The Prairie Detective: Secret Service Series No. 24 — page 177: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

py ?y « Fy eh . ¥ x wa : : ~~. ad ~s we rr ( ,.. - ; , , ‘ " + +. ne s ’ ‘° ~ en | x P. ¥ ey he” Sea 1 re | <a oT od THE PRAIRIE DETECTIVE. 175 ; his knees. The air became closer and more confined 5 as the space occupied by atmosphere grew smaller. The water was above his waist as he stood upon his feet, with his head touching the ceiling. Cold perspiration started out upon his forehead, and rolled down upon his face in torrents. _ Posey Ryan was not a coward, and had faced death inmany forms; but the thought of drowning slowly THE WATER WAS ABOVE HIS WAIST AS HE STOOD UPON HIS FEET, gave him the keenest torture. It was a terrible con- dition to be placed in. He could feel the wavelets lapping about his chin. In five minutes it would be too late to save him. He could not raise his head higher. Already it was pressed close against the flooring above. The flood advanced. Had Heaven indeed deserted him? A shot was heard outside; then another. comicboo ‘Ss con