Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1874-03-21

| the tall, narrow, church-like window
she could see yonder the moon strug-
Cling through thick clouds, and she
could see-her sight quickened by the
peril of the moment--she could see
| faint thread of light on one side which
told her that the further door stood un-
latched.
sOh heaven help me, and give me
timer she prayed; but her hand shook
| SO that it could scarcely obey her swift
| thought. Another moment, and she
| took in her exact position: the men
| STOPPING over the keys, the lamp on the
floor, and the next she had flung her
| shawl over the lamp, darted across the
| floor, out into the room beyond, and
flung to the door with force.
| Yet more to be done. She drew the
bolts with frenzied speed, above, below,
! that way was safe; then, with the pas
sionate strength of the moment, she
sped through the room, out on. the land
ing to the curtained door, and made
that fast from without. while the furious
captives beat at it from within-ah, then,
poor thing, her fortitude forsook her,
and a thousand fears she had not count
ed on moet cruelty beset her. She slid
down few stairs, clinging to the rail !;
then losing her hold, fell heavily on the
stone floor below.
| Mr.. Ferguson had reached.his near
est station in safety, and had sent back
the wraps his careful wife had guarded
him with, and started by the ten O'Clock
train for Fordham.
| The rain beat on the windows as the
train flew along in the darkness, and
presently prolonged whistle told him
that 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 couple of sleepy
porters. Another train had just came
in from an opposite direction. from
Fordham, now only fifteen miles away
and some of its passengers had alighted
and were making their way past the
line of carriages.
Looking out upon his fellow-travellers
without much curiosity or interest, Mr..
Ferguson caught sight of a face which
he had little expected to see. Shouting
for porter to open the door of the COM
partment, he sprang out and grasped
the arm of man very much like him.
self-in fact his own elder brother. =
], George he exclaimed, swere you go.
!, ing for me? Is father worse?'
!, 'What on earth do you mean, and
wherever did you spring from p was the
!, answer he got, accompanied by a lool
Of profound astonishment.
, ooh, George he said with gasp
, did you not telegraph to me this even
, ing that my father had had another fit.
! Most certainly did not
%, my wife, my wifen said the clergy
man; and then he staggered up to ;
: heap of luggage and sat down and hid
/ his face in his hands. His brother saw
the matter was serious, so he let his owf
train pass on without resuming hi
) journey, and was soon in possession o
all the information John Ferguson
could give.
}, Porter, he asked, swhat time does tn
night-mail go through to Wheelbor
? ough?'
4 :25, SIR answered the man; sreacl
D Wheelborough 2:15.'
The distance was five-and-twent'
miles; the present time half-past clever
O'Clock.
E NO help for it, John, we must wal
= for the down-train; we couldn't pick u
e a horse, nor yet pair, that would b
< ready to start this time of night and ge
= us to marlborough before a quarter
] past two. Come. old fellow cheer-up
l it's no use taking for granted every thin
2 you dread
But George Ferguson thought in hi
t own mind that matters looked blac
e enough to justify any amohnt of fears
: and had hard work to find hopeful tai
= for the next two hours. He tried fami
ly matters-anything to pass away th
!, time-in vain; his brothers. mind wa
t filled with overwhelming anxiety, hi
s eyes peering up the line to catch tn
T. first glimpse of the approaching train.
:, At last, the sh-ill whistle, the glarin
/ lights creeping nearer and nearer, til
e minute stoppage, and then off agair
s!-and he began to dread tn
o moment he longed for.
II At marlborough the two brother
t struck out at once from the station o
e their five mile walk; and, as they lei
it the further outskirts of the town, tn
:! church clock struck half-past tw
O'Clock.
n George Ferguson could scarcel
v keep up with his brothers. rapid stride
e and thought him half-crazed with e2
n element when he saw him lightly lea
r a ditch, and start running across bro
e ken piece of earth.
d George cried the rector pointing /
his own house. not a stones throw di.
II tant, 'look at that light!' and throug
IT the narrow window of the oratory
l. light shone plainly.
Good Goa. what if we are too late p
|
d covered the short remaining distance.
d blow at the hall window, and their un
r, ted forces from the shutters within, an
they made good their entrafce to see
l. Kate Ferguson lying senseless on I'll
floor; to hear the wailing and crying
+ children overhead; and staange SCUM
II of low voices whispering and hands Gu
/, ting away at woodwork.
'e Late indeed they were, but not tc
late. An outdoor bell set changing, 500
o called ready help from the villag
p while Jane, already aroused by Il
IS sounds, but too frightened to ventul
le from her room alone, busted herse
"a over her unconscious mistress.
=. The captives in the oratory fougl
~ like cats, and one of them gave Geors
= Ferguson bite in the arm, the mark
3 = which he will carry as long as he live
: - that was Rough Dick 'Gentlema
:, JIM turned sullen, and submitted to I'll
- force of numbers at the last with be
- ter grace.
l. When on their trial, two months afte
wards. Gentleman JIM paid Mrs. Fe
to gusson several compliments, and polit
= ly assured the judge before whom the
81 were tried that he esteemed it no di
a grace to have been trapped by such
" brick of a womann
N The gang to which the two thiev
he belonged had received all their inform
in tion from Sarah's brother, who was
d, sort of hanger-on to their brother hoo
r. and to whom had been entrusted Il
ce sending of the lying telegram which h.
te so comfortably disposed of the master.
It, ALPS well that ends well,' they sa,
and our tale is no exception to the pro
w erb. 1t was rather a long getting We
ge though, in the case of Mrs. Ferguson
I'd still she was her own brave-hearted Sc
again by Chrlstmas-time; and--ta
he note of this. all you w:ves--never
she show her husband the letter she h
n, found never did she tell him or anyo
sh else, tF at his one bit of carelessness h
probably supplied the correct time
as the intruders.
nr And for piece of happiness to e
IN with, though Mr.. FERGUSON did 4
it' have a fit and die, he did have fit
another kind--of repentance for
II, prejudice against his daughter-in-la
IN so he made reparation by very har
II some increase to their income. And
'ni for the rector, after the wild joy of h;
.k- ing his wife safe again, he decla
hng that his 'courting days have all retul
he cd