The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1929-06-14

voices. They drew back into an I'M
lighted chamber, of whose dimen-
sions they could not Judge. Here they
waited, having for the moment no set
plan Of action. Juniors guess seemed
to be correct one. For some reason
which might soon be discovered, the
owner of the Gray house was allowed
to use only one-third of his cellar
space. Unknowns occupied the rest,
and had piled lumber in 1t. More
than that-unknowns made their
homes here and breakfasted here.
When the distant voices ceased,
Handy turned on the fashlight and
looked about him. They had strayed
into stOrerOom. On shelves were
potatoes. onions, carrots, pears, and
apples. The floor was of concrete.
and an electric light bulb was the
source of illumination.
Il bet I'm paying for their juice !"
Handy whispered.
He stopped suddenly. At last he
heard footsteps. The three took what
cover they could in the corners.
Luigi entered, and switched on the
light. 1t was Junior whom he first
saw. With :. roar of anger, he sprang
at the crouchins lad and had him by
the throat.
Handy remembered those dreadful
bruises on Smokers neck. He raised
the heavy cane and brought it down on
the strangers head with all his
strength.
"Thanks, dad!" said Junior, max
ing an effort at superb calm.
Bill Pelham, with yachtsman's
skill. trussed up Luigi with knots that
the ruffian could not break when he
came to. The whole thing had Occur
pied only few seconds, and aad
made little sound. Luigi's cry of rage,
apparently, had brought no one to in
vestigate its cause. They left him TO
lie in a corner. covered with sacking,
The odds we're growing more favor
able. III
Handy was amazed to see Bill Pei
ham stop before another narrow door
and slip key into the lock. He had
not noticed that his friend had taken
bundle of keys from the man he
was binding.
Pelham worked quietly. The oiled
lock made no sound. Darkness Has
% either side of the dor. Al il.,.- ~,
open, the three. listening lntenTiy,
heard q sound as of a man signing.
-Celial Cellar" sighed the unseen
.sLes!' Junior whispered, and
turned his flashlight on his friend.
Pelham shut the door and looked
about for the inevitable electric light.
Leslie Baron blinked at them in
amazement. For weeks-or so 1t
seemed-he had looked only into the
cruel face Of jailer; and now he
saw Celia's father, Celia's brother,
and Bill Pelham. His face was blood
stained, and there was a deep cut
over one eye. but he sprang to his
feet readily enough. They could see
that he was practically unhurt.
.
While the bird sanctuary was being
violated, Mr.. Appleton drank his early
coffee and took his cereal and fruit In
his customary unhurried way; but
i'll humor sat on his ford face, and
the eyes peering through his thick
lenses no longer looked childlike and
bland.
Three people were in the room with
him-the woman who had a dozen
years ago supplanted his wife, Jim
Delaney, and Luigi Bartoli. Jim had
been bully all his life. a man who
had innumerable times proved the
faulty of the axiom that every bully
is a coward. By his side stood the
big Sicilian, gesticulating wildly, and
volubie beyond words.
"You murdered a man unneces-
sarily." said Appleton coldly.
Stripped of the exuberant verbiage
interspersed with parenthetical re-
marks in his native tongue, Luigi's
story was this:
He had gone into the little room
that was Smokers cell. there to
sleep off some strong wine, and to
escape from the observant eye of John
Delaney. While slumbering, he had
suddenly awakened to find that
Snucker had stolen his knife and was
about to slit his weasand. He had
not murdered the man. He had done
what he did to save his own life. In
moments of vinOus rage he did not
properly estimate his own strength.
He had been Mortified to find Smoker
lifeless. but Luigi cOntended that not
a jury in the land would convict him
of murder.
(To BE CoNTINUEDo