Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1896-10-08

all that threatens Hef ana meet IL III
her stead If so be could p said the
brave and devoted girl in q vehement
whisper.
Indeed it will be but little less than
that which win be required of you my
good Tabitha."
Don't doubt me, sir. but try me.!'
| said the young woman stoutly.
''rhen you have first to prepare your
young lady for hasty journey
thanks to the secret passage leading
from the abbott's apartmentS-tO the
ruins of neighboring nunnery. which
scandal declares to have been once put
to less worthy use. I have been
able to provide the means of escape.
But you, my good girl. will have to re-
anain here to cover her retreat, to face
those who will come to seek her in the
morning, and to withstand all ques-
tons as to how or with whom she left
her prison. Are you firm enough for
this duty, Tabitha?"
LET 'em try me, that's all, sir; and
if they don't find out as they're met
their match, I'm not woman, but a
muff. They may send me to prison, Or
they may hang me if they like. But l
defy them to make me speak when l
don't want to speak!"
"They can do you no real harm, my
girl, be sure Of that. They would only
threaten and brighten you at most"
brighten who! Lawks. sir; you
don't know me: amt made Of fright
enable stuff. But, sir, how we talk!
won't they know at once that my
young lady got off through the secret
passage Of which you speakg'
D. NO; for its very existence Is I'M
known or forgotten. 1t was only ac-
cident that discovered it to me some
years ago. when was delving among
the ruins of the convent. and found in
one Of the cellars it's other terminus
entered it to thread it's mazes; I
should have been smothered but for
the many crooked crevices in it's rocky
roof that let in the air. found that
it led to steep, narrow staircase; as
cending it, l found myself opposite n
panel. the character of which I could
see by means of the narrow lines of
light around its old and shrunken
frame, light that evidently came from
the opposite side. Curiosity got the
better Of discretion. and I worked
away at the panel and slipped it aside.
when, to my dismay, I found myself
looking in upon the privacy of Lady
Leaton's sleeping chamber. which was
fortunately then empty. 1t was this,
which was in the olden time the
apartment of the Abbot 1 was but a
boy then. and being frightened at
what l had done, I hastily replaced
the panel and retreated, and never
mentioned my adventure to any one.
Afterwards, consulting the guido book,
I found that there was mere tradi-
ton of secret passage leading from
the Abbey to the Convent, which
scandal asserted to have been used by
the master here when going to rende-
vouz with some fair nun; but of. the
precise locality of the secret passage,
or even of it's actual existence, the
book did not pretend to speak with
authority. Once l mentioned the ira
dition to my uncle and aunt, but they
disregarded it as Il mere romance
and kept my own counsel and de-
ferred the mention of my discovery to
some future occasion. But tonight
have turned my knowledge OF the pas
sage to some account. Tonight once
more I have threaded it's mazes, and
found myself in this chamber. shall
conduct Miss Leaton through this
passage to the other outlet in the eel
lars of the ruined convent. There l
have a chaise to carry her off. Far
Their than this need not tell you. And
I have told you this much, first be-
cause l believe you fully worthy Of
the confidence, and, secondly, not be-
ing possessed of the real facts, you.
may be on your guard against cross