned at the
ease of dellvaranpp A breath of cool all