Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1903-10-31

But" j urged, there In no need for
II. Do but turn her loose on the hill
side and she will find her way to me as
surely as she has four legs under her."
Enid gravely ben her lovely head
and asked, How much time do you
want?"
Ten minutes" / replied.
Then I must be instant" she re-
turned. "Siani shall watch at the gal
lery. and I will take Gwilym to harness
the mare. They are so engaged that I
believe we can do II secretly and get
out through the small gate beyond
the kitchen without being seem"
While Enid had been speaking, Slant
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 pom 1t at once.
Enid turned upon me a glance of
farewell ere h also went. Ind my
heart smote me bitterly for sorrow of
her lonely and dismal position.
COURAGE" said /, take courage!"
and I caught her hand again. II know,
why l cannot say, but 1 feel sure we
shall yet see happier days"
The tears welled up In her soft, dark
eyes, and with a swift instructive
movement I caught her in my arms and
showered kisses on her pale. beautiful
face. For a second she held me as
tightly, then firmly drew herself away
and wen with q swift step to her
share OF the task. When the last fiut-
ter Of her dress had vanished, l turned
TO my linen roll and began my prepara-
tons with the easiest heart In the
world. l vas bound to get out In some
fashion. After the promise OF such
happiness, was the thread OF my fate
to be shipped by such vindictive rogues
as these? No, indeedl to use q favorite
phrase OF their own-No. indeed!
l gave the roll a kick and a tug and
1t few across the room, leaving me a
half dozen yards free to work with. I
looked round for a place to fix this end
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 un-
plastered, and between the main beam
and the boards there was a gap Of four
inches, the thickness Of the smaller
rafters.
1 whipped out my sword, ran 1t
through h end of the linen n 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. 1 drew 1t down and
formed a slip knot round the main line
Of h web, then ran the knot tight, took
a good grip Of the stuff gathered in my
hands and swung myself to and fro
like a pendulum, my feet clear Of tho
floor. The linen was, Of course, thread,
very strong, and bore the strain easily.
$50 far, so good" thought 1, n APP
preached the window. There seemed
no one about, and ! opened one side Of
the wide easement. l put out my head
inch by inch and saw hat the coast
was clear. On this side of the house
was neither door nor outbuilding; the
smoth mountain turf ran clean to thu
foot of the wall.
That eyes would be on me as soon as
/ moved l knew very we'll, but as these
would be in the heads Of the Red Men
of the Dusk, Ieuan's scouts posted on
the heights above, l had nothing to
fear In that direction. / lifted the big
roll Of linen In my arms and returned
to the window.
l 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 1t that the diameter
was but little reduced when it reached
lHe buII anu IL WAS H6dNy enough u
lie like a plummet. keeping the length
which lay unrolled against the wall
straight and steady.
l drew my belt tighter and threw on
leg over the window. I crumpled tn,
width of linen between my hands, and
in a second more o have thrown
over my leg n begun to slide down,
when a faint sound Of voices gave me
pause. l turned my head and saw. to
m " nffnr 6iGnNaU fhrnn man nnNN
round the corne of the house nea to
me. Their heads were close together
and they were talking earnestly, but
In low tones, one i~nterrupting the 9TH
er, and al g~esticulating aercely, 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 n side
nor the other.
/ watched them without moving a
muscle. Let them go but far enough
to give me a 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 / had been safe beyond a
doubt, but in their eager talk they
Jagged slower and slower, and, at a
dozen yards from the house corner,
oNoPpSu ullClly, lhClI DdCh luIIltu "
me. And there sat /, astride the sill,
mind In a tangle of indecision.
Twice n thrice l measured the dis
n with my eye, having more than
half an inclination 10 take my chance.
But the faintest sound would now
catch their ears, for only one was
speaking, and he softly, and the rattle
of feet or scabbard against the wall
would betray me at nee.
Two wore swords iha third oarriad n
rude halberd, and the idea OF sliding
down to be received on the points of
these, without the possibility of de-
Tense, held Inc fast where / was. oh,
If they would but move a score OF
yards further, that I might be sure Of
being on my feet with my face to them
when I reached the ground! But no.
There they stood n stood, every sec
ond seeming an age, as l feared that
one or the other would turn his head
and cry u in surprise on the broad
white stripe shining on the gloomy
wall. l would have gently drawn the
web UP again, hoping for their speedy
departure, but the roll would unwind
1 knew not how far, and it's humping
about would attract notice. Suddenly
the thing was settled. And though 1t
went against me, the strain had been
such that l hailed the turn of affairs
with a sigh Of relief.
A comrade put Of view called upon
one of the takers by name. The hal
berd-bearer turned his head, shouted
his wonder at the sight Of the linen
and Of me on the sill, n 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 a hare
round the corner.
(Coptipua1 Naxt unaL