Huntington North High School - Modulus Yearbook (Huntington, IN)

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— .MODULUS- Singular, ho vever, were the decorations. Upon each of the chairs were pruple cushions, at the two windows hung pui-ple curtains, and the material drawn hefore the opening of the cupboard was also purple. Even the tiny woven rug befoi-e the fireplace was carried out in the predomin- ating color-scheme. Suit you? queried the tall one maliciously. Knew that purple letter ' ud ketch yer eye, and a right good reason it should, eh? Patty Jane shrunk from his taunting presence with abhorrence. She could not hope to be rescued, for the road was lonely, and it was very unlikely that anyone should choose that one trail from all the rest, yet she lived in that hope. Well, ye ' ll have time to git used to it, he continued as he crossed the room and opened one of two doors which led from the main quarter. Make yersel ' t ' home, he mocked, as he motioned for the girl to enter, to which she complied, then heard the heavy bolt shot into place. Sinking down upon the cot she pondered over the situation. How could she make them see their mistake ? What could she do ? She looked about her. The same color-scheme was prominent here as it was in the other room. What could the significance be? Only one open space supplied ventilation and that was near the roof. Soon Hadley appeared with a plate of beans, a chunk of dry bread, and a glass of cold spring water. He eyed her in amusement for a mo- ment, then freed her and invited her to partake of the food which he had placed upon the camp-stool. Patty Jane remained motionless until he made his departure, then ruefully plunged her hands in the pockets of her coat. In her right pock- et she felt a hard metallic something which she eagerly pulled out. Her eyes lighted with pleasure as she saw, lying in the palm of her hand, her own tiny pearl handled revolver. She quickly examined it but found to her dismay that only one shot was left. She remembered that but a few days ago she had been wasting her ammunition as she prowled through the woods near her home, but yet it gave her a comforting sense of protection, at least. After an hour had elapsed she heard the men leaving, the gruff voice of the tall one, boisterous and commanding, while that of Hadley was scarcely ever heard. Just his tool, thought Patty Jane as she listened. What can their little game be? She had decided to watch them. Pushing the cot beneath the window she placed the chair and box upon it and climbing to the top of this she found that she was just high enough to peep through the iron bars. The men strode boldly forward, Hadley following the other one until they came to a large tree. Standing motionless for a second they scanned the surrounding territory. To escape observation she quickly stooped down, but when she again sought to spy, she found to her disgust that they had been swallowed alive by the earth. I I j Fiffre...

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r- — -MODULUS. Patty Jane fondly stroked the beautifully arched neck of her mount, then swung lightly upon its back and waved farewell to Mammy Lou as she left the grounds. She was to meet her Uncle Waldon at the Bounce Inn, five miles away, and as it was rather late she lightly touched her horse and galloped on, but later, seeing that she would arrive soon enough, she allowed her horse to slow down to a canter and finally to a walk. She had covered about half the distance when she suddenly came up- on a purple envelope, lying face-downward in the middle of the road. Slip- ping from her horse she stooped to pick it up, but as she knelt down, she was seized and after having her arms pinioned behind her, then was jerked to her feet. A large, husky man, bearded and unkempt, turned her face toward him and in his narrow eyes gleamed spite and cunning. Well, Lillian, he exclaimed in a gruff voice, now I guess you ' ll come with us ! Here, Hadley ! A second man, smaller but as shabby as his comrade, stepped from a clump of bushes, and grinned disconcertingly at the bewildered captive. He whistled three high, clear, staccato notes, then waited in silence, and soon a creamy-white and a coal-black horse crashed through the under- growth. I Patty Jane sharply drew her breath. So this was the fate of her j newly purchased steeds! To be certain she again regarded the animals, j only to find that Foam and Scooter were most assuredly these two I beautiful creatures before her. I beg your pardon, but I ' m sure that you are quite mistaken, she I murmured, I am j Yes, you are Lillian Maxwell, snarled the taller one, You got away I with our pay once, now you ' ll come across. • Loosening a coil of rope, which hung to Foam ' s saddle he quickly ' and securely bound her aiTns behind her. Now he lifted her to her horse ; ! the men mounted the other two. and with Hadley leading Pep- I per, they trailed down a narrow lane in single file. I Patty Jane pondered for a moment in wild despair. Should she re- I monstrate or should she allow things to remain as they were, for the pres- ' ent? She decided on the latter, for upon second reflection she saw the ! uselessness of trying to escape. Besides being bound, she was between ! the horses of the two men, so she maintained a silence which remained un- ' broken. Swerving suddenly to the right she soon saw a tiny hut loom before , her. Upon reaching it she was rudely helped from her horse, the three animals were tied to the trunks of some trees, and the two men hurried her into the log cabin. The room in which Patty Jane found herself was simply furnished with a small table, four chairs, and a rocker. A box, standing in one comer of the room, evidently served as a cupboard, while at the farthest side was a large, stone fireplace.

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I still she continued to watch and was soon rewarded for her vigilance j by the sudden appearance of Hadley from behind the giant oak. He hurried to the hut and soon returned to the place from which he , had emerged, carrying with him some food. j With that the mystery deepened and Patty deliberately got down from I her look-out and carefully replaced the furnishings of the room, then threw herself upon the cot, falling asleep from utter weariness. i S ' The next morning when she awakened, the sun was already high in the ' ? sky. Tiptoeing silently to the door she paused and listened, then softly pushed it. It gave way! Patty Jane cast a hurried and anxious look about the room, then, emboldened by its reassuring sight she closed the door to her room. Cautiously she crept to the door of the other chamber. Holding her ' • pistol in her hand, she pulled the door open. The vile fumes of a strong ' alcoholic drink enveloped and nearly suffocated her. ! The two men were lying upon the floor in a drunken stupor. Disdain- ' ■ fully she regarded them, then quickly stooped and feeling in the taller one ' s pockets she rejoiced in finding a small number of keys on a ring. She immediately withdrew and in her turn locked her captors in their room. Patty Jane, proud of her good-luck had one other great desire. This was to solve the mystery of the great oak. ! Dashing excitedly from the hut she quickly made her way toward the spot. The tree was immense! On the side, which had been hidden from view the day before, she had discovered that it was hollow. Maybe they kept some papers hidden there! Peering nervously inside she was astonished to see that someone had dug through it. A rope ladder hung inside. Quickly she let it down and descended. She soon came to the bot- 1 torn and found another surprise awaiting her. A tunnel gaped before , her, dark and uninviting. She could not see ahead but crept along on her , hands and feet, groping blindly onward. Finally, as she rounded a bend she stumbled over a huddled figure. It was some lighter here, and she noticed that she was in a sort of rudely constructed underground shanty. Patty Jane! cried Don, as he sprang to his feet and gathered his I darling in his arms. I Don dear! she murmured brokenly. How Why Oh, dear, I what does this mean? ) Don shrugged his shoulders after a foolish fashion, then began, I , was coming to see you, and as you know it is quite a way, so I stopped , and left the highway to take a short cut. Well, during the storm I came I upon the hut. No one was there and I found this book as I prowled about. I It is Jordan ' s diary and in it, please excuse me if I hurt you, but I think j you ' d like to know, an account is given of wrecking some cars, at the time 1 of your father ' s and mother ' s death. He paused and held her a little j closer, and her head dropped down upon his breast. I He was wonderfully handsome. His head was bent, his black hair I forming a striking contrast beside her golden head and in his dark eyes (Continued on Page 120)