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# THE PEOPLE, BABHWELL, 8. \ CHAPTER XI—Continued. —17— ' • I stole as silently as possible across to the door. It was securely locked, of course, and could be forced open, If at all, only by creating considerable alarm. I stood, staring helplessly about, feeling the Impossibility of escape. I could only wait for my Jail ers to appear, impotent to aid myself in any way—or her. After all, that last thought was the most Impelling. That they suspected Maiie Gessler of being implicated In both murder and robbery was clearly evident; Indeed, they not only suspected, but were con vinced that she had done the dead. I was secretly obliged to admit that they had some reason to so believe; that they even possessed proof which would probably convict her In court of the crime. This gave them a ter rible advantage over' the girl, once they had her bodily in their posses sion. Guilty or not guilty, she could not establish her Innocence; under torture and threat, such as they would doubtless use In their money lust, there was no knowing what might happen. Alone, helpless In the grasp of these unscrupulous crooks, her fate might he death, disgrace. Certainly It would be fool Insult, and. If she failed \ to yield, the desire for revenge might /even drive those cowards to a secret denouncement of her to the police. This, howtrer. would be their last re sort ; they would exhaust all otper efforts first. And no one else knew of her danger; no one else was In position to aid her; she moat face this gang absolutely alone unleas I could effect an escape. It was not merely my own life at stake; hers was also In the balance And the time In which to act was abort. If 1 escaped at all. It must he ar cc •Utpll*hed 1 •eft •re 1 my jailers re- fume fr rfore They dreamed that 1 he A srv m* ed from nr murinoaneas. nr ha <1 mV m rgth rtv oug it to make the an 1 |M Yet i r ha it possible way SO. rgv Bt 9*61 Ifself? I felt In ray pocket *; 1 -H p y Ve | m utterly eni ISkt y. except fur a Mr 1 lb If k f IV f* rlooked bll 1 There was no im “St! % as# VI nth 0f tbsa the win* Ad fg f that an <1 bofele**. Yel In ih r N »•' r utluo 1 cr «J w sed over once ia< I again till ed out. Could I- -Is tr i —aH‘*»»l X to cling to that *1 —a t 1 i «!i cr In iuj r st or king fuet. even t for to teac omcep: head re la prof It by « window How n regain Tet » or* t-nr I p.*WHS ••|.s neceaaary >w? The eery feat mad# my they c no pleasant Job, to be sure, and I wajs compelled to steel myself to the attempt, yet I no longer held back para lyzed by fear. I easily found a secure fastening for the strip of bed-spread i-at my own window, and then, satisfied that It was taut, hnd securely held at both ends, lowered my body cautiously over the sill, until my stockinged feet nervously gripped the narrow stone of tba coping. I dare not look down or penult my mind to dwell for an Instant on what was below. Slowly I straightened up, until my entire weight was upheld by this precarious foot-hold. To advance step by step was impossible; all I could hope to accomplish In locomotion was to stealthily advance one foot a few Inches, sliding It along the stone, ever retaining contact, and then, as care fully drawing the other after until they met, toe and heel. It was the slow progress of a snail, yet the slight est effort at hurrying would mean a certain fall. This was not unduly perilous, how ever, so long as I retained firm hold on the Bill, or even could grip my fingers over the lower frame of the open blind, as I was enabled thns to partially sustain my weight, and, even If a foot slipped, the feel of the solid wood yielded confidence. But finally my hand readied out and grasped only the doth cord, twisted Into some sem blance of a rope, and, as It gave slck- enlngly to the pressure, the old fesr swept over me In a torrent of agony. I could never make It—never! I would go swirling, crashing down to that death below. It was bat s^step. to be sore; a step and I could reach the firmness of the other Mind; hut. oh, the step—the speechless horror of It! Y*e there was no going beckwanl: I tried this, only to realise at once Its Impossibility, and the perspiration burst out from every pore, as the full horror of my sitoattoti suddenly flashed over me. I must go na. trust ing to that thin. nnstaMe cord, balanc ing myself above the gulf. Tlierv was no other way. do retreat. Do means of escape I da not know Dow how the act was accomplished; it is hardly a e one or two I Hi the nett wtn< irtoft of au«-h a fd giddily and my stomach rise ~t. Besides even If I made me miracle, what If that other should he Hosed and locked? mid I ever move backward to lafetr? alt: there *as a way. danger- ugh to be sure, yet poasIMe If s»*| the necessary nerve. There tened hl'nds at each window; ould help some as grasping « *l>ots for the hands. The one within reach rppeared solid enough, firmly anchored m the casement, and secured to the brick wall hy means of an Iron hook. Between the two the apace to ho traversed was not wide; a single stride on the ground beneath would bridge the distance. If I had some Ihlng to dins above—anything that would keep me upright—I might hold tny on the narrow stone and iflAkf I*** passage slowly. It was a .tinil'-g. .