The Somerset reporter., 1901-11-07


my wits end. let her embrace me. ut
has been so long" she sald-"oh, the
weary while! And they i'll treat me.
Where have you been all this tedious
tme?"
was not going TO answer that, you
may be sure. BY this time had recov-
cred myself sufficiently to guess what
was near int truth-that this was mad
aunt of the .amily below, and that the
game was in my hands If played with
decent care. so l met her question With
another.
Look here" l said, y'Tm running
considerable risk in Drawing these per-
secutors of your'n. Hadn't we better
elope at once|'
II am ready"
"And the jewels? You won't leave
them to your enemies, l suppose"
She turned to the dressing table, lift.
ed her jewel case and put it into my
bands.
81 am ready she repeated. "Let us
be quick and stealthy as DEATH"
She followed me to the window and,
looking out. drew back.
what horrible, black depthsr'
"It's as easy" said l, las pie. You
could do it on your head. Look herew
I climbed out srst and helped her, set
ting her feet on the rungs. We went
down in silence, | choking all the way
at the sight of Peter below, who was
looking with his mouth open and his
lips too weak to meet the curses and
wonderment that rose up from the
depths of him. When / touched turf
and handed him the jewel case, he took
1t like man in trance.
We put the ladder back in its place
and stole over the turf together. But
outside the garden door Peter could
stand no more of 1t.
I've a firearm in my pocket" wills.
pered he, pulling up, land I'm going to
fire 1t of, to relieve my feelings if you
don't explain here and now. Who In
PHYS name, is she?"
you mug She's the original Sleep
Ing Beauty. I'm clipping with her, and
you've got her jewels"
Pardon me, Jem," he says In his
gentlemanly way, eff I don't quite see.
Are you taking her off to melt her
or marry her! For how to get rid of
her else
The poor old creature had halted, too,
three PAGES ahead of us and waited
while we whispered, with the moon
light that slanted down into the lane
whitening her bare neck and flashing
on her jewels.
zone moment" I said and stepped
forward to her; you had better take
off those ornaments here, my dear, and
give them to my servant to take care
| of. There's a carriage waiting for us
at the end of the lane, and when he has
slowed them under the seat we can
climb in and drive off,
ITO the end of the world-to the very
rim Of it, my hero"
She pulled the gems from her ears,
hair and bosom and handed them to
Peter, who received them with a bow.
Next she searched in her pocket and
drew out tiny key. Peter unlocked
the case and, having carefully slowed
the diamonds inside, locked it again,
handed back the key, touched his hat
and walked off toward the dogcart.
my dearest lady," l began, as soon
as we were alone between the high
walls, "if the devotion of life
Her bare arm crept into mine.
"There is but little time left for us in
which to be happy. Year after year l
have marked off the almanac; day by
day have watched the dial. saw my
sisters married and my sisters daugh-
tiers, and still | waited. Each had a
man to love her and tend her, but none
had such a man as / would have
chosen. They were none like you, my
prince"
mo, dare say not"
ooh, but my heart is not so cold.
Take my hand-t is firm and strong;
touch my lips-they are burning
A low whistle sounded at the top OF
the lane. AS took her hands pushed
her back, and, turning, ran for my life.
| suppose that as | ran | counted forty
before her scream came, and then the
sound Of her feet pattering after me.
She must have run like a demon, for
l was less than ten yards ahead when
Peter caught my wrist and pulled me
up on to the back seat of the dogcart.
And before George could set the horse
going her hand clutched at the flap on
which my feet rested. 1t missed its
grasp and she never got near enough
again. But for half minute l looked
into that horrible face following us and
working with silent rage. and for half
mile at least | heard the patter of her
feet in the darkness behind. Indeed, |
can hear it now.