The Arkansaw traveler., 1889-06-01

beating For q minute l suppose, though 1t
seemed an houl, we stood there too frightened to
move then the very greatness of the emergency
brought me to my senses
"Let's rum" breathed Fan in my ear.
Never" l whispered back heroically. 1--WE
must give the alarm and" then put my hand
ever Fans mouth just in time to prevent her
carrying out my suggestion in the quickest way
"Don't Scream" said hurriedly.
1--WE must tell some one, some man-the jailer,
| or sheriff, or somebody-who can stop him before
he gets away. If we make noise he will burst
out and likely as not kill us the first thing"
But to arouse the jailor without alarming Ford,
was impossible, and the sheriff7s house was half a
square beyond the Jail.
Dr. Jones, our family physician, lived just across
the street from where we stood. 1t occurred to me
that he would be the proper person to call upon,
because doctors, being often aroused from their
slumbers are neither surprised nor alarmed at such
q summons.
Fan agreed to this, and keeping close together
and hardly daring to breathe, we stumbled across
the street, through the mud, to call the doctor
Ringing the door bell was out of the question,
so creeping under the window of what we hoped
was his bed-roo we called softly, and clearly
as our trembling voices would allow, "Dr. Jones'
o DIR. Jones, wake up. Wake up, DIR. Jones'" but
no DIR. Jones answered.
We went to the other side of the house and
began again.
abr. Jones, DR.. Jones, come quick, quick"
Gall right" came the welcome answer from the
window above; and in what appeared, even to us,
an incredibly short time the front door opened
and we were in the hall, both talking at once,
telling the astonished doctor that Ford was trying
to escape from Jail. We had heard him knocking
away at the brick wall of his cell.
DIR. Jones looked as If he thought crazy, but
went to the gate to listen, while Fan and all
courage gone-cowered trembling inside. Even
here above the chattering of our teeth could be
heard the click, click, click of the chisel, regular
as the ticks OF a clock.
After minute the doctor came back and send
ing up to his wife's room to await his return,
went himself to fetch the sheriff
But it was impossible to stay quietly in room,
and we stepped out on the balcony to watch and
listen.
1t seemed an age before they came in sight, and
crossed the street opposite the Jail.
In another moment the alarm would be given,
and then what praise would be oursl
How we could, hereafter silence those unbeliev-
ing men who always declare girls arrant towards,
ready to run at the first hint of danger. What
man or boy alive could have shown more prompt
ness, more discretion than WEI
But my exultation was short lived. The gentle
men suddenly stopped, seemed to be listening, then
turned their backs upon the Jail and walked rapidly
away-the sheriff towards his own house, the
doctor coming back to us.
Fearing something, we knew not what, we ran
down stairs to meet him, and found him leaning
against the wall, holding his sides, and laughing as
if he never intended to stop.
"What in the world is the natter" we cried in
chorus.
The doctor is a very feshy man; and he
spluttered and chOked in a vain effort to speak,
thought he would go into fit At last we
managed to understand him, and learned that in
going up to the Jail they had seen-not Ford, chip
ping for life and liberty at the wall of his prison,
but-the spout of gutter at the corner of the
court house from which the water dripped upon
the stone pavement beneath, making the click,
click, click, that we heard.