‘.sadly venture, but possible. ll'j; what could I hope to utilize as a hi;'port? The hare room offered hut n single suggestion—the dirty coverlet which had been thrown over me. Toni apart from corner to corner, and twisted Into the form of a rope. It ought to safely sustain my entire weight In case a foot supped. I started to tear with my teeth, and thus succeeded In ripping the' thing from - end to end. It was scarcely long enough for the purpose, which com- pdled me to make the noose corre spondingly small. However, with this Improvised lasso gripped In my right hand. I took position astride the sill of the window, In an endeaver to pro ject the loosened-end over some pro tuberance’of the blind beyond. By holding tight to the fraipe with my loft hand, the right was left free, and I was enabled to lean out far enough to obtain a clear toss. There was little the noo«se could.catch on, and continued failure left me listless and discouraged. I lost hope, yet kept afTETaud finally, to my surprise, Iho ring of the cloth settled over an "Iron projection of the hinge, and dung- there, extending straight acro& from window to window. I hardly (Jared breathe as I drew the thing taut and tested the firmness with which It was held at the other end. The noose closed down tightly about the Iron staple, and resisted every effort at re lease, To all seeming It was as safely anchored as though I bad placed It there by hand. Somehow th« very knowledge that this had been aocom- plished, that the way wkl open, brought with It a renewal of the feel ing of horror with which I had first contemplated the .possibility of such an accomplishment. Would I ever dare the attempt? My bead swam as ' I gazed downward, aod then acmes, and ! shrank back sbaolotely terrified at the vary thacfht Tot my Dorvo rammed, sad 1 f ocnd The Sleeper Wae Marie Geeelerl memory, except as some wild delirium of sleep haunts one when they awake. Inch by Inch I crept, hand encroach ing on hand, foot pressing against foot, every slightest movement’ an In expressible agony—then I gripped the support of wood once more, and clung to It as with the grasp of death. I clung there until my mind came hack, until I felt the return of strength to my body, and I could look down through the moonlight without reeling dizzily. The blind was strong, firmly braced, and I felt safe In Its protec tion. But what about the window beyond? Suppose It should be locked? or the room into which I opened, occupied? I could not continue to cling there in uncertainty: I must learn the truth—assure myself that I had not passed through alt this tense agony In vain. > I moved slowly, barely an Inch at a time, each advancing foot feeling for support, but more confident bow because of the grasp of my fingers oo IfTe upper wood. The window was closed, but dark and grltfly looking’, as though the room, within had been long unoccupied. Its very appearance gave me courage. I balanced myself on the precarious footing of the ^tone, clinging tenaciously with'my left hand to' the Iron hinge of the blind, while my right endeavored to raise the sash. At Tlret I believed the window 4 firmly fastened down—the suspicion leaving me numb with despair. But reckless tugging loosened jtg bold, and enabled me to shove up the sash little by little, until finally the open ing became soAclent for me to squeeze through. I felt as though I had re turned from the dead, the nervous re action so great that I lay for a moment | m the floor where I had fallen, un able to move. 1 knew I was aloocu the *»cr an tenanted, the walla as bare as i» time other room from which JL * w I had fled. I knew' this, and 1q my exhaustion eared to know no more. Then I staggered to my knees, and, with opened eyes stared curiously about, gathering m^ wits together. There was nothing to see but the four walls. I tried the door, and it opened silently, fiennlttlng me t0 glanoe out Into a narrow dark hall way, ynearpeted. T ...could dl^tHjy discern the top of a flight of stalra leading down to the story below. I slipped out, and closed the door softly behind me, being plunged instantly Into funereal blackness. I groped a way forward toward the stairs, guided by a hand against the wall, until the touch of the upper rail assured me of my position. A narrow- strip of carpeting—rag I took -it to be from the feeling—extended down the center of the start’s, sufficient to muffie any footsteps, and I paused a moment listening for the slightest noise amid the darkness beneath. All remained still and mysterious; so that I drew forth my shoes from a'coet pocket and slipped them on. Twice the boards creaked ominously under my tread, sounding terrific In that silence, and causing me to hang In suspense over the banister rail, bolding my breath In fear of discovery. At last I attained the wider space at the bottom, and sought blindly to ex plore ray surroundings. But for the carpet underfoot, and a small sofa encountered in a recess. I would have believed myself In a deserted house. I knew I was on the third floor, yet there was no curve In the banisters, showing a way to the next flight of stairs, nor could I locate them hy any effort. As the result of blindly groping about. I lost all sense of direction and most have wandered Into a side room through an undraped recess, for I suddenly brought up against a table, littered with papers and hooka. 