The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1885-02-06

VIII included. she let Jnem drag ner
past the cottage door. Then she cried
out with delight, "Ah! here is my faith
en-" They followed the direction of her
eye, and relaxed their grasp. Instantly
she drew her hands vigorously down.
ward, got clear of them, gave them
each furious push that sent them fly
ing forward, then darted back through
the open door, closed it, and bolted it
inside just as MOnckton, recovering
himself. quickly dashed furiously
against tin vain.
quick-wittedv villain saw the press
ing danger in moment. ITO the back
door, or we are lostl" he yelled. Bart
ley dashed round to that door with a
Cry of dismay.
But Grace was before him just half a
minute. She ran through the house.
Alas! the internal door was secure.
The woman had locked it when she
went out. Grace came flying back to
the front, and drew the bolt softly. But
as she did so she heard a hammering,
and found the door was fast. Unlucki-
ly Hopes tool basket was on the win
dOw-ledge, and Monckton drove aheavy
nail obliquely through the bottom of
the door, and it was immOvable. Then
Grace slipped with cat-like step to the
vault clean out into the road; she was
perfectly capable, it being one of her
calisthenic exercises. But here again
her watchful enemy encountered her.
He raised his hammer as If to strike
her hand-though perhaps he might not
have gone that length-but she was
woman, and drew back at that cruel
gesture. Instantly he closed the out
side shutters; he didn't trouble about
the window, but these outside shutters
he proceeded to nail up; and, as the trap
was now complete, he took his time,
and by anatural reaction from his fears,
he permitted himself to eXult little.
"Thank you, Mr.. Hope, for the use
little bird, you're Gagged" (Rat-tat-tat.)
did you really think" (rat-tat) two
men" (rat-tat-tat) were to be beaten by
one womani"
The prisoner thus secured, lie drew
aside with Unsuitable pride to admire
his work. This action enabled him to
see the side of the cottage he had Sc
cured so cleverly in front and behind,
and there was Grace Hope coming down
from her bedroom window. She had
tied two crimson curtains together by
q useful knot. which is called at sea a
tisherman's bend; fastened one end to
the bed or something, and she was COM
ing down this eXtempOriZed rope hand
over hand alternately with as much ease
and grace as if she was walking down
marble steps. MOncktOn flung his arm
and body wildly over the paling, and
grabbed her finger-ends. She gave a
spang with her heels against the wall,
and took bold leap away from him in
to tulip bed ten feet distant at least
He yelled to BARLEY, "TO the garden"
and not losing moment, flung his leg
over the paling to catch her with Bart
ley's help in this new trap. Grace dash
ed off without moments hesitation at
the quickest hedge. She did run up
to it and hesitate, like woman, for it
was not to be wriggled through; she
went at it with the momentum and inn
petus of race-horse, and through it as
, if it was made of blotting-paper, leav-
ing wonderfully small hole, but some
shreds of her dress, and across the
meadow at pace that neither BARLEY
nor MOnckton, men past their prime,
could hope to rival even if she had not
got the start. They gazed aghast at one
another; at the premises so suddenly
emptied as if by magic; ut the crimson
| curtain floating like banner, and glow
ing beautifully amongst the green creep
ers; and at that flying figure, with her
hair that glittered in the sun, and
streamed horizontal in the wind with
her velocity: flying to the mine to save
William Hope, and give these baffled
conspirators a life OF penal servitude.