The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-10-30
"Geoffrey Heathcote, Esq"
By JOHN FlNN!hORE. Copyright 1899, by S. S. Mcclure Coz

With the SCUM of my movements the
door was opened and the face of Sianl
appeared.
Eat, eat" said she, and pointed to
the table. l stepped briskly across, for
the injunction chimed gratefully with
my humor. l was as empty as a drum
and as hungry as a wolf, and the table
was furnished royalty. l sat down and
did as l had been hidden with a will.
Twice during my meal S!ani's p~eering
face came at a crack of the door, and
l took it for a hint that there was no
time to be lost, and that she was there
on guard, and l ate the faster. l stood
up, feeling myself another man, and
Siani's head popped in at the %scraping
back of my chair.
You can walk, Oh, yes said she,
showing a very disturbed and anxious
face. l thought for a moment. since
Siani's English was no easy thing to
u%nravel, then replied, in a little Won
der:
Walk! Ay, ay, quite easily"
ITO walk away is the best" went on
Siani, nodding at me a face which
looked all the paler for the obstinate
patches of red burnt into the middle of
her cheeks.
I rose and approached the door,
which Siani opened a little wider. yet
$3.50 Np q XII l ~ Dlu Ilc JdSSlllS
through.
Not &c out" said she, "till the mis-
tress bring a word"
listened and heard a faint tumult of
voices. 1t sounded as if there were a
rare hubbub in the hall and courtyard.
Who are quarrelling >-ere?" said l.
All, all" whispered Siani, just go
ing to fight"
AT that moment a swift shadow fitted
w Cr f1n ,nr r.
Enid herself.
OH" said she, quickly. Il am afraid
| have done o a great mischief In
bringing you here" She stopped and
caught her breath, then went on. "but
you seemed so weak, and I knew not
what else to do. And now they are
saying the most dreadful things. 1
know they are not true-they are try
ing to screen themselves
Il understand perfectly what you
mean returned. Those two whom
you found With me declare that l am
in the fault of Owain's DEATH"
Yes she said, with Il sob, but I
knew 1T impossible. Besides, Gwilym
followed them secretly and saw every
Then he ran back in terror and shouted
1t all out in the house."
"Ay, ay,' said |, and that brought
YOU up in a body. But how dc they
meet the old mans testimony"
1T is thrust aside as of no weight
said Enid, land the only manner in
which concord can be restored is to
turn the whole force of vengeance upon
you"
Last night makes it look the black
er. admit said I, seeing how natural
was the outburst of fury in my direc-
ton; but no finger was laid upon that
man-none. Whitesock threw him and
broke his back"
Their rage is running higher and
higher went on Enid in a strained,
hurried voice: you must go at once,
or they Will kill you. And it is I Who
have brought you into this trap. I
had enough influence to get YOU safely
here, but | fear l cannot-'
raised the little right hand which
was clenched at her side and pressed
1t to my lips. All my belongings had
beer carried to the room. and hastily
buckled on belt and sword. l looked Mt
her and she knew very well what I
meant.
"Whitesock is safe and in the stable,'
she said, Sinai shall" she paused
and bit her lips for a moment. NO"
she went on, they would put her aside
ard refuse her. l must go myself,
Siani, who had been out in the gallery
accommodating, now ran silently back
II spoke a few hurried words to hcn
mistress. Enid lifted a hand in despai..
n nave set a guard at the foot of
the stairs she whispered; -four men,
well armed, two of each party"
Then they have come to an agree
ment,' said I, land it is time for me
to move"
ran across to the window and
glanced out cautiously. Two men. car
bines on shoulder, stood there talking
together.
What is the attitude of the men at
the stairfoot?" | asked, moving swiftly
PACK. Enid went herself to look upon
them.
Careless" she whispered, as she re-
turned. One is sitting on the lowest
stair, the other three leaning against
the WALL
h they have no immediate inten-
ton of marching upon me- 1 re-
marked: the guard is simply to make
sure, ana without doubt they believe
me still of their Intentions
Now, if I could find anything like a
rope to slide down on a side of the
house where a watch IS not placed. and
were Whitesock set free, l should be as
safe as a man could wish"
The empty room at the end of this
gallery said Enid, quickly, that is it.
1t has one inc looking out on he
north side of the house. which, but for
that, is a blank wall. Come, GOMEZ"
Slam. at a word from her mistress,
had disappeared, n | now followed
Enid cautiously. Luckily, we had not
to pass the stair-head. and we soon
reached the mouth of a winding passage
which led to the room in question. a
great bare apartment, with windows
looking to the north and east,
We were scarcely there when SIAM
ran in noiseless. in her stocking feet
and bearing in her arms a roll of linen
cloth. 1t was about eighteen inches
wide, and the piece was many wards
long. Better stuff for the work could
not be. and I seized upon it at once.
Il will bring Whitesock to that side"
said Miss Vaughan.
mo, no. aid I, "do not identify
yourself too closely with my escape. It
may be unpleasant for you in the pres
ent state of feeling"
II" said she; there is no need OF
fear for me. Our people, though rude
and rough to strangers, are faithful to
their own to the last. They would
Stay you against my will, true, but hurt
me. nevcr!'
But I urged, there is no need for
1t. 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 bent her lovely head
and asked, How much time do Won