Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-21

''HERE, FERGUSON!
door flying open, / came near to falling
headlong down the stairs.
Still 1 had succeeded. But I soon found
that l was little nearer freedom than be-
fore. The passage was now dark and the
house door, when ! found my way to 1T, re-
sisted all my efforts. This drove me to
seek another egress, which it was far from
easy to find. Al length, and by dint of CROP
ing about. l hit on a door which led into a
downstairs room: it was unlocked and 1
entered, feeling before me with my hands.
The darkness, the silence of the empty
house. and my hurry formed a situation to
appall the boldest; but was desperate. and
extending my arms, 1 trod cautiously
across the room to where the window
should be, and sought for and found the
shutters. | tried the bar, and to my Joy
felt 1t swing l let it down softly and drag
ged the shutters open and sweating at
every pore saw through the loaded panes
the dark. dull lane outside, with a faint
light from a neghboring window falling
on the wall opposite.
1 was seeking for a part of the window
that opened, md wondering whether fall
ing that, / should have the courage to
bl rSt the easement and run for it. when a
step approaching along the lane set nv
heart beating. The step came nearer and
paused, and peerng out, my face nearer
the glass. l saw man had come to a
stand before the door. / looked and then
but family expresses the terror felt For
as the man moved he brought himself
Within the circle of light have mentioned,
and at the same time he raised his face
doubtless after Sc arching in his pocket for
the key, and through the glass my eyes
met those of Ferguson,
Chapter XxvI
If. a few minutes before, 1 had thought
myself the most unlucky Of men and
placed wi haa
ed beyond fear misfortune, 1 knew bet
ter when I saw that sight from the win
dow. and fell back into the darkness as if
even from the road and through the panes
Ferguson's eyes must discover me- Ignor-
ant whether the room in which 1 stood
contained anything to shelter me- or. bare
walled, must Of necessity discover me to
the first person who entered with a light
my natural impulse, when the moment of
panic passed. was to escape from it,
But II was not easy to do this in haste.
by the time that. trembling in every limb
had CROPPED my way into the passage
the key was turning in the lock of the
outer door, and 1 saw myself within an
arms length of capture. This so terribly
.errined me That sprang desperately for
the staircase, but stumbled over the low
est step, and fell on my knees with a
crash that seemed to shake the walls
For moment the pain was so sharp that
1
spurred by the imminence of the danger,
l had got to my feet could do more than
crawl up the stairs and crouched down on
the landing. little to one side and out Of
eyeshot from below.
Willingly now In return for present
safety would 1 have forgiven Fortune all
her past buffets! For If Ferguson came
up. as / thought him sure to come up.
was lost; since 1 could neither retreat
without noise. nor If could. knew where
to hide. In this extremity, my heart beat
Ing so thickly that / could scarcely listen
and thought l must choke l was relieved
to hear Ferguscn-after spending what
seemed to me to be an age, striking flint
and steel in the passage-go grumbling into
the lower room; whence a glimmer falling
On the wall of the passage told me that he
had at last succeeded in procuring light
1t was no surprise to me as 1 sweated
and cringed in my hiding place to learn
that he was in the worst Of tempers.
heard him swear-as 1 supposed-at the
open shutter: then, almost before I had
thanked Providence for present safety. he
was cut again in the passage. l made no
doubt that he was going to ascend now,
and 1 gave myself UP for lost But in
stead he stood and called, MARY! Mary!
Do we hear. you hussy. If We are hiding
above there 1t will be the worse for you,
ye id baggage! Come down; dye hear
me?"
surely now I thought. getting no answer
he would come up, and my heart stood.
But II seemed he called only to make sure
and not because he thought that she was
above. for he went back into the lower
room, and / heard him moving to and fro,
and going about to light fire. the crack
ling of which gave an odd note OF cheerful
ness in the house. / was beginning to
weigh the possibility OF slipping by the
half,open door. on the chance Of finding
the outer door unfastened, and, with this
In view. had risen to my feet, when key
again grated in the lock, and. supposing 1t
to be Smith. returned to my former po-
sition
some comfort to me, for I thought him
more prudent II no less dangerous than
the plotter, and fancied that had more
tc fear from one than from two. But the
step that entered was lighter than a man ;;
while Ferguson's greeting told the rest and
made the situation clear.
"Ha, you are here at last, are you! he
cried with an angry oath. Did you want
me to break every bone in your body. lass,
the fire to light? You should have pretty
good tale to tell or have kept clear Of this!
Dye hear me? Speak, you viper. and don't
stand there glowering like wood cat!'
Il am here now" was the answer. My
heart leapt, for the voice was Mary's; the
tone sullen and weary. I could understand.
Here now!' he retorted. And that Is to
be all. is 1t? Perhaps, my girl, will pres
Where Is the baggager'
1T Is not here"
mot here?' he cried.
NO." she answered
And why not, you JezebelT"
You need not misname me-" she answer
ed coldly II was followed. and could not
come here: and could not carry 1t about
with me all day. And could not send It.
for there was no one here to take It in. II
Is at the Spread Eagle In Gracechufch
street. to go by tomorrow's wagon to Col.
chester. That Il what told them. but Il
can be fetched away tomorrow"
fnk thak =