Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1874-01-03

ne WIS tNulrnAkh ~ WIN lbl NlAHts
The long summer twilight came aud |
waDed. As the shadoas grew thick, the |
royalst climb.d up again aud began his |
task. Bg ana by the moon looked in. /
s'You will be discovered, ." bl1ud the old /
M jor hut friendly clouds rolled up aud |
covered the moon save for few occa-
sional glimp.e,.
''lIow goes it now," Inquired 2 lioti,
a Ter what seemed a long interval, in
which Q. ntle shO Aers Of du-t aud lin.
had b. en- falling steadily upon hi4 head.
s'ilnve little patience, good Elliott"
was he espouse, "t.is bur is almost uu-
seaoed.
Presently tue bar was entirelS detached
from iis setting, aud a man could easily
pass through the space thus maze.
"Tis long leap to the housetops, but
III y,niufe Il, - said the study Dudley
Follow me comrades, as best you can,
Here il no time for ceremony.
With that he crept OUT Of the opening
aud holding 10 the stone sill hy his hand.
lowered himsefa as far as pc. sible; then
let 20 bis hold and fell upon the ii O. With
a tlud thai was hard by his companions
in he prison. \ silence followed.
81 lear ; e hath taken some huit," said
thou up the window, Z liOlt, and see If
hs he dead or alive"
Helped by the others, Elliott did so. In
the darkness he could barely distinguish
a shadow from the window.
Hist, Dudley" he cried. 'Art hurt,
man 20
"Nuy Safe and well so far, and but
waiting for the and the rest. IT'S no
great fall. Come Gu, aud leave to tue
Rnundhcad curs their empty room ~
Mblor Elliot turned back ana red
council with his comrades. They uuiled
IN urging him to make the attempt to
escape, although they for various rrasons,
could prosecute 1t no further. Thus en-
c1ul ged, the soldier followed Dudley's
example, and in few moments stood be-
side him.
The ciiy was altogether quiet. A fw
lights might he seen from windows here
aud tlere, and the steeple Of a great
church was illuminHtrd for some reason,
Otherwise all was dark.
"These houses continue in e direct line
to the city WALL" ieu arked Dudley. al
We can hut reach that uudiscOvefed,
make little doubt we cln ret away"
"Heave with yOu," replied Elliott,
'"Ts but bold push, and If we tail, our
case can be hut little worse"
| Gre, ping carefully along the rooie,
i they Get forward, AID IN few minutes
reached The wall tn the southern side Of
lNe civ, not lar from Tie iiN,r mott,
The street was closed 10y Il gate, Wtereel
double sentries We're statoutd. The ad
vtnturers heard their sep, the rattle ol
their match-loets, ,ven tu,ir voices Hs
they spoke to each Otl er IN sutdued tones
~ hen ihrse were huth,d th,y heard IN,
Sven flowing Though u night. TheI'
was a seIsc Of freedom iu the soInd tial
made them moe rsClule than ever tS
Ub AIN Il cir avn liberty.
TIE only 70. sihle way of escape wa
over the wall, aud that was extremely
high. To drop from it involved gpa
Ilsk Of life or limb. Even il that peri
we're escaned, the noise would Ger alnlN
attract tho attention OF the vgilaul
guard, and swift pursuit, II not deutt
from their match-lucks, was inevitable
For moment they were brought to d
pause; but Dudley's fertile miud con
c,iyed au ext edient He went TO Il win
dow IN tie root, on the slope more DIS
tant from the guards. Trerc was NJ
light in The room, nor any tign Of occu
patton. lie shock the easement gently
there was 10 token that AIM one heard
The window seemed to be sccur' ly fts
tened, but, Dudley lad his sterl buck.r
and with II he cut away the lead The
, held one Of The diamOud-shApg panes n
. its place. He then removed the glass
thrust his hand hrorgh The OF euing ant
: drew the bolt. He supped softly into h
chamber. The moln was struggling
With the clouds, ard sometimes over
. coming Them, 50 that WAS not 50 atsu
u,ely dark. With cautious movement
tue royaiist advanced until his htui
rested upon bed. II were occupied
I ard the sleeper, heing awakened, sLoul
E give The alarm b.. 1 wts emily.
} Dutlry striped Ctf its sheets an
, hlahktts and carried them to the window
Elliot answered his whispered ca AN
Ook them from his arms, Enscorcip
, III, msrlvts behind a chimney, the wv
soldiers applied themselves to tearing III
auicles inIO strips and kn1 ting then
; drmly together. Soon they had "A Ion
, and strong rope.
"lf they be Rouudheads we Rave roi
- he'd 'lis lawful spoil of war;" whispere
. ri lott; "aud IL they be On the King
side, they Wiil count 1t no luss if IL hay
: Leprd his poor servants in their need.
One end Of the iOpe was fastened st
c cUrey around the chimney, tue o'h,r va
l thrown ever the wall. GO you dow
4 list, E iut'," urged Dudley. "Mahe Il
e ,tay iUr me, but hasten directly 10 Lor
I don. There or otherwt ere We shall sutel
# meet ii we both get safe away"
- Tue solder went to the edge of th
e wall, running his hand along the ropl
z lie tested its strength by Two or thrt
;, pulls, and then committed himself TO
a H.. a hand }
r went down. bricing his feet against u
n wsll. The cord swuug loose, aud Dude
A watching above, knew that his tFien
:, was safe ou solid ground A great cloC
o in the city struck "twol" A sentin
o cried "All's well :" The call was r
peeted from gate to gate around the ci
=, cult of the walls. Dudley swung I'll fro
e the parapet. a minute and he was FIRE
Ie standing in the open country with h
fac towards London.
J. Notwithstanding his counsel to the coi
D. tray, Elliott, he'd waited Tor him Ih'
set out together. But Dudley did II
v fancy u journey of a hnudied miles
&c foot.
it lie proposed visit to the stables {
rs some Of the near.lyug farms. Passir
through the a2'ds with that Intent, th'
~ found one hOr-e grazing, ALREADY saddle
to and bridled 10 UNUSUAL thing in tho
ID troubled times, when no man knew
Z, what moment he might Feed to tide f
is his oSD life, or for Inc good Of tho eau
he he espoused. This animal Elliott too
sc Dudley going on to tue stable, where
g. SOON provided himself wi,h a sphiu
re Il, ed.
Us lie rode down 10 the Severn, where
en bend in the river brought him In full vie
Of the s'eeping city. lie turned in j
be saddle to look. The moon came out fro
ur behind a dark bank of cloud. The ina
ry Of walls, aud roof, and spires was faint
ry r, Aeeted Ia the swift cgrrent. The lig
sy in The Illuminated steeple shone throu
in tso round windows that had groiesq
Iy, resemblance to glowing eyes. Bat Il,
I'd dia not discern the eseapiug royalis'.
II ouicry rose on the silence 10 sound u
#; indicated discovery or threatened pursu
ir- With a sigh for the friends left In CT
tivity, Dudley shook his bride, stru
lg- his horse with the whip, and galioI
ly syviftly towards London aud liberty.