The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-08-05
By Prof. VIM. Henry Peck.

| with my heart beating high with nope
and happiness. Through what perils
have 1 not passed since then! But
have no time to think now; must act
And first to escape from this roof"
He then began to roam about the
steep and broad roof.
| II am on the roof of the wing of the
house." said he. at length. There is
no house upon which can jump from
this roof. This roof is at least twelve
feet below the roof of the main house.
If were on the latter think l could
enter the untenanted house beyond. /
must try to 80 up this wall to the roof
above. But first let me see if 1 can
see anything below
He saw light cleaning along the
raised borders of the skylight, which
was the only window of the crimson
chamber.
Greene had no suspicion that Henry
Elgin was in the room below the sky
light, or perhaps he would have looked
there sooner. He stole cautiously to
the edge of the skylight and peered
through the glass into the room below.
AS the crimson chamber was always
illumined at night by jet of gas,
Greene had no difficulty in seeing what
was going on.
"Great heavenw said he, "this IS
Henry Elgin's prison, and that must
be he on the bed, but how fearfully
emac.ated! A mere skeleton! But
who is that just at the door? Alb, Mrs.
Harker, the wretch! She seems threat
ening. / cannot hear what she says,
but she shakes her finger angrily. Oh,
YOU wretch of a woman, you shall suf-
fer for this! Now-she leaves the
room-there. she has gone. must let
Elgin know I have got out Of the
chimney"
Greene raped upon the glass and
Elgin looked up instantly. An express
sion of joy flashed over Elgin's ema-
ciated features as he saw Greene's
face pressed close to the glass. More
than a year had passed since Elgin
had seen Greene, and the latter's two
days Of toll and suffering had greatly
altered him from the handsome,
blithe-faced carpenter Elgin had
known. Yet Elgin knew it must be
Greene tapping at the glass, and wish
ing to communicate with him, but fear
| ing his voice could not reach him as
we'll as that it might alarm Hammond
he used the dumb alphabet on his
fingers, hoping Greene could under
stand the silent language. Greene
did understand, and knew what Elgin
! meant.
"Haste! Save MY child! They are
bringing her here drugged:
Greene was bold and active and he
resolved upon a course to pursue on
, the instant.
As gently as possible he broke a pane
of glass, and after pausing a moment
to see if he made any alarm he said in
a low but distinct tone:
"Can you rise from your bed"
Elgin made a gesture of assent. For
though Greene's voice might not be
| heard without the room his would.
care you strong enough to pull your
bed immediately under the skylight?'
said Greene.
Elgin rose with ease, for the occasion
inspired him with strength, and as his
bed was on rollers he pushed it readily
where Greene desired.
IF they remove the bed" said
| Greene, II must run the risk of break
ing a limb. But I find it will take me
an hour to escape from this roof. We
cannot spare the time. 1t is not more
than twenty-five feet from this sky
light to the floor, and your bed will
break my fall"
Elgin spoke with his fingers again:
you have no weapon. You will be
overpowered."
"I have this heavy bolt" said Greene.
"It has been my friend thus far, and
with it in my hand am ready to fight
dozen counterfeit Hammonds, and rs
many other rascals. Sit in that chair
and hope"
"Have you no weapons for me?" tel
egraphed Elsin.
"Waitw said Greene, leaving the sky
light.
He fastened to the demolished Chin
ney. and using all his great strength,
wrenched off a prong Of the lightning
rod, thus gaining an iron club 4 foot
and half long and half an inch thick,
and tapering to sharp point.
He returned to the skylight and
dropped the weapon through the bro
ken pane. 1t fell upon Elgin's bed
without noise, and Elgin hid it in his
loose gown by folding his arms across
his breast.
With the brave and active young
carpenter above him Henry Elgin seat
ed himself near the bed and waited for
the coming of Hammond.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE LAST WARNING.