Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-10-29
slay you against my will, true, but hurt

6ul, urged, 'Cnefe is no neeQ IOT
4 1t. Do but turn her loose on the hill.
side and she will find her way to me as
sarely as she has four legs under her"
Enid gravey bent her lovely head
and asked, How much time do you
/ want?"
Ten minutes" 1 replied.
Then / must be instant" she re-
( turned. "Siani shall watch at the gall
lery, and l will take Gwilym to harness
the mare. They are so engaged that I
believe we can do it secretly and get
out through the small gate beyond
the kitchen without being seen"
While Enid had been speaking. Siani
had been following every word which
fell from the lips of her mistress, and.
at the mention of her post, she swiftly
sped away to stand upon 1t at once.
Enid turned upon me a glance of
/ farewell ere she also went. and my
heart smote me bitterly for sorrow of
her lonely and dismal position.
"CouYage." said /, take courage"
and / caught her hand again. Il know.
why l cannot say. but feel sure we
shall yet see happier days
The tears welled up in her soft. dark
eyes, and with a swift instructive
movement l caught her In my arms and
showcred kisses on her pale. beautiful
face. For a second she held me as
tightly, then firmly drew herself away
and went with a swift step to her
share of the task. When the last fut-
ter of her dress had vanished, turned
TO my linen roll and began my prepara-
tions with the easiest heart in the
world. l was bound to get out In some
fashion. After the promise of such
happiness, was the thread of my fate
to be shipped by ouch vindictive rsgues
phrase of their own--No indeed
/ pHva the roll 81 kick q nd n t11cr n nd
1t flew across the room, leaving me q
half dozen yards free to work with.
looked round for q place to fix this end
and for the moment saw nothing which
could afford sufficient hold, and then
the great center beam of the ceiling
caught my eye. 1t ran across the room
from wall to wall supporting smaller
transverse beams on which was laid
the planking which formed the floor of
the garnet above. The ceiling was UNI
plastered, and between the main beam
and the boards there was a gap of four
inches, the thickness of the smaller
rafters.
through the end of the linen and poked
the latter through one of these open
ings l withdrew the point and thrust
through more and more, the stiff, heavy
cloth working admirably until the end
hung out over the beam within reach
of my hand. drew 1t down and
formed slip knot round the main line
of the web, then ran the knot tight, took
good grip of the stuff gathered In my
hands and swung myself to and fro
like pendulum, my feet clear of the
floor. The linen was, Of course, thread,
very strong, and bore the strain easily.
SO far. so good" thought l. and APP
preached the window. There seemed
no one about, and opened one side of
~ f.y II 4 1,<o n
inch by inch and saw that the coast
was clear. On this side OF the house
was neither door nor outbuilding; tho
smoth mountain turf ran clean to thu
foot of the wall.
That eyes would be on me as soon as
/ moved knew very we'll. but as these
would be in the heads OF the Red Men
of the Dusk, leuan's scouts posted on
the heights above, i had nothing to
fear in that direction. l lifted the big
roll of linen in my arms and returned
to the window
bent out and listened and looked
again and again. All was quiet. and l
dropped the roll. Down 1T went, turn
Ing and turning and striking the
ground at last with a slight thud. So
much stuff was in it that the diameter
was but little reduced when 1t reached
the turf and 1t was heavy enough to
lie like n plummet keeping the length
which lay unrolled against the wall
straight and steady.
drew my belt tighter and threw or
leg over the window. crumpled tn
width of linen between my hands. aud
I'm second more would have thrown
over my leg and begun to slide down.
when faint sound of voices gave me
pause l turned my head and saw. to
my utter DISNEY, three men come
round the corner OF the house near to
me. Their heads We're close together
and they were talking earnestly but
in low tones. one interrupting the 9TH
er and al gesticulating tlercely. as
these people do when really excited
They were walking away from the
house, and in the earnestness of their
debate looked neither to the one side
nor the other.
l watched them without moving a
muscle. Let them go but far enough
to give me chance to slide down and
gain a little law. would trust my
heels-until Whitesock could get to me
for the rest
Had their feet been moved as fast
as my heart l had been safe beyond
doubt, but in their eager talk they
Jagged slower and slower, and, at a
dozen yards from the house corner,
stopped utterly. their backs turned to
me. And there sat /. astride the sill,
my mind In IL tangle OF indecision.
Twice and thrice l measured the dis
lance with my eye. having more than
half an inclination TO take my chance.
But the faintest sound would now
catch their ears, for only one was
speaking, ana he softly. and the rattle
of feet or scabbard against tie wall
would betray me at once.
Two Wore swords, the third carried
rude halberd, and the idea of sliding
down to be received on the points of
these, without the possibility of de-
Tense, held lne fast where 1 was. On,
if they would bat move score of
yards further that l might be sure of
being on my feet with my face to them
when l reached the ground! But no.
There they stood and stood. every sec
ond seeming an aga, as l feared that
one or the other would turn his head
and cry out in surprise on the broad
white stripe shining on the gloomy
wall. I would have gently drawn the
web up again, hoping for their speedy
departure. but the roll would unwind
knew not how far, and its humping
about would attract notice. Suddenly
the thing was settled. And though 1t
went against nae, the strain had been
such that | hailed the turn of affairs
with a sigh of relief.
A comrade out of view called upon
one of the takers by name. The hall
berd- bearer turned his head. shouted
his wonder at the sight of the linen
and of me on the sill. and justified my
unwillingness to trust my chances OF
| sliding down by leaping to the foot of
the wall and presenting his weapon
The second man Joined him With sword
drawn and the third ran like hare
round the corner.