The Morning herald., 1877-02-20
CHAPTER XXXII.
FLIGHT.

Tho la,t entry in Beatrice's journal was
made BY her in the hope that it might be
" In her life at Brandon Hall her soul had
,mwn stronger and more resolute. Besides
ihad now come to this, that henctorth she
must either stay and except the punish
uent which they. might cotrive or hy ms
Fcr she had dared them to their faces;
she had told them of their crimes; she had
threatened punishment. She had sad
that she was the avenger Of Despard. IT
she had desired instant death she could
have said no more than that. Would they
pass it by? She knew their secret-the
secret Of secrets she had proclaimed it to
their faces. She had called Potts Thug
and disowned him as her father; what now
remained?
But one tbing-hight. And this she
was fully resolved to try. She prepared
nothing. 10 gain the outside world was
all she wished, The need Of money was
not thought of; nor if it had been would
it have made any difference. She could
not have obtained it.
The one idea in her mind was therefore
flight. She had concealed her Journal un-
dera loose t.ece of flooring in one OF the
closets of her room, being unwilling to en-
cumber herself with it, and dreadins the
;esult Of a search in case she was captured.
She made no other preparations what
ever. A light hat and thin jacket were
all that she look to resist the chill air OF
March. There was fever in her vains
which was heightened by excitement and
suspense.
Mrs. Compton was in her room during
the evening. Beatrice said butlittle. Mrs.
Compton talked drearily about the few
topics on which she generally spoke. She
never dared talk about the affairs Of the
house.
Beatrice was not impatient, for she had
no idea of trying to escape before mid
night. She sat silently while Mrs. Comp
ton talked or prosed, absorbed in her own
thoughts and plans. The hours seemed to
her interminable. Slowly and heavily
they dragged on. Beatrice's suspense and
excitement grew stronger every moment,
yet bya violent effort she preserved so
perfect an outward calm that a closer OBJ
server than Mrs. Compton would have
failed to detect any emotion.
At last, about ten o'clock, Mrs. Compton
retired, with many kind wishes to Beatrice,
and many anxious connsels as to her health.
Beatrice listened patiently, and made some
general remarks, after which Mrs. Comp
on withdrew.
She was now left to herself, and two hours
still remained before she could dare to ven-
ure. She paced the room fretfully and
inxiously, wondering why it was that the
line seemed SO long, and looking from
ime to time at her watch in the hope of
hiding that half an hour had passed, but
eeins to her disappointment that only two
'r three minutes had gone.
AT last eleven o'clock came. She stole
'ut quietly into the hall and went to the
op of the grand stairway. There she
tood and listeded.
The sound Of voices came up from the
lining room, which was near the hall door
1he knew to whom those voices belonged.
1t was not yet the time for her
'enture.
She went back, controlling her excite
nent as best she might. At last, after a
ong, long suspense, midnight sounded.
Again she went to the head of the stair
way. The voices were still heard. They
sept late hours down there. Could she try
low, While they were still up? Not yet:
Not yet. The suspense became agoniz-
ns,, How could she wait? But she went
M 9ack again to her room, and imothered
nef feelings until one o'clock c,me.