Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1893-06-30

You may tellme with full assurance
OF my sympathy and assistance, " said.
"For twelve months, he began, 'T
have been engaged to Miss Folgate.
who is now twenty years Of age, and
an only child. Her father, u solicitor,
is dead Her mother was glad to take
the position Of housekeeper at Sir Ar
thur Pennyfather's town house in
Derby Square. Miss Folgate lives with
her mother, and now and then | come
up to Durham to see her. Mrs Fol-
gate Is only nineteen years older than
her daughter She is woman of re-
markably youthful appearance and
great personal attractions, romantic
and painfully anxious to marry again.
''For some time, very stylish and
fascinating foreigner-a count, he says
has been leading Mrs. Folgate to
think he wants to make her his wife
Sir Arthur and his family are in the
Riviera. The Derby Square house has
been used by this foreigner as a postal
address There have been meetings of
foreigners in it meetings of men con
neeted with some Illegal scheme. Yes
terday got this from Miss Folgate.
As he spoke he handed me a ragged
piece of paper covered with faint pen
Gil lines, crossed and recrossed.
'You can't make it out easily and
there isn't time to puzzle over it, The
substance is this Miss Folgate has in
voluntarily overheard what passed at
one ofthose meetings The conspirators
discovered her, and she is a prisoner
in Derby Square. If she makes any
disturbance, they will kill her If they
are betrayed they will kill her mother,
who is no longer in the house. To-
day between l and o'clock there will
be no one in the house but my dis
tracted girl. l am going to try to
snatch her from the knives of those
murderous ruffians
"And will 60 with you, if I may -
He seized my hand and for moment
could not speak.
'If you will help me to-day you may
count on my devotion for life, he said
at length
'Will you go armed?"
earned? No. Ifit comes to weap-
ons We are lost we are dead men; and
, = but l viii not think of her. 1t
would paralyzed me, and the time for
action is almost at hand"
GLOW do you intend getting into the
house?'
81 must break in. You now know
how doubly dangerous is the enterprise.
1t is not too late for you to draw back. ="
81 am with you heart and soul, said
I, taking his arm.
He set a rapid pace west.
'My poor girl he said, lis locked
in an upper room, no doubt. intend
getting in through the fanlight can
stand on your shoulders. Once in, !
will open the front door. This fog is
all in our favor.
It was a long walk, during which he
never could see across the street. He
seemed to find his way by instinct He
never paused or hesitated
At last he drew up. I'VE are in
Derby Square, he whispered. The
house is on the south side, No. 81. We
will cross the roadway and stand with
our backs against the railing of the en-
closure. We have twenty minutes to
wait.
"Now, whispered he, when he drew
up, '.weare directly opposite the house
| know the spot by this dropping ash
tree. He took OFF his hat and wiped
his forehead.
Those were the longest twenty min
utes | ever endured To him they
must have been hours. During the
whole time he never said word. He
leaned motionless against the railings,
watch in hand, his eyes fixed upon the
dial. We could not see even the mid
die Of the roadway.
At five minutes to one heard a door
open and shut softly; then cautious
footsteps stealing away. l looked at
Crane. He didn't look at me. He did
not move. He kept his eyes fixed on
the dial like one hypnotized. gazed
at the watch myself; ] found | could
not now take my eyes off it. | saw the
hand pass the hour; saw tcreep one,
two, three minutes beyond the hour.
Had he forgotten or was he really
hvpnotized by too intent thought and
gaze?
When the hand touched the fourth
minute, he put the watch in his poe
ket, and catching me by the shoulder
moved across the roadway and up to
the door of 81.
"How will you break the glass? Will
there not be- great noise2 - | Whispered.
''No; the fanhght is stained glassln
lead. Give me back. "
In an instant he was up, standing ON
nv shoulders and working at the fan
light ! could not see, but he must
have wrenched out the pieces with
amazing CELEBRITY and care, for in few