Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1902-10-10
CHAPTER XXI.
COntinuod Z

moved about-heard the noise Of the
piled-up furniture being displaced.
And then, moment later, one Of the
policeman ran up the stairs and
passed Clifford as the latter hastily
came down.
AS he reached the foot Of the stair.
case Clifford, whom the man had sa.
luted In silence, heard sharp rap at
the door of the closed room. Then the
policeman who was upstairs called
quickly to his companion downstairs:
bill, go outside and wait under the
window. This side of the house
quickw
The police sergeant dashed out by
the front door without a seconds de-
lay, while the man who had given the
direction burst open the bedroom door
with a couple of blows Of his trunch-
con. Clifford, in perplexity and alarm,
rushed out after the sergeant. He ar
rived nearly as soon as the man he
was following, whom he found crop.
Ing among the evergreen bushes
which grew thickly under the wall Of
the old house.
A succession of feeble means, as of a
weak creature In great agony, broke
upon his ear as he turned the corner of
the house.
And at the same moment he saw the
constable who had burst open the bed.
room door leaning out of the window
of Miss Theodora's room.
what? She has not fallen-thrown
herself" stammered Clifford.
But even as he spoke the sergeant
parted the bushes with his arms, and
turning the full light of the lantern he
carried upon the ground beneath them
showed the little figure of poor Miss
Theodore lying in shapeless heap.
ooh, don't! Don't touch me-" she
whispered family, as she felt the
strong light thrown on her face.
"Don't touch me! My leg is broken
and-something here"
Her right hand moved feebly up to
her chest, and then her head fell back.
"She's tainted" said Clifford. "Poor
little woman! What shall we do?
Shall fetch doctor?"
mo- sir; leave that to me to do that"
replied the police sergeant, promptly.
"You stay here while send for help.
There's some one close by will go for
me-"
He went away quickly, leaving his
lantern. Clifford looked down at the
little wjthered face, and he fancied he
detected a flicker of the eyelids. AS
he bent his head to look closer. he was
surprised by her faint whisper In bis
ear.
81 am glad. so glad" she murmured,
still without opening her eyes, "that
this has happened. For now they can
not make me give evidence against
poor Nell"
"My dear lady," said Clifford. in the
same voice, pray don't trouble your
head about that now. Nell will be all
right. am sure of it."
The policeman in the room above,
bearing the voices. looked out.
HAS she come to-" he asked.
"Ye-es." answered Clifford. doubt
fully.
For again she lay with immovable
lips. But rs he spoke an expression
of intense agony came over the
pinched thin feature, and he saw that
with the return of full consciousness
had come also the full sepsitiveness
TO pain.
"Go down and ask the Colonel for
some brandy" called out Clifford.
But the constable did not seem to
hear. He still stood at the window.
looking down.
Clifford repeated his words, and the
man, with evident reluctance, moved
from the window. Miss BOstal glanced
ND and turned her head with quick
bird-likc motion 10 Clifford.
"Are any OF the policemen still
about?' she asked, rapidly.
Clifford was about to answer in the
negative when the constable whom he
had sent for the brandy having deliy-
cred his message with astonishing cell
Gritty, appeared at the corner Of the
house.
Here he comes with the brandy"
said Clifford.
But Miss Bostal's expression Of pain
gave place at once to one of disgust.
Brandy she exclaimed. II would
not touch it on any account. 1 have
been teetotaller all my life"
Her sudden burst of energy rather
disconnected Clifford, who was much
relieved when he saw that the Colonel
was close behind the constable. The
old man came very slowly to the place
where his daughter lay, and peered
over the bushes at her.
''Theodora! Are you hurt? Really
hurt?" he asked, in a dull tone. as II
still TOO much overwhelmed by threat
ening misfortune to be greatly troubled
about anything else.
'Hurt' she. exclaimed, pettishly.
"Of course am hurt. / Overbalanced
myself while leaning out of the win
dow, and | fell out, and have broken
my leg and one Of my ribs, too. /
think.2
"Shall we take you indoors?"
mo. Oh, nor with energy. "You
would hurt me too much. Leave me
here till the doctor comes"
The Colonel turned, and so did Cliff
ford and the constable. For they all
heard sounds as of an alteration in