8t art led by this encounter Into a rrellaatluo that I was Inst la a strange house et an Unholy hour of the morn ing. and that the slightest misstep In that darkness might result in an alarm to awaken every sleeper, for a few minutes I did not venture to move In any direction. Yet manifestly I could not remain there Indefinitely, and so. Mindly choosing a course, I set forth, feeling a way cautiously forward until I first ran Intu a chair, and then struck one hand against a aide wall. I fol lowed this latter aa heet I could, inspired by the thought that If I con tinued this course long enough I must attain the opening through which 1 had entered the room, tin the way my hands fait the outlines of a rkmed door. and. In aimlessly groping about, encountered a key In the lock. It waa so Inserted aa to be extracted at the touch of my fingers and Instant ly a tiny ray of light shot forth through the vacated hole. It was such a relief In the heart of that darkness as to cause me to quickly bend down and endeaver to view the scene within. It was evidently a chamber of some sise, and well furnished, rather dimly HUimlnaled hy a single shaded electric globe, a handsome green' rug on the floor, and numerous pictures hung aliont tlie- walls. I could perceive the outlines of a bed at one side, barely within the range of the vialon. and opposite this an ornate dresser, with three mirrors. But what my eyes rested upon with greater Interest was a luxurious leather couch beside the further wall on which a woman rested, with some sort of covering draped about her. She lay with fare toward the wall, motionless, and to all appear ances sound asleep. * • To arouse her was the last thing I desired, and I would-have slipped the key hack Into the lock, and stolen silently along In the darkness, had she not suddenly stirred, flinging out one hand as thoifl^ In fear of some dream, and turned partially, so that her face became clearly visible. The sleeper was Marie Gessler! For a moment I could seaf’cely ctedit the discovery; yet there could be no mistake. I re membered too well every character istic of the girl, to he deceived. (TO BE CONTINUED.) S Reasonable Excuse. Pr. Harvey \V. Wiley, the noted food expert, and .Dr. Samuel Wilson, re tired minister, were discussing old times one day last week. Both the men are graduate* of Han over corjlege, near the Ohio river, along which the/minister spent his early “I remember the great floods of ’82, ’83 and ’84” said Dr. Wilson. “Dur ing one of those floods we had to re tire to the second floor, and then to the third floor,^ “We had to cook our food over the grate ” be recalled, “In the morning we would let down a bucket on a rope to the milkman, who came in a skiff.” Dr. Wiley smllejL "That would he some excuse for watering the milk,” he aald. I A Slam. He—Witty people make me tired. She—Trying to keep up with them. I suppose.— Boston Transcript PLANTERS SIGNING SECRETARY OF CO-OPERATIVI MARKETING ASSOCIATION IS MUCH ENCOURAGED. MUCK ENTHUSIASM PREVAILS Farmers In Any County, Impatient to Sign, May Receive Contracts by Applying to Headquarters. Columbia. Six of the largesl planters In the state signed the cotton cooperative marketing contract lastwr sek. accord ing to an announcement made by Har old C. Booker, secretary of the South Carolina Cotton Growers’ Co-operative association. The six planters were, Harry G. Kaminer of Gadsden. R. C. Hamer ot Acton, ’Louis I. Glion of Lugoff. Former Gov. Richard I. Man ning of Columbia, D. Butst Anderson of Moore and Dr. A. R. Johfiston of St. George. Letters are pouring In from all over the state felling of the enthusiasm which Is prevailing for the cooperative marketing of cotton. The campaign In Spartanburg and Marion counties will be continued for g couple of weeks yet and then the forces will move on to-other counties. In the meantime the farmers in the other counties who are Impatient to sign may receive contracts hy applying to the assocla* tlons’ headquarters. That the cooperative marketing as sociation la tbf fanners' only hope of salvation Is the opinion expresed by B. D. Dargsa of Darlington In s letter I to Hsrrv G. Kaminer, president of the I association. “I can’t see a very bright future In { the hnslnee of farming nnleea we can ^ In some way stablllte the prices of I our chief crops.'