Connecticut western news., 1885-01-21

1 shall win Marian Mandrake for my wife her gold, her fortune shall be mine mine p
 laugh, Ralph Langly passed out of the secret room and out of the old frame house.
 It was the night after the above scene in the old house, and past ten o'clock. The November night was cold and windy, with starless sky, and the streets partly deserted. In the secret room in the old frame house, sitting in gloom and darkness on his old straw tick, was the prisoner whom we saw the night before-the victim of treacher. ous man.
 "I must make an effort to escape" he groaned to himself. "Oh, were but free from these terrible irons, then there might be a chance. Oh, Marian, Marian, what must you think of my long ab- sence from you?"
 To the outside of the door came
 
 the lock and the jailer's lantern threw it's fickering candle-light into the room, and on the prisoners form, laying on | his straw tick.
 You see, ," said Ralph Langly, as he entered, "I have come, as I promised, for your last and decisive answer to my proposition"
 "You have received it often enough my utter refusal. That's enough. Now, go away from me-"
 "Do you know that you will starve to death here."
 | "Will IF"
 "Yes, you will" Langly's passion was stirring at his prisoners coolness. "These walls are thick, this room lies in the very heart of the house, your loudest cry cannot penetrate scarcely beyond this room. People think this house un- inhabited-quite right that they should think nothing could suit me bet | ter"
 ''Go from my sight, you murderer, coward It is my chained condition that emboldens you to speak thus. Oh, for moments liberty I should avenge all the months of suffering have experienced at your hands,"
 Indeed p and Langly came nearer his prisoner. "But 1t is not likely you shall be granted moments freedom; no, my dear fellow" He took out his watch now. "After eleven, getting late. We'll, I suppose I've received my final answer. You must give up Marian Mandrake. You won't leave New York until after the wedding, will youP"
 "No, a thousand times no; neither will Marian Mandrake ever become your | wife,"
 You'd rather stay here and starve and die, eh ?" The villains manner would have aggravate ted an angel to auger and rage as it did the prisoner. "And still. for all that, Miss Mandrake shall become my wife,"
 Maddened, aggravated, almost frenzied, by the words and manner of the sneering Langly, Robert Grantly Ieaped to bis feet, and forgetting for the moment that he was chained, rushed at his foe, with the intention of strangling him on the spot.
 As he got out as far as his chain would allow him, there came strange sound from the wall, near the bed tick, followed by glad cry from the prisoner, Robert Grantly.
 By the lanterns light, Ralph Langly beheld the prisoner rush toward him, gc the length of his chain, and come to g sudden pause, then he heard the sound from the wall. and looking, saw the part of the wood in the wall which held the chain give way, and the heavy chair dropping to the floor told him that his prisoner was free.
 With sudden cry of fear the villain turned to flee.
 But Robert Grantly was upon him il an instant, and bore him down on hi back on the floor; then, with one knee on his breast, and one hand graspine the throat, he exclaimed:
 "Now, you coward, who is master ?
 The wretch on the floor made ar effort to arise, but the late prisoner, grip was one of iron.
 "Give me the key to unlock these shackles on my ankles-quick, I say ? was Roberts command.
 "It's in my pocket" hissed the fear stricken coward.
 Searching with one hand in tht wretch's pocket, Robert Grantly brough forth the key of the shackles, of th' secret room and also of the front door which he had dropped into his pocket
 ''Now, then, I've got to lock you il here till I return with 8 couple of off cers. You shall pay for all the misery have suffered, or I'm mistaken"
 Saying which, he grasped him stil tighter round the throat, raised him t, hls feet and hurled him against the wal of the room, where he fell, partly un conscious.
 Casting look of hate and triumph a his fallen enemy, Robert Grantly passed : out of the chamber, and unlocking tn shackles from his ankles gained tn ) open street and breathed fresh air fo the first time in year.
 Ralph Langly, gaining consciousness , looked around for some opening o escape ere his late victim returned wit the officers, as he had threatened to dc | The tahles were turned on him now | A small air opening, just over the be ) tick, presented itself and he went t 5 gain it by standing the stiff tick agains the wall and then getting upon it tha } he might reach the air-opening. r He had got to the top of the tick an