The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-07-08


en- who could look queeniy standing in q
| iced box. She had clear, white skin,
large, gray eyes, and an abundance of
| light hair
| (NoW Louisa has always had a prejudice
| against women with yellow hair; in fact,
have heard her on more than one oc-
| casion express herself quite forcibly on
| the subject.)
well-shaped hand, and grasped my
| arm.
"Oh, sir; I am in great trouble she
/ said; "but you can save me if you will
| Her tone was p1teous, and her evident
distress aroused all the chivalry In my
nature.
How can help your asked gent
| ly.
"By getting me away from here without
! delay" was the hurried answer. 81 have
| gone through most dreadful experience
! In the last twenty-four hours; will tell
you about it as we drive along, If you will
have the goodness to take me to the near
est railway station, where 1 can get
train for New York.
! 1 hesitated for a moment and consid-
cred the request. 1t was useless for me
to enter into any speculations about the
woman, but of one thing I felt quite
| convinced, and that was that she was
| not insane.
stepped to the door and looked out
| into the night, found that the cloud which
lad burst over our heads had spent it
self, and that the thunder was rumbling
| off toward the sea.
! When 1 returned the lady had gotten out
] of the feed box and was standing beside
my buggy, grasping the handle Of good
| sized travelling bag, and wearing a neat
| little hat. 1 noticed that her dress was
| soaking wet, and that a pair of gloves
which she carried had received a drench-
ing that had terminated their period of
| usefulness.
y Don't let US lose any time" she beg
| ged, and. without waiting for the invita-
ton that was about to give, she tucked
/ her bag under the seat Of the carriage and
| sprang lightly in after it.
There is no down train that stops at
Glenmore until in the morning, but
there is one that leaves our station,
which is the next below, at 1890. That
means a drive of over four miles, but
think we can make it, 1 said, looking
at my watch.
THAT will do, and you are very kind;
but do hurry" she implored, as I backed
Kate out of the stable and moved the door
to the position in which I found 1t.
My companion gave a sigh of relief as
we drove out of the gate, after which for
nearly a mile she sat beside me in silence.
At last, arousing herself with evident ef-
| fort, she spoke:
IT appreciate your great kindness, SIR
| and 1 will now give you the explanation
| to which you are entitled. My home is In
Boston, but, owing to i'll health, my hus-
band has been obliged to give up his bust
ness there and seek employment in g.
warmer climate. Some weeks ago he sue
ceeded in obtaining a position In Cara
| cas-, Venezuela. He engaged passage on a
| steamer which sails early tomorrow morn
| ing, and all our arrangements have been
+! made. He left for New York with the
trunks on Tuesday, and I should have
| Joined him there last evening but for this
| horrible mishap that befell me-"
She paused for a moment to regain con-
| troll of her voice, which had trembled at
| tho recollection CT what she had expert
| enced.
81 don't know whether you will believe
What alR going to tell you, for it
! sounds more like fiction than TRUTH she
| continued presently. "I spent the night
| before last with my sister at her coun-
| try place. which is twenty-five miles this
| side of Boston and nearly six from the
| railroad. Her coaehman was driving me
| over to the train yesterday afternoon,
| when. as we were passing through a Lone
| ly bit of woods, we were set upon by two
| armed and masked men, one of whom
/ neiO a plSCOl 10 The driver ) neaQ. Inc
| other took my purse, which I gave up
without resistance, thinking that they
would then leave u.s. but the thief jump
! ed into the carriage, and the next mo-
| ment l was breathing in something
sweet and Supplying. I remembered
nothing more until came to in the house
belonging to the stable where you found
me-
THE Grayson house" I exclaimed.
why, it has not been occupied for three
| years!''
Exactly, and it was therefore a con-
venient place for those wretehes to hide
! me. Oh, sir, I passed a most anxious
night, as you may well imagine. Per-
haps you have a wife of your own
Il have, madam, and five Children
| replied promptly.
Then try to imagine her in my posi-
tion,' she went on, locked in an upper
room In that musty, old house, which
is apparently far from any other habita-
ton, and in the power of two unscrupu-
lous men, who told me that they intend
ed to keep me a prisoner until my hus-
band had paid large sum of money for
my ransom
a victim of kidnapping episode The
part did not seem to suit her.
They brought me food, but I almost
feared to eat 1t, pursued the lady, land
have been faint for want of nourish-
ment. 1 have never seen either Of the
men without his mask but this evening
1 recognized quite plainly that the one
who brought me my tea had been drink
Ing heavily. I kept thinking of this after
he had gone, and felt encouraged to try
and escape. I thought that they would
probably both fall into drunken sleep
as the evening wore on, for they doubt
less felt that I was safe on a night like
this, behind a doubly locked door and
with the window twenty feet from the
ground. But they did not know that ]
am something Of an athlete, and that the
thick vine which grows up the side of
the house at a distance Of hardly foot
from that particular window seemed to
me to afford a comparatively easy means
of descent"
What, you don't mean to say that
you climbed down that yine!" cried
II certainly d. was the half-laughing
response.