Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1896-01-09

Come, now, let me undress you and
help you to bed"
Int that bed-into that bed whence
her corpse has just been renewed:
oh, never, never! Besides, l could not
sleep with the prospect of tomorrow
before me, when / shall be taken to
the common gaol. How could / sleep?
l shall never sleep again! Good girl,
leave me to my WI thoughts" said
Eudora with a trembling voice and
quivering face.
Tabitha spoke no more, but drawing
a foot-stool, she sat down at her mis-
tress' feet and silently held one of her
listless hands.
Some time they sat thus; the heavy
minutes seemed drawn out to the
length &C honrs. The house was still
as death and the mantel clock was on
the stroke of eleven when the quick
ears of Tabitha caught a slight, eau
tious, grating sound In the wainscoted
wall on the left of the fireplace. She
raised her head and turned her eyes
quickly in the direction of the sound,
and, with n half-suppressed shrek and
a throbbing heart. she saw IN of the
oak panels slide away and an anxious
face and a warning hand appear at
the opening.
The smothered cry of the woman
had attracted EudOra's attention, and,
with he apathy of one plunged so
deeply in Indebtedness as to fear no
farther evil, the unhappy girl followed
with her ~liStless glance the frightened
gaze Of her attendant.
At this the hand at the
opening was extended in an encour-
aging gesture and a familiar voice
murmured quickly and softly:
Hist. hist. Tabitha! Don't be
afraid! 1t is J."
And the next instant the man came
through the opening and Malcolm
MontroSe stood within the room. He
extended his hand in a warning nan
ner as he approached. saying:
Hist, hist! for heavens love, con-
troll yourselves, Be composed and all
win be Well"
BY this time he stood before the mis-
tress and the maid. who gaZed upon
him in astonishmenr indeed, but not
in alarm.
Let us speak in whispers. and then.
thanks TO the thickness of these walls
and doors, we shall not be heard by
the policemen on guard. Listen
there are bolts OF this side of the
chamber doors. Are they drawn fastT'
mo, SIR" replied Tabitha in a hush
ed voice.
With a sign that they should remain
silent and motionleSs, Malcolm glided
on tip-toe. first to one door and then
to the other, and cautiously slid the
bolts into their sockets. making them
both as fast on the inside as they were
on the outside.
He then returned to the side Of
Eudora. and stood for a moment list
ening intently, and then apparently
satisfied that all was well, he muir
INJURED:
Peace be with the worthy king or
bishop who built these walls so sol
idlyi The sentinels without have heard
nothing
Then turning to the curious, anxious
and expectant waiting-maid he whis-
pered:
"Tabitha, my good girl, l can depend
upon yGu 70 aid Gle iR freeing your
young ladyE
Depend upon me? oh, sir, don't
you know and doesn't she know that
I would throw myself between her and
all that threatens her and meet 1t in
her stead if so be I couldT' said the
brave and devoted girl in a vehement
whisper.
Indeed Z will be but little less than
that which will be required of you my
good Tabitha."
Dent doubt HE, sir, but try me-"
said the young woman stoutly.
Then you have first to prepare your
young lady for a hasty journey
thanks to the secret passage leading
from the abbott's apartments-to the
ruins of a neighboring nunnery. which
scandal declares to have been once put
to a less worthy use. l have been
able TO provide the means of escape.
But you, my good girl, will have to re-
main here to over her retreat, to face
those who will come I o 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 q woman, but a
muff. They may send me to prison, or
they may hang me if they like. But I
defy them to make me speak when l
don't want 70 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: l 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"
"No; for its very existence is un-
known or forgotten. 1t was only ac-
cident that discovered ii 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 ii 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
il led 70 = g eep, narrow staircase; as
cending 1t, | found myself opposite a
panel. the character OF which | 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 AZ the panel and slipped II aside.
when, TO my dismay. / found myself
looking in upon the privacy of Lady |.
LeatOn's ~sleening chamber. which was