Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1890-03-14


room, and, finally approached the bed.
After carefully scrulinizing Lenas
face, she turned away. drew key
from her pocket, and went out. lock-
ing the door behind her.
As the key turned in the lock the
poor girls heart almost failed her;
for a few minutes her courage gave
way, and She abandoned herself to her
terrible fate. The next moment u
sudden thought inspired her with re-
newed energy, and her eyes sought
the window There was no time to
lose-a clock below had already struck
twelve, and the mornings were light
at four. Nov or never.n must be
her motto.
She crept out of bed and dressed
rapidly in the dark, not daring to
strike light. She put on II neat gray
gown, with close fitting jacket and n
hat. What money she had she had
put in her purse in the bosom of
her dress. but took nothing else The
window of her room opened few feet
above an outbuilding. She remember
ed seeing ball of stout cord lying in
her room, in readiness to secure u
package the next morning; and she
thought, if she could only find it, she
would be able to descend in safety.
She CROPPED about in the darNness but
in vain-the cord was not to be found.
She must raise the window-blind, but
she knew not how to manage it with
out making noise. Stepping upon
an ottoman, she managed after some
delay, to slip OF the cord and lift the
roller and blind away entirely. This
accomplished she again began her
search for the cord, and, as the moon
light CLEANED from behind II cloud
found it half hidden under the valance
of her bed
Trembling with fear and Joy, Lena
doubled the cord and made one end of
it fast to her lstead, and gently,
inch by inch, raised her window. She
put out the cord, crept out on to the
sill, stood there and drew the window
close behind her; then she sat down
grasped her frail support. and slid on
to the roof of the outhouse, whence,
without much trouble, she gained the
ground.
The girl fled swiftly in the direction
of Fladgate; then, remembering that,
if seen, she would surely be appre-
hended, detained, and sent back the
next morning, she altered her course,
and, full of terror at the perils of a
night journey in the open air, walked
to the next town, four miles away.
She dared not go to the railway sta
ton until reasonable hour; so, find
ing deserted hut by the roadside, she
concealed herself there, until, at five
o'clock, laborers began to pass TO
their work. She dreaded every foot
step, every sound, but at length reach
ed the station and secured a third class
ticket to London. Fortunately she had
not long to wait for train. so her APP
pearance at such an early hour did not
excite remark. She took her seat in
the compartment with few working
men as her companions, and was soon
fairly on her way. She had Clit1ord's
club address in her purse, and with this
slight clue, she determined to find out
''If, after all, should fail, can
but die" murmured the girl. as the
train set her down at the end of her
journey.
She went straight TO the address
Clifford had given her; but her inquir-
les provoked smile on the face of the
waiter who answered them; although
he was extremely civil, still he did
not treat her as he would have treated
lady of whose position he had pre-
viously been assured.
"Mr. Peregrine keeps his name on
our books, but he has not been here
for six months or more; he has been
abroad, l believe. There are letters
now lying here for him. said the man
Familiarity. There is q report he
went on, coming nearer to Lena, as
she stood on the fight of steps which
led to the principal entrance, that
our Mr.. Peregrine is dead; but it may
not be true, for he has II cousin who
belongs to the Union and it may be
him; at any rate we shant strike his
name off her until we are certain.
"When will that be?n asked Lena,
in an agony of suspense and doubt
"Now, that's more than | can tell
you, miss, answered the man, smiling
ly; "but you can call again in month
or six weeks; and if you give me your
name, I'll tell him young lady came
here after him, if he should turn up. "
But this Lena would not do. The
place and the manner of the man
frightened her, and she felt ready to
drop with shame; SO with the reply,
Il will call, " briefly spoken in an un-
steady voice, she turned away, leaving
the waiter smilingly admiring the taste
of the late Mr.. Peregrine, whose little
affair was very much to his credit.
Lena walked on proudly for a short
distance; then, bewildered by the noise
and hustle of the city and not knowing
which way to go, she called cab and
was put down at Churing Cross station,
from which she made up her mind to
take the train to Abbottsford.
1t was now nearly one o'clock, and
on reaching the platform. Lena became
frightened. She turned faiat and giddy
and thought that her prayer was an
swered and that she was about to die.
She dared not go on, and, leaving the
station, found friendly coffee house
"a small, dirty looking place, but in
which she gladly took shelter. Here
she obtained food and rest in close
little room, in which she slept that
night heavy feverish sleen born of