Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-01-08

through the room, out on the landing to
the curtained door, and made that fast
from without, while the furious captives
beat at it from within; and then-ah,
then, poor thing, her fortitude forsook
her, and a thousand fears she had not
counted on most cruelty beset her.
The frightful oaths and curses that
reached her as she leaned painting by the
wall filed her with horror; the heavy
blows upon the panels filled her with dis
NAV. They would escape yet. Her chill
dren-on them they would wreak their
vengeance. At the thought her cries and
| tears broke forth. They will die, and I
shall have killed them'' she cried out:
and then blindly reaching forth to feel
her way back to their room, all sight,
sense. sound, seemed suddenly to desert
her. She slid down a few stairs, clinging
to the rail; then, losing her hold, fell
heavily on the stone floor of the hall be-
low.
Mr.. Ferguson had reached his nearest
station in safety, had sent back the wraps
his careful wife had guarded him with,
and started by the ten O'Clock train to
FOrdham.
The rain beat on the windows as the
train flew along in the darkness, and
presently a prolonged whistle told them
they were approaching certain junction
where he would have to wait some ten
minutes or so.
Two or three lamps on the platform by
which they drew up showed some few
passengers and a couple of sleepy porters.
Another train had just come in from the
opposite direction, from Fordham, now
only fifteen miles distant; and some of its
passengers had alighted and were making
their way past the line of carriages.
Looking out upon his travellers,
without much curiosity or interest, Mr..
Ferguson caught sight of face which
he had little expected to see. Shouting
to porter to open the door of his com
partment, he sprang out and grasped the
arm of man very much like himself-in
fact, his own elder brother.
George" he exclaimed, "were you go
ing for me? Is my father worse?'
"What on earth do you mean, and
wherever did you spring from ~ was the
answer he got, accompanied by a look of
profound amazement. why, man alive,
have YOU gone crazy, that you stand star
checked a disposition to laugh at his
pIOGlCI y NC" 4lISICd pIO 0oIOh O1Iy
when he saw the pallor that overspread
his face.
ooh, George he said, with a gasp,
| that NV father had had another ftp"
"Most certainly / did not"
ooh, my wife, my wifet" said the
| clergyman; and then he staggered up to
a heap of luggage and sat down and hid
his face in his hands. His brother saw
| the matter was serious; so he let his own
train pass ON without resuming his jour
ney, and was soon in possession Of all the
explanation John Ferguson could give
| him.
Porter" he asked, "what time does the
| nightmail go through to MARLBOROUGH 90
man; "reach Wheelborough two-fifteen' -
The distance was fve-and-twenty miles
| the present time quarter, Or, by the time
the explanation was ended, half past
| eleven.
mo help for it, John; we must wait
| for the down train; we couldn't pick up a
horse, nor yet a pair, that would be ready
| to start at this time of night and get US to
| marlborough before quarter past two.
| Come, old fellow, cheer up; it's no use
/ tCbflliS III Ctu'Ci CNCl tIIlLlS you QlCdI
| But George Ferguson thought in his
| own mind that matters looked black
| enough to Justify any amount of fears,
and had hard work to find hopeful talk
| for the next two hours Had it not been
| for the manifest absurdity of the thing,
| his brother would have started for his
| home on foot even. To his excited, rest
! less mind the minutes dragged YEARLY
along, while to his heavy heart every mo-
ment added fresh fear.
| At last the shrill whistle, the glaring
! lights creeping nearer and nearer, the
minutes stoppage, and then off again
| ACKNOWLEDGEMENT! and he began tC
| dread the moment he longed for.
| At marlborough more time would
| have been occupied in waking up the
hotel people and seeking a conveyance
than would have been gained had they
| CHANGED to find horse So the two
| brothers struck out at once from the sta
| ton on their five-mile walk; and, as they
| left the further outskirts of the town the
church clock chimed half past two
O'Clock.
George Ferguson could barely keep uI
with his brothers rapid stride, anc
| thought him half crazy with excitement
when he saw him lightly leap ditch
| and start running across q broken piece
| of heath.
For heavens sake, man, stop!" he
! cried "What are you after?"
GA short-cutn' shouted the ether, and
| kept up running well for nearly three
quarters of mile.
The night had Quoted the rain had
ceased, and CLEANS Of moonlight showed
| them their way. Out on the road again
past the fourth milestone past d cottage
where a shrill cuckoo clock sang
"three;" then up a long hill that took
what little breath they had left out OF
! them, through the sleeping village, and
George" cried the rector, pointing to
| his own house, not stones -throw distant,
'lOok at that light!' and through the
| long narrow window of the oratory a
light shone plainly.
| GOOD God, if we are too latei"
| The brothers scarcely knew how they
| covered the short remaining distance. A
| blow at the hall window, and their united
| force at the shutters within, and they
made good their entrance, to see-Kate
Ferguson lying senseless on the floor, to
| hear the wailing and crying of children
| overhead, and strange sound of low
voices whispering and hands cutting
! away at woodwork.
! Late indeed they were, but not too late
An outdoor bell, set changing, soon called
| ready help from the village; while Jane,
| already reused by the sounds, but too
| frightened to venture from her room
| alone, busted herself over her unconscious
mistress.
The captives in the Oratory fought like
| note o,1 ono Of Them pava CaorCa IT,