The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1886-05-21
THROUGH DANGER;
% R-..srels
LIFE IN AUSTRALIA.
CHAPTER TX.
THE ABDUCTION.

CHAPTER TX.
THE ABDUCTION.
The morning air was full of the SEN
saflon OF the coming nOou-day heat,
when Flo Granger. according to her
wont. descended frOnFlRr chamber. and
opening the glass doors of the sitting
room passed out into the garden TO fiji
her tlOweT-baSket
Lovely and graceful still. vet how diff
ferent was she, how istless her step.
70 when, ON that spring morning. a few
hours before she met Philip. bright and
hght-heaIted, she had robbed the plants
of their bloom. ....
Now the beds We're pictures of vivid
~ blended hues. and she had small diff
nculty IN getting what she required.
As she was about to return to the
house, the swing Of the gate attracted
her attention. 1t was. boy. a native
Australian. lie held the gate partly
open. and looked round with half
doubtful, half frightened eyes,
hat is it?' inquired Flo, adYanc-
ing; do you want auyOue?'
The boy gaZed at her with his large,
dark eyes, then said:
Missile Granger.
I am Miss Granger. What is it?"
For answer he held out a folded paper.
/. L ". a
cramped hand:
Can you come TO me at once. have great
news to tell you abolt--yet why need say of
whomE l am down al the Seven-tree Clump.
and pray you To come th6t-l may speak to you
servant, ISAAC LEWIS"
From the JewI What could he have
to say? What discovery had he made?
Something of Importance it must be,
and, regarding Philip. She had no
~ III Of
days absent. Was there a deeper rea-
son for these abseHces than they
imagined, and was he about to tell her2
Flo would have suspected any before
the Jew. and not an instant did she hes
itate. Seven-tFee-Cl Clump was but fifty
or sixty PAGES from the station.
Say viii come, . she said to the
Australian. ..- .s-rf st-+ Il
AS he ran off. she looked up at the
house Her aunt's window blind was
not yet raised The cOIotief she knew
was in the OutbWldings, where he would
be for the next haf-hOuT ..
She would be back long before her
absence had been noticed. Had even a
vague suspicion of danger crossed her
mind, she would have laughed at the
idea. What danger could there be so
near homer Her own people were with
III call.
Quickly she proceeded down the road,
and soon reached the place Of rendez-
yOus. ....rF
1t was composed. as its name implied,
of seven trees, but beneath grew thick
underwood. \ narrow pathrau through
it. and into this Flo fearlessly turned.
Lewis. 80 she exclaimed in. a low tone.
- l am herelr
Then she staggered back and a cry of
terror burst from her lips.
Some thick material had been swiftly
thrown over and muttled round her
head to stItie her cry.
In great alarm, yet stunned almost by
bewilderment. she struggled violently
to release herself, but with as much
chance Of escape as a fly from the spi-
der's web. Her hands were secured in
large powerful ones. drawn behind her,
and cord passed round the delicate
wrists.
Lewis, Lewis" she cried. Help,
help"
can't yer There it's no good. Hand
it over, or she'll bring the station on
u.s. r
Flo felt the mufIling slightly yremoved.
Then hand, grasping q handkerchief
which emitted a apungent OdOr, was held
tightly over her face.
In n second she guessed it was chlOrO-
form. Terror. gave her strength for a
second. She half threw off the hand,
then the powerful drug Overcame her,
and. though partly conscious, she was
helpless. Willie she MAS able to make
the least movement, the hand was held
over her face. Then she was aware OF
being raised up before man ON horse
back; then. that they were proceeding
at swift gallop through the bush; then
her senScs left her, and fOr space she
remembered nothing.
Her capt0rs-fOr there were two
never, however. slackeued speed, but
made for the dense portion OF the bush
at the foot Of the ranges. On a project
ing spur of the latter, man, VINO APP
parently had camped out. was regallng
himself upon damper and cold tea.
From the height more than once he
caurbt SIGHT Of the hOrsemen. At first
ne watched them with indifference; but
soon their speed attracted his attention
It seemed to betOkCn flight. They haC
entered a mass OF trees. but the WaJch'
er knew they must soon come INTO Slgh1
again. Lying flat on a ridge, he waited
telescope he had taken from his pock
ct ready for use.
Soon the men appeared, their pace by
no means leSSened. After long ant
careful inspection the man on the ridge
sprang UP.
ITS he, I'd take an oath" he NUT
tered. Il guessed something was up
must find OUT
4 second later he was carefully lead
/ ING his horse from the spur. " IN
foot. mounting. he started to find tn
/ mems track. which now the bush Wa
4 around him was no easy thing To DO.
/ Meanwhile Flo remained IN Seml-ul
! consciousness in her captOrs arms, 10
how long she knew not. A heavy laI
| ruOr like the approach Of death WeIgle
on her limbs. Even fear was IN aDeS
I ance.
Suddenly. however, as lightning rend
the storm cloud she was aroused by
voice. E -
You have a suspicious burden there
mates" it said. aee
Mind your own business, mate, an
pass on. or let us do so, rejomed OF
of her captOrs. surlily.
They had halted. Eio's pulses wel
beating wildly. The voice was IIerbe'
ArcheT's. Would he 60 on and leaI
them? Oh. if she could but make hi
know she was tltere If she could bI
shake off this weight on tongue an
limb.
Archer. with careless laugh. I hay
no wish to NEEDLE with otller folk
concerns.
Great Heaven. he was going. IL
only chance of escape in a few mOmen
syoHld 3 sgeneg GOald she make no.e
fort Size would trv. kEna
@AIr. NTcher, lelpo
The words tOher own ears seemed u
tered far away, the movementshe mac
so slight as to be almost imperceptibl
but She was soon assured she had Su
ceeded.
by Heaven" she heard Herbe
Archer eXclalm. 1T is a woman. - E..
stand back, or Wen put bull
through you.
That's a game that can be played
more than one. fellow. You do n
pass until l see whom you have the1
| and whether IL is by CONSENT. = !