Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-12-28

dark thrilled her with new fear, up
setting all her calculations. The panic
of pulsation in her throat and in her
ears at first rendered any attempt at
listening futile, but at last she heard his
regular breathing, as peaceful as that
of an infant, and it came from the
other side of the room. For moment
this terrified her and she wondered If
she were really awake or in the mazes
of some battling nightmare, but the So
luton came to her mind and quieted
the growing agitation. 1t had been his
bed that he had dragged across the
floor and he was now sleeping against
the outside door. She changed her di-
rection and, with her former stealth,
came ghostlike to the edge of the couch
His doublet was open ut the throat;
that was SO much to the good. Like n
snowflake in its GOODNESS and its light
ness her hand stole down underneath
his vest, fluttered by the slow, steady,
subdued beating Of his heart, running
no such wild race as her own at that
moment. 1t seemed incredible that ut
last her fingers closed on the parch-
ment, but there it lay, and gently she
drew 1t forth. Was the robbery to be
so easily accomplished after all? All,
she had congratulated herself too soon.
1t stuck fast. Either the silken cord
that bound 1t was caught or the docu-
ment was secured to the vest, con-
tingency she had never thought of, and
yet what more natural? Twice she
tugged it gently, then third time
more strenuously, when 1t came uneX-
pectedly away and her knuckles struck
the sleeper under the chin. Instantly,
like the snap of u steel trap, his fingers
| closed upon her wrist, and his voice
rang out as wideawake and clear as
ever he had spoken to her:
"Frances!"
Now the racing heart stopped dead.
Lucky for her that at this supreme mo-
ment all action was impossible and
that she was stricken into frozen mar
bic. She imagined he was awake and
knew her, and then the cold horror of
her situation numbed thought ut its
source.
"Francesw The voice came more
sleepily this time, and he repeated
thrice, very rapidly, Frances, Frances
Francesw Feebly her heart had taken
up its work again. She was not to die
as she had feared. Sodden with drow.
siness, his voice rambled on. Then the
words became indistinct and died
| Dat nj fl,o In, 90
NAMED on her wrist. For long time
she stood there motionless, then tried
to disengage his fingers gently, but nj
the first movement the grasp frightened
again. One o'clock struck. He slept
SO silently that it began to appear tc
her agitated brain that she was d
| prisoner of the dead. She came neal
| to sinking from very WEAKNESS. Two
| o'clock tolled from the tower. Some
| times she fancied she slept standing
there, but her five jailors did not sleep
She kept wondering in which direction
lay the open door, for at times the
room seemed to swim around her, thus
disturbing all sense Of locality. She
almost laughed aloud when she thought
Of herself free, but cropping helplessly
for the open door, failing to find it, and
| she shuddered that even the remem
brance of laughter should come to heI
at such time. Surely sign of up
proaching frenzy.
Then it seemed the fingers loosened
but hand and wrist had lost all feeling
| and she could not be sure. She totter
ed and nearly fell. When she stood
upright again she was free; he mutter
ing to nsmselt- ;n.iusnis. -liAnd1 siastint
undirected on tie mattress as If i
missed something It sotight drunkenly
to recover. The girl could scarce re
press cry of joy ut her release. Sht
moved eagerly in the path that should
lead her to the door, but. hurrying too
much, came upon his jackboots on thu
floor and fell helplessly, SO over
wrought that even when her fee
touched them she could not draw back
"Who's there? Who's in this room 2
cried Armstrong. She was standing
again. fully expecting to hear his fee
on the floor, but the bell struck three
and be counted dreamily and all wa
still again. When she renched he
room she closed and barred the door a
silently as she had opened it. Th'
tension relaxed, she felt she was goin,
to swoon. Blindly she CROPPED for he
shoes, murmuring, 20 God, not yet
not yet! Give me moment more
Finding her footgear at last she daret
not wait to put them on, but stol
softly down the stair, steadying hersel
against the wall. The cool air out
side struck her like the blessing o
God and soothed her whirling head
She heard a horse champing his bit
then whisper came out of the dark
ness:
as that you ut last, MADAME
YES" she said, sinking on the door
step and leaning her head against tn
Intel, the cold stone grateful to he
hot forehead.
you are not hurt. MADAME" inquired
the man anXiously.
mo, no." she gasped, then, with III
eldritch little laugh, 81 want to put OIL
my shoes, that's ALL"