The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1937-08-26

out until her throat was hoarse and
Iparched.
Kay took a mighty grip on her
self control, and forced down her
panic. She must think! Think
Nothing but her wits could save
her!
A memory of Josh Hastings
words that he had shouted back
through the door in his parting
rage flashed over her. What had
he meant by saying that The had
used this place once before?" Kay
lshivered at the thought of the sin
lister, gloating tone in which he had
said that. And his threat to come
backl How soon would he make
that good?
Kay CROPPED her way around the
cellar, feeling the damp walls,
from the rough rafters overhead,
to the floor.
Even though all attempt to es-
cape was futile, anything was bet
ter than inaction. Systematically
starting at one end, she examined
her prison, bit by bit. The only air,
apparently, came from a grating
in the ceiling, which gave into
darkened room above.
Half way around the second
wall, she pulled away a piece of
scrap iron that seemed to be stick
ing out of an angle of the wall in
peculiar fashion. It was much
longer than she had expected, and
thrusting her hand into the hole
that it left in the wall as she drew
il away, her fingers encountered
smooth object that made her ex-
claim and draw back in sudden
terror.
She steeled herself to investi-
gate, and put. her hand in again.
She drew out smooth fiat object.
which turned out to be small
leather notebook. It might have
been a diary or address book.
Enchanting over her discovery,
Kay held it close 70 her eyes and
opened it, but strain as she would,
she could make nothing out of the
pages, which might, or might not
have been merely blank.
Bread And Water
a RASPING of the key in the
"A door startled her so that her
find dropped to the floor, and was
temporarily forgotten as she
rushed for the dim streak of light
that showed for a minute, as some
thing was thrust inside the door.
Before she could reach it, the door
was slammed to without a word
having been said, and the key
turned again. On the floor, when
Kay got over to the door, she found
csnteen of water and a loaf of
bread.
With strangled cry of rage, she
Snatched up the bread and would
have flung it from her, but sober
second thought stopped her.
If Josh Hastings really meant to
carry out his bastard threat to
Starve her into submission, she
needed every ounce of strength she
could get. Deliberately she gulped
down some of the bread with the
aid of sips of water from the can
teen, finishing as much as she
could, then CROPPED her way back
to about where she had dropped
the notebook. Feeling around on
the floor, she finally found it, and
slipped it in her pocket.
Then she settled down beside the
old forge, leaned her head against
it and determined to think her way
out. But exhaustion mercifully
overlook her, and she dropped into
a restless sleep.
How long she slept, Kay never
knew, but she was finally reused
by thinking she heard footsteps
overhead. "A startled scream broke
from her as her fevered magma
ton, stung to the highest pitch by
the Nightmares that had been tor
turing her sleep, pictured the
bulky form of Josh Hastings about
to descend on her.
In answer to her scream, the
footsteps rushed across the floor
above, and the next instant, she
heard Ted's voice calling her name
in hoarse subdued tone.
Certain now that she was still
dreaming, Kay struggled to an
Swer, but her voice died in her
throat. That was the way it was
with Nightmares, she thought, des4
perateIy. You always tried TO call
out, and couldn't. I'll : s.tJsfE
''Kayl Kayl" Again Ted's voice
called. with its hushed but per-
emptory note. Where ara your
Answer mel" &s. i
This time, Kay's dumbness gave
way to the joyful realization that
she wasn't dreaming and that, in
credible as il seemed, Ted was ac-
tually there.
'Herel' she called. an the cell
lar. The door is locked"
To hell with the doorl"
Another moment, and Ted was
wrenching with an iron bar at the
grating in the ceiling above Kay's
head.
Keep clear from below therel"
he called, and Kay shrank back
and waited, her heart beating q
wild tattoo. and her breath coming
fast through her parted lips.
There was Splintering sound.
as the wood at last gave way, and
the iron grating was torn loose.
The next instant. there was .
swish. as Of q body slipping
through the opening. and a thud on
the door.
KAY stepped blindly forward
and Tedss arms closed about her.
feoptrteAs, 1857. MsrSs ds Nsrraaxl
Ted and Kay plan to SET JssA Has.