The Wilmington morning star., 1940-06-08
CHAPTER

Oll1A1 4d1t
T expected to be knitted or club
bed, but my assailant was not yet
ready to do away with me.
His hand ~expertly found my
mouth and stuffed a fold OF the
sack into it before I could cry out.
Another rope went around my head
and 1 felt myself biting into It,
thoroughly gagged.
There" grunted William Gala
'"There amt going to be any more
spying on me"
1 kicked fruitlessly. He knocked
me to the ground and tied my
ankles. Then he picked me up and
dumped me on the steps. HIS Key
rattle in the lock. I was dragged
inside. The door was shut.
For a long time I lay there, my
mind whirling with wild Ideas OF
how I might escape, while he con-
t1nued his work with the clnklng
bottles.
Through the sack 1 could just
make out the dim glow of the
electric light. Suddenly it snapped
out and a moment later | was lift
ed by those steel arms again and
carried down a flight of steps,
somewhere inside the building. |
didn't understand where we could
be going, at first, because l knew
the building was too low to the
ground to have a basement. Then
/ heard the familiar tapping of wa
er and knew we we're in some Sc
cret boat refuge.
l was dropped so that the sharp
edge of a board struck me in the
middle of the back. 1 couldn't help
groaning and a kick was added to
my pains. Keep still, you or
dered my captor.
The board was rocking under
me, l was in a small boat again,
probably another rowboat like the
one in which he had kidnapped me.
One after another l felt thud-
ding jars in the craft as sacks of
bottles, and other sacks containing
something softer, were dropped
into it. 1 decided that the boot
logger took along a few sacks Of
potatoes in case he were ever stop
ped and questioned.
A door slammed overhead and
the man climbed into the boat and
showed off, kicking my legs aside.
The water gurgled and splashed
not far from my ears. One arm be-
gan to feel damp. This boat was
not as good as his other one had
been.
The oars creaked slowly in the
oarlocks, but there was scarcely a
sound in the water. The fellow
was an expert.
Dimly again through the sack
ing I saw a light shining, and knew
we were out on the river. Unex-
pectedly there came a deep throat
ed whistle and a great splashing
near us. Our boat tossed and rock
ed as though it would upset:
I wondered if the fellow was
going to tie a weight to me and
drop me overheard. The longer he
delayed, the more terrible the
possibilities that raced through my
mind.
Time went on and on. It seemed
as though we must have rowed
and orifted for miles. Occasionally
we stopped and i heard the boot
logger walking up the steps of
boat landings or along graveled
paths. He would come back jim
Cling coins in his pocket and re-
sume his rowing.
Finally, after an extra long time
without landing anywhere, when I
had come to the conclusion that
our boat must be nearly empty.
1 heard the oar scrape as he
drew them in, and then his hoarse
voice in my ear.
well, I got rid of it all tonight.
in spite of you. Thought you were
pretty smart, didn't you. Too
smart" He gave me anothr kick.
IF it's any satisfaction to you, I'm
leavin' town. You've made it too
hot for me. But you're going a
long, long ways farther"
1 decided this was his way of
RET.A T.ANAN COIIpT d