The Red Cloud chief., 1882-11-03

tee her get out Of The way" said Park.
ins. coolly.
But see here. Molly. why NOT do Il
now? Then well have more time Il
get away bc;ors daylight said the
man
:" tell Won II IL not safe before eleven
O'clock" Parkins said. posiiiseiy.
People may come in. Sir Robert don
like her ont Of his sight for long. and
that idiotic young Marsden may come
incoming in Wait till bslf-past eleven,
and the west door here will be open.
And. Jim, look here. when You git thi,
swag. you IRE 10 take me with you
your wife. mind"
The voice grew fainter. Evidently
the speakers were moving away from
the house. But Lima had heard enough.
Dick with terror. she leaned against The
pantry val q moment and tried o.
think What did IL all mean? Rob
berry. murder! And no help near. Her
hrst Instinct was To fly out of the house
ana across the field Ia the hall But her
absence would be Instantly discovered.
she knew, and then poor Aunt Mar.
garct would be alone with those
wretcbes- No. she must not go-bri
To stand here idle would he no good.
She lew along the halls and up sta r..
Leo pacing by her side. At Aunt Mar
garets door she paused. aud y sudden
thought came To her. She would send
Leo home for help.
Where Is the spoon. child? How
long you staid. Good heavens. what
Is the mattcr?' cried the old lady, "a
she saw the girls white, terrified face.
Lima began some eyasive answer, but
instantly remembered that Aunt
Margaret must re told the whole story
or nothing could be done 10 save her.
She did tell 1t, and Aunt Margaret
listened in silent CONSERVATION. and
then burst out ~impetuously with:
Good heavens. child! Why don't
you run right homer
because | knew Parkins would be
up here in n few m nutes and lind | was
gone, and then"
"Ah, well. So you stayed to ave
the old woman il you could. What are
you doing. child? Why don't you lock
the door and pile things against il?
Good God! il ! was ju,t able to rise
out of this bedf"
But Lima did not speak for n moment,
She had found n pencil and paper and
was rapidly writing n few words. When
she had finished
Now" she said. "whcn Parkins
comes tell her / am TO sleep on her
couch here In your room, and she must
60 somewhere else. 1 will be back in a
moment. Lco?"
Out of the room she darted. and down
TO the hall door, which she unbarred
and passed through. Then, knecling in
the shadow Of n pillar on the portico,
she tied the note tightly in her handker-
chief round Lco's neck.
She put her arms round his reck after
that, kissed his forehead, and u half sob
escaped her.
lis that you. miss?' said a smooth
voice from the hall. "Why. whatever
are you doing in the dark thcre?"
Lima sprang up as if she had been
shot.
81 am sending the dog me-" she
said, speakingqlictly. though the thro' s
Of her heart shook her whole frame.
.'llc is restless here without his master.
Go home, Leo. straight home siri"
nt tp1s WIN bItt iith til i1Ch vi leT
hand. bounded down the steps and van
ished in the dewy darkness of the sum-
mer night.
"Oh. God! lot him go safely and
swiftly" prayed the girl in her heart.
Then she went in and helped Parkins
bar the door. and they went together up
stairs.
Aunt Margaret lay very quietly on
her pillow, but with her black eyes
cleaning.
Parkins was silent foronc instant, and
then began n series of representations,
which no one would heed, and finally
the civil nurse prepared the couch for
Lima, and took herself oil, Observing,
swect.y:
IF Miss Leigh will leave the door
ajar. ! can hear n call from this room.
and will come instantly"
Thanks. Parkins, but l hope I shall
MOI have 10 call you," said Lima, speak
ing rs sweet rs Parkins herself.
Then rs she glidcd TO the door as
soon as 1t was closed. she turned with a
face of dismay. and whispered:
The key is gone! She took it when
she was fidgeting in and out with the
sheets and pillows"
There is a bolt besides" Aunt Mar
garet answered.
Lima ave a sigh Of relief as she slip
ped the bolt into the groove. and felt
that she had ut least some little protec-
ton against the enemy.
"Now. child" Aunt Margaret said.
''can you use n pistol?'
Il never touched one in my lifc." said
the lite coward" '.but if l had one
now | would try"
Every well. Take my safe-key- it is
under my pillow-and unlock the safe.
They are just rs my husband left them
n year ago. but Robert looked at them q
few days AGO. and said they were all
right That is it. Put one of them on
the foot of the bed. and il those
wretches come. try. my dear, to use il.
Now put the other here, nv my left
hand. Thank God, l can use that a
little. Now, what are you doing? oh.
yes; pile up all YOU can against the
door. There. YOU can't move anything
else. Now. come here. little girl, kneel
down by me, and let's say our prayers
together"
titt w liuS = luIu. nIltlu mama
claspcd tightly in her two cold. trcm-
bling little ones. Lima knelt down there,
and. burying herf face in the pillow, tried
to pray.
Her petition was not a very coherent
one; it was only a wild. passionate cry
for pity and help. and meanwhile she
was listening with every nerve strained
for sounds from the outside A lamp
burned in the room. On the mantei-
piece a softly-ticking clock marked the
slow minutes. No other sound broke
the stiffness.
Presently a sob shook the girls fig
ur,. She was thinking of Sir Robert
AID his tender care over her.
oh, If she had only not been so way
ward and proud this evening ali would
have been well. He would have come
for her. and they would have been safe. |
But surely. surely. he would come
yet,
He could not fail TO find the note, and |
she knew he would come 10 save her. |
Ruf yef hcrr,h'n 1onhfs cauna % L. -.