Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1896-11-05

II IL DElDg II I0eres ana snip the nauoIe
behind you, and you can steady it while
] saw my rope back and forth on IT."
The tense rope hurt poor Ellen's
wrists as she worked il back and forth
but she bore the pain bravely, and in
few minutes she was free. As the last
strands were cracking, Louise spoke
up suddenly:
20, Ellen! / have a thought now.
Frisk is q good carrier, if he is a cow
ard. We must send the medicine home
by him. He can get it there before two
o'clock, and that was the time Jack was
the sickest before"
Louise, you're jewel! That's just
what we will do! But poor mother-it
will brighten her so. II could only
send a note-have you a pencil? L
haven't" as she felt in her own pocket.
20, / forgot, I'll have to feel for you
You can't find one?" said Louise,
then it must go without a note. What
are you doing?" for Ellen had suddenly
darted in the direction from which she
had brought the spade.
I'm going for lantern that struck
my head against when 1 was feeling
for the spade. I'm going to use the
I black from the wick"
In few minutes these words were
| scratched with stick upon the paper
| in which the bottle had been wrapped:
I'VE are safe, but detained-will come
| by seven, and explain" Ellen read
| them aloud, then folded the paper, and
| tying both il and the bottle into hef
| handkerchief, fastened them securely
around Frisk's neck. Now" she said.
lifting him out of the window, go
| home, sir, guick!" and away he sped
IF these windows were not cut so small.
how quickly we'd follow him!" she eX-
claimed, as she turned to Louise. and
now you poor dear, I'll unite you-you!I
be more comfortable, even if we have to
spend the rest of the night here"
| IT," said Louise; you're the queerest
| girl. What else can we do? And you
yourself SAID seven o'clock. but don't
think it will be as late as that"
| Nor 1, but 1 said seven, because /
| could not tell what time Mr.. Flanders
would come to the barn, and l didn't
want mother to begin to look for us
! too soon--there-yOu're loose from the
ring now-if my knot had been as tight
| as yours, I'd have been fast yet. Now
move a little, so that I can catch the
| light on your NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. are
wheels crossing the bridge! that is the
| doctor. o, don't dare to think of home
We mustn't" Her tone was brave, bu:
! Louise felt more than one tear on her
| hand, before the knot was united. Then
the two girls threw their arms about
each other. and in spite of Ellen's wise
| resolve, cried together.
| "There." said Ellen recovering her
! self, perhaps it had to come out, but
| We must control ourselves now. The
| first thing we must do is to get the hay
| window open; we'll have some light 10
think by, then. l remember just where
| it is, if l can only get to it. We must
| feel around the WALL" and she began to
| do so as she spoke, drawing Louise with
| her, until we come to the loft ladder
| here it is-now you stay here, while
go up"
but Ellen, it's terrible dangerous for
you to grope around up there in the
dark: you'll go through some trap
| DOOR"
NO, I won't. I'm moving at the rate
| of an inch an hour" But the hours
were short, or the inches were long, for
it seemed but a minute before Louise
| heard the rattle of the hasp, as 1T fell
from the staple, and the window swung
| open.
"Now, if we only had ladder" ex-
claimed Ellen, as Louise's head peered
above the opening that led to the loft.
Wen look up here first, and then Wen
feel around downstairs; but I'm afraid
there isn't one inside
And so it proved. There was none ex-
| cept the one built INTO the wall. Sud-
denly Ellen threw her arms around her
sister. Il have it! have it," she cried;
well be home in another hour-we'll
just throw the hay out, until we get
enough to jump on"
| But, Ellen, it's 20 feet, at least. We
can't possibly"
Yes, we can; we don't have to jump.
exactly. We can let ourselves down by
our hands and drop-youll see-just
come and go to work with me-"
And work they did, pushing the hay
before them in great masses, until
enough had fallen out to make pile
six feet through. below the window.
''Now," said Ellen, III drop first, and
when you see that it don't hurt me you
won't be afraid to follow"
| The moon was setting and the early
summer dawn was red in the east as
the girls came in sight of the little cot
tage. The fears which :hey had tried
to hold in allegiance while they were
planning their escape returned with re-
| doubled force as soon as they were set
free and gained strength with every
step which brought them nearer home.
Louise was the first to notice the doc
tors buggy still standing before the
door. She grasPed her sisters hand.
"Oh, Ellen" she exclaimed. Mamma
| would have surely sent the doctor back
TO find us if Jack-if jack The
words died in a sob.
Ellen turned full upon her. Louise
dear"-her tone was very gentle-''I am
afraid, too-but there is but one thing
! to think of now; that is mamma. We
must be quiet and brave and help her
in bearing whatever there is to bear.
We will go to her now" They walked
softly, but their first step upon the
porch was heard, and before they
reached the door their mothers arms
were around them. It was not n time
for many words. She Eead their anxious
faces and answered their unspoken
question before she asked them OF