The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1899-04-06

seemed to have more than its share of
the troubles of four wheelers. Buses
blocked the way, pedestrians hampered
its pace, drays threatened to overturn
1t, and policemen checked it in it's mad
career, yet its driver, steadfast, if not
as silent as the sphinx, held on grimly
for the final goal.
At Hyde park corner they turned
down Constitution hill, and then on
the Mall to Charing Cross, and SO to
the embankment. So far Mabel knew
the route we'll enough, but when upper
Thames street, with it's disoordant jum-
BILE of traffic, was reached, she sank
back in utter WEAKNESS. She seemed to
be in dream-a waking nightmare of
unreality. George prisoner, sup
posed murderer, Duncan hurt, perhaps
dying, or even dead, and she helpless
woman, torn by conflicting emotions of
hope and despair! From the outside
were. borne in upon her the shouts of
touts and cadgers, the believing of
draymen, the ceaseless grind of wheels,
the endless rumble of traffic. She closed
her eyes. Her sight she could, at any
rate, control, if nothing more.
At last they stopped. Her companion
got out hurriedly, paid the driver, and
then asked her to descend. 1t was a
horrible, dirty street in dirty and hor-
rible locality, and Mabel shrank invol-
unfairly as she looked round.
Her companion OWNED her thoughts.
every sorry, Miss Fenton, to bring
you here. We took him to the likeliest
house. Drayman volunteered to take
him to his home-case urgent-dare
not carry to hospital"
The girl reproached herself for the
feelings of revulsion that had arisen
unbidden within her.
"Yes, I understand. Is this the
house?' For her conductor had stopped
before one dirtier and even more neg
lected than its neighbors
eyes, this is the one, think-No.
49," He threw open the door and stood
there for her to enter,
An instructive suspicion seized hold
of her. Had she done wisely in coming,
unaccompanied, to the place? At any
rate she should have left word at home.
Who was the man? Suppose it were not
true: Yet why should she doubt? Dun
can was hurt. He had sent for her, and
she had come.
The door swayed to behind her, and
:, its clash reverberated through her
| frame.
'sThis way, madam" said her guide,
and in the very tone of the man she de.
tected treachery.
"Can see the woman of the house?"
she asked unsteadily.
"Why, certainly" said her compan-
ion, and his voice made her tremble
"Why, certainly-oertainly.
A slatternly woman made her appear
ance at the end Of the passage
"Sally, there's visitor come to see
you. Madam, this is Sally; Sally, this
is madam from the west end"
Mabel crouched back in an agony of
terror. Where was she? Who were these
dreadful people? But, still, might not
| Duncan be there?
"Where is Captain Brett?" said she
{ to the woman. sis he yet conscious"
The woman staggered.
"Capt'n, missl There's Salvation
capt'n as lives next door, but 'ardly
thinks you'd take kindly to i'm. He
amt washin man, amt Billy-least-
ways, not in summer time.
The ooarseness of the woman came as
knell on Mabel's ears, yet she dare
not give up hope. She turned to her
conductor.
"You came with message, sir, from
Captain Brett. Will you take me to
him?''
"Afraid he's not here, madam. Sud-
den recovery-taken up his bed and
. walked, - said the man, with a hideous
chuckle in enjoyment Of the girls dis
tress
"Then am I to understand, sir, you
have deliberately brought me here un-
der false pretense?" x
"That's about the size of it, miss. /"
The terror that now filed her gave
her strength to make one bid for free
1 dom. She turned rapidly, rushed past
the man and dashed to the door. Her
fingers were already on the latch before
his rough hand was laid on her shout
der. Her despair gave her unnatural
strength, and she struggled to achieve
her purpose with the power Of fren-
zied woman. The man was unable to
hold her and loudly called for the as
sistance of his female accomplish, who
i aided him with fiendish glee.
/ "Stop that yellinr' said she, plac-
ing her filthy paw over Mabel's mouth.
"Now, then. Rich, tie her hands, if you
amt man enough to hold 'em. All.
curse you'll"
And as Mabel's teeth closed over her
fingers she dealt her q blow that com
pletely stunned the girl.
| They dragged their almost inanimate
victim to the back sitting room and
| flung her on to sofa, tied her hands
and feet with couple Of antimaoas-
sars, and then stolidly surveyed their
handiwork.
i In a. few minutes her eyes opened.
! She glared round with terrified, implor-
ing eyes. In sober truth her situation
was enough to daunt her heart. Here
4 was she in dirty house in the east end
of London, entirely at the mercy of a
Il pair of scoundrels. She had not left the
lelightest clew at home whereby she