* said Mr. Dergan. Good Year for Frsahyterlawa. Presbyterians particularly, and oth er denominations generally, will bo In terested in, the tact that this state atands fourth In membership In the Southern Presbyterian church in the 15 Etates comprising that organization and is outranked by North Carolina, Virginia and Texas, Probably no ay- nod Is better organized. This and oth er Intereating facta are available In the minutes of the meettpg of the gen eral assembly held recently in SL Louis. " „ In Soutb~Caroltna there are 32,911 members, a gain ot 7,688 In ten years; just about 30 per cent. There were received into the church on profes sion of faith last year 1,041 persons or about five to every 100. members. The Sunday school enrollment was 26,555. or 80 to each 100 members, the largest ever reported. The receipts tor benevolent causes amounted to 3456,786 or about |13.87 per capita. This is well above the average of the church as a whole. Tha total gifts to all causes amounted to 31.049,183 or 331.84 per capita, the largest amount ever contributed. In 1911 they gave to all causes only 312.11 per member. ! The report shows that the year Just closed was the best the church ever had. The membership Increased 20,- 541 In the entire Southern Presby terian church, making the total now 397.058. * Mar Is Due Is P&RU-NA BBS, A very dependable remedy niter protrEOed ricknras, the grip or Span* bh Flu. PE-RU-NA la • good have oe IN US1 FIFTY YIAA3 SURELY DESTINED TO SHINE ; The Weather During July. | The month of July waa a medtoerity according to the moethlv report of 1 Richard H. Ralllvaa. meterologist ta | charge of the Columbia weather hu- , r.aa. thermal cnndUloes foe the ft ' davs raagtnc cioee to tho seasonal average “Rainfall, however, was sw- ! perabun<Uat on the whole.” Mr del- i tlvaa aaya. “and was excessive I throughout nearly the entire coastal > plain, while over a large portion of the Piedmont the monthly amount* were below normal "All vegetation Improved wonderful- tv inrM*n» to the mine which finally I exceeded all need* la the major por- I tlon of the coastal plain Tobacco carina Is neariag romp lo tion Having has been bumpered hy local rains la many parts. * Want Meney far Pech Medal. A movement to’ raise lioo from I esch etate la the aaloa through the ! school children fpr a medal to be pre- j seated to Marshal Foch when tha dla- l tinrulshed general visits America this , fall and at the same time U» raise | from 36 MM to Slfl.MM from each state for the establishment of two memorial high schools la France has been railed td the attention of Governor Cooper. “Full Speed Ahead." That this fall should aee all tn read loess to signal “full speed ahead’’ is the opinion of Lee T. Eastman, presi dent of a motor car company of New York, expressed in a letter to A. Ma son Gibhes. president of the South Cat* oltna Automotive Trade association. “There is nothing we should be more thankful for la this period of readjustment.'* says Mr. Eastmaa. “than that the transition to a state of normalcy Is a slow and gradual one. If you have ever seen the long shiver that runs down a llna of freight care whan thay first gat undue way. you know how that first Jerk of the loco motive trmvela back ovar tba whole line until every car Is ta motioa Full speed ahead at the start would havu been Impossible The whole Hue way down to the cabooee at tha ead. had to gat movlag first. Youth’s First Performance an Assur ance ©f n** F-t”— *' , stlnction a an Architect. A Chlrapo man stopped an architect In the street. “Good morning. HafHIns” said the architect. “Are you thinking of build ing again?" “No; I stopped you to Inquire whether you could take my son Into your office as an apprentice. With training I believe he would some day prove n magnificent architect ” “He has shown some talent, has he?” asked the architect, glumly, for he was disappointed at not getting an other contract. “Talent! Genlns, sir; poaltivu genius!” “What has he done?" “He designed a garden for onr Christmas tree.” “Well, what Is there so remarkable about that?” “Why.” answered the father. “1 signed that garden for 38 and It 9X1!"—Philadelphia Ledger coat SWAMP-ROOT FOR KIDNEY AILMENTS as a Anrsaation Commission No mod. Commlssloaors to examlao the pw tltlon of tho voters of Brooklaad sad surrounding territory to join Richland county wars appointed by the gover- In favor of tho saaoxatton am P 1. Wesslaser. Broolaad; opposed to tho sBaezattou are George Bell Thames mam. Lazlagtou. aud D. E George The commission will examine all tha records, aee If the petition moots with coaslnational raqatremonta and then report to the governor If tho roamlaetoaers make a favors bit re port an election oa tao anauxallon move will be ordered Dr. big beet for the te be just the n its mild sad fueitsed is moot the It la a rat ■tores la bottles of two m sad bras. * Cb, ■ample battle. Wbsa V. Y, far * -Advt