Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1903-02-27

concluded that where the general was
his enemy Charlie Pendragon could be
no other than a friend. But such were
the fever and perturbation Of his mind
that he was struck by none of these
considerations and only continued to
run the faster up the lane.
Charlie, by the sound of his voice
| and the vile terms that he hurled after
! the secretary, was obviously beside
! himself with rage. He, too, ran his
very best; but. try as he might, the
| physical advantages were not upon his
side. and his outcries and the fall of
| his lame foot on the macadam began
to fall farther and farther into tie
wake.
! arise The lane was both steep and
narrow, but it was exceedingly soil
tary, bordered on either hand by gar
den walls. overhung with foliage and.
for as far as the fugitive could see in
front Of him. there was neither crea-
ture moving nor an open door. Provi-
dence, weary Of persecution, was now
offering him an open field for his es-
cape.
Alas. as he came abreast Of garden
door under a tuft of chestnuts, it was
| suddenly drawn back, and lie could
ser inside, upon garden path. the fig
ure of 4 butchers boy with his tray
upon his arm. He had hardly recog-
nized the fact before he was some steps
beyond the other side, but the fellow
had had time to observe him. He was
evidently much surprised to see gen
tleman go by at SO unusual pace, and
hs came out into the lane and began to
call after Harry with shouts of ironical
encOura cement.
His appearance gave a new idea to
Charlie Pendragon, who, although he
was now sadly out of breath, once
more appraised his voice.
"Stop thief!' he cried.
And Immediately the butchers bow
had taken up the cry and joined in the
pursuit.
This was bitter moment for the
hunted secretary. 1t is true that his
terror enabled him once more to i'm
prove his pace and gain with every
step Oh his pursuers, but he was well
aware that he was near the end of his
resources, and should he meet any one
coming the other way his predicament
In the narrow lane would be desperate
indeed
Il must find place Of concealment,"
he thought, land that within the next
! few seconds. or all is over with me in
| this world
Scarcely had the thought crossed his
mind than the lane took a sudden turn
ing, and he found himself hidden from
| his enemies. There are circumstances
in which even the least energetic Of
mankind learn to behave with vigor
and decision and the most cautious
forget their prudence and embrace fool
hardy resolutions. This was one of
those occasions for Harry Hartley, and
those who knew him best would have
been the most astonished at the lads
audacity. He stopped dead, flung the
J bandbOX over a garden wall, and, leap
ing upward With incredible agility and
Selling the copestone with his hands,
, he tumbled heldlong after it into the
garden.
| He came to himself few moments
afterward seated in a border of small
rosebushes. His hands and knees were
cut and bleeding, for the wall had been
protected against such an escalaNe by
a liberal provision of old bottles\ and
he was conscious of a general disNoca-
ton and a painful swimming in Nhe
head. Facing him across the garden,
which was in admirable order and set
with flowers of the most delicious per-
fume, he beheld the back Of a house.
1t was of considerable extent and
plainly habitable; but, in odd contrast
to the grounds, it was crazy, i'll kept
and Of a mean appearance. On all 9th
er sides the circuit of the garden wall
appeared unbroken.
He took in these features of the scene
with mechanical glances, but his mind
was still unable to piece together or
draw a rational conclusion from what
he saw, and when he heard footsteps
advancing on the gravel, although he
turned his eyes in that direction, it
was with no thought either for defense
or fight.
The newcomer was a large, coarse
and very sordid parsonage in garden
ing clothes and with watering pot in
his left hand. One less confused would
have been affected with some alarm at
the sight of this mans huge proper
, tons and black and lowering eyes, but
Harry was too gravely shaken by his
fall to be so much as terrified, and If
he was unable to divert his glances
from the gardener he remained abso-
lutely passive and suffered him to draw
near, to take him by the shoulder and
to plant him roughly on his feet with
out a motion Of resistance.
For moment TIE two stared into
each others eyes, Harry fascinated,
the man filed with wrath and cruel,
| sneering humOr.