The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-06-22

there came q sound that made US
both start.
Twas the dull echo Of 4 gun firing,
I'D at the Castle.
Della, what lies in the back here?'
"a garden and a garden door; after
these q lane leading to Rcdciif
street"
y must 90, this moment"
"And l."
She did not wait my answer, but,
running out into the passage, she came
swiftly back with 4 heavy key. l
opcn'd the window.
Della! De-liatw Twas n woman's
voice calling her, at the head of the
stairs.
AYE, Mistress Finch"
WHO was that at the door,"
I sprang into the garden and held
forth a hand to Della. I'm i mo-
ment. MISTRESS" caId she, and in one
moment was hurrying with me across
the dark garden beds. AS she fitted
the key to the garden gate I heard the
voice again. ..y.,
"De-lia!"
Twas drown'd in a wild rat-a-tat!
on the street door and the shouts OF
many voices. We were close press'd.
Now. Jack-to the right for our
lives! All, these clumsy skirts"
We turn'd into the lane and rac'd
down it. For my part, I swore to
drown myself in Avon rather than let
those troopers retake me. I heard their
outcries about the house behind us as
we stumbled over the frozen rubbish
heaps with which the lane was be-
strewn.
Whats our direction" painted 1,
catching Delia's hand to help her
along.
ITO the left now-for the river"
We struck into a broader street,
whereof one side was wholly lind with
warehouses. And here, to our dism2y,
we heard shouts behind and the noise
of feet running.
About half way down the street l
spied q gateway standing aJar and
pulld Della aside into a courtyard lit
.er'd with barrels and timbers, and
across it to q black empty barn Of a
place, where a fight of wooden steps
glimmer'd, that led to an upper story.
We climb'd these stairs at q run.
"Faugh! What a vile SMELL"
The loft was piled high with great
bales of wool, as l found by the touch,
and their odor enough to satisfy an
army. Nevertheless, I was CROPPING
about for q place to hide, when Della
touched me by the arm and pointed.
Looking, I deserted in the gloom a
tall quadrilateral of purple, not five
steps away, with a speck Of light shin
ing neal the top of it, and three Clark
streaks running down the middle,
whereof one was much thicker than
the rest. Twas an open doorway; the
speck, a star framed within it; the
broad streak, a ships mast reaching
I'D; and the lesser ones two ends OF 4
roDe, working over q pulley above ny
head. and used for lowering the BALES
Of wool on s%hipboard.
Advancing. l stood on the sill ard
looked down. On the black wafer,
twenty feet below. lay 4 three-mastca
trader, close against the warehouse.
Ny toes stuck out owe her deck al
most.
AT first glance I could see no sign
Of life on board, but presently was
aware Of a dark figure leaning over
the bulwarks, neal the bows. He was
quite motionless. His back was to-
ward us, blotted against the black
shadow, and the man engaged only,
it. seemed, in watching the bright
splash Of light flung by the ships
lantern on the water beneath him.
I resolved to throw myself on the
mercy of this silent figure, and put
out q hand to test the rope. One end
Of it was fixed to a bale Of wool that
Icy. as it had been lowered, on the
deck. Flinging myself on the other, l
found it sink gently from the pulley, as
the weight below moved slowly up
ward. and sinking with it, l held on till
NY feet touched the deck.
Still the figure in the bows was mo-
tionleSS.
l paid out my end Of the rope SOFTLY
lowering back the bale of wool, and as
soon as it rested again on deck signaled
to Della to let herself down.
She did 50. AS she alighted and
stood beside nc our hands %bungied.
The rope slipped up quickly, letting
down the bale with a run.
We caught at the rope and stopped it
Just in time. bat the plllcy above
creaked vociferously. l turned my
head.
The man in the bows had not moved.
Go be c~ontinucd.)
Small ChaInclcops.