Unwarranted Pellagra Scare. Additional reports were received , from physicians over the state bv Dr. { James A. Hsyne. state health officer, in regard to the alleged pellagra out break famine situation aald by the public health service in Washington and President Harding to exist in the South. All these renorts. Dr. Hayne said, are along the line* received sev eral days ago and Indicate no out break of pellagra. « It must be awfully nice to be rich that yea ran afford In about the Lever A Wallace to Speak. The attractive booklet announcing the premium list of the third annual tri-county fair at Andrews, October 11, through October 15, Is published. A feature of the fair this year will be the agricultural day,' Friday. Oc tober 14, when Henry C. Wallace, United States secretary of agriculture, and Asbury F. Lever of the farm loan board will be present, both delivering addresses. Successful Industrial 'Camp. T. B. Lanham, state secretary of the South Carolina Y. M. C. A., return ed from the industrial training camp at Camp Tippecanoe, near Saluda, N: C„ and reported a jnost successful en campment for the mill boys. ’ “This Is the first attempt at a train ing camp for industrial^ boys and the officers In charge of the camp are most pleased with the results,” Mr Lanham said. The encampment, which was held at the regular encampment site of the Spdrtanburg “Y.” was In progress four days. Fall Opening at University. For the first time In many years If not in history, formal -onening exer ciser'will be held at the University of South Carolina the second day of the seeelon, September 22. is the univer sity chapel. Former Representative A. F. Laver, of th^ federal farm loan board. Wash ington. baa consented to speak for tha occasion and will fernlsh tbs major portion of the program. The members of the utvarslty fac ulty will be Copper Distillery fileaed. Federal and state officers captured a boose mill sear Oedsdea. but fulled to find the owner or operator. The still waa of between M and te gal lon* capacity and made of cepper. The joy plant was one tha “yoa find It” braad. haring vome*blaf of a new effect ta the manner of hiding tba fire under the boilers Federal Officers rol»m«n sad Scott and State Constable Siryrl were la the raid lag party. — Effective T« Te ellailoate a greet number af petty lunoveuleur** that generally go with washing the teeth Ip the moot ing. a fountain tonthbrush te a prac tical recent Invention, .aaya Pnp- alar Mechanics Magazine. Within tha brush handle Is a narrow compart ment designed to carry a tab# of paste. To wash the teeth, the brief lea of the brushes are wetted and tba paste from the Inner tabes Int rod need to them hy turning a knurled collar at the end of the handle, which forma It out Health Campaign te Begin. Dr. L. A. Riser, head of the bureau of rural sanitation, state department of hfealth, will conduct a two weeks’ health campaign In Anderson county. Lectures, moving pictures and other health features will be given the pe> pie of the county. A large number of meetings and ex hibitions have been arranged for var ious sections of the county. —I _ H onset, at Any Rate. “Am I the first girt yoa ever loved?" “No. dearie.' But I rame to this resort with 3300 saved up. I’ll cheer fully buy you Ira cream and randy ! until !*ve spent my wad.”—LouUrrfllp | Courier-Journal. """ 11 1 ■ Transfer Tresckow by Request Orders transferring Lieut. Col. E. C. vonTreckow to the reserve corps were issued by Adjutant General Grant. Lieutenant Colonel vonTresckow re signed big office in the National Guard several days ago hnd at hia own re quest he was placed on the reserve list, .. The order also contained notice cf federal recognition grant’d tc Second Lieut. James B. GardnSP, Company L, First infantry, S. C. N-. G., Hartsvllle. Unregistered Automobiles. Registration of automobiles, trucks and other motor vehicles in South Carolina continues to show a large number of these vehicles “missing” so far as the state highway is Concerned- Figures to date, including the month of July, show that during the present year 79,597 automobiles, 6,772 trucks, 50 trailers, 712 motorcycles and 651 dealers have been licensed. These figures were compiled and announced by L. H.Thomas, secretary of the the State highway commission. * Signs up Entire Crop. Former Gov.- Richard I. Manning attached bis signature to the cotton •co-opergtlve marketing contract and will sell all thb cotton he grows oa hti Sumter county plantation through tha South Carolina Cotton Growers’ Co-operative association, accord lag to a recent Interview. In sending Harry Q. Kaminer. prest- dent of the association, his < Mr Mans lug wrote: - my of GENUINE Bull’’ DURHAM tobacco makes 50 good qgarsttes for • 10c What Cause* Skin Troubles? Mhixy ot tho fiary, itching ikla troubles pro due solely to dfak- ordsrs of tho .blood. Don’t lot thooo tepuritiofi torture you. Thousands harp gotten relief from such troubled * fit A. ft, *e M X '-v n