Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1904-06-17

| and make an open Dash for freedom
would mean certain death; to turn up
therefrom and regain her chamber was
her sole chance, and this must be done
before light could be struck
She wheeled around and rushed up
the hall, up the stairs among the clus-
tering folks, nudging she knew not
/ whom. skipped along the narrow rear
| passage and into her room before can
die flames revealed to the amazed
company that neither bolt, bar nor latch
had been disturbed nor anything in the
house taken.
Even while they rummaged in the
bar room till, counted the forks and
spoons, pewter though they were, her
ladyship. tying the luckless bundle
about her waist with hastily cut bed
cord, cautiously opened the easement,
crawled out ON the trellis, which un-
steadied bit beneath her weight, but
did not break. clambered in and out
the vines to the edge and then lightly.
thanks to her twins training, swung
herself to the ground clear, crept across
the yard, leaped the stone wall with a
bound and over, flew the width Of the
meadow, struck the lane. up to the
highrOad, by the moon took a souther-
~ course which she knew made for
Kennaston, and paused not much for
breath until she had left a matter Of
five miles betwixt her and the Queen
and Artichoke.
After matter of dozen miles, and
now reaching the edge Of q woods.
I with the tower Of castle Just sticking
up out Of the horizon for her only
beacon. Peggy halted. The tears forced
their way to her eyes and even plowed
two small burrows the length of her
cheeks, cupping in the dimple Of her
chin and splashing at last on her much
rumpled Mechlin lace cravat.
"Bah!' cried she. Il weep only be-
cause l am hungry. l am not afraid.
OdzOOks! She that has had the hemp
about her neck to be strung up for q
hi$hwayman must not fear to encoun.
ter one Of her own ilk," and her lady
ship essays to laugh as she plunges
into the wood.
| 1t proves q harmless, peaceful, If
somewhat devious neighborhood, where
an occasional rabbit scurries over the
dry leaves Of last autumn's falling, and
where a large company Of rocks are
holding caucus, but tits interminable,
and Peggy's legs are not Of steel, it
seems, but Of that lusty flesh and blood
and bone which, when made to do duty
fasting now these twenty hours, begin
to give out. Her head, too, spins, the
knot Of her cravat seems to choke her
as she lOosens 1t, the weight of the
bundle appears like twenty stone at
the least about her waist and she cuts
the BEDFORD and let's 1t drop, just for a
few moments ease, she tells herself, as
at last the other side Of the forest is
gained and she beholds a wide stretch
| Of downs and naught but the elusive
tower of the distant castle appearing
farther away even than at first.
What common can this be?
Once again she shades her bloodsbot
eyes and stares up ut the sky. In cross
Ing the woods she must have struck
mistakenly to the west. The sun is
nearing the set, and Peggy now knows
| she has come to Farnham heath where,
report has 1t. some Of the boldest cut
Threats in the country rule the roost
Shall she start to cross It? Ken
naston village lies only ten miles on
tOther side Of it. That will-o'-the-wisp
tower, that castle yonder, yes, tits
home! And she such a dullard as not
to have mistrusted 1t before!
She will push on. Why not? What
has she. forsooth, to tempt any thief,
| unless he took her for ransom.
Well, let him, since Percy de Bohun
at this very moment in all likelihood
kneals at the feet Of Lady Diana. II
highwaymen want to bear her of, why
should she complain? And just then
the tinkle Of the little brook at the
wayside beckons in her ladyship's ear,
the castle tower appears to be dancing
up and down against the sky, the two
stark trees yOnder on the heath are
surely turning somersaults, the bundle
! drags all forgotten at her heels and
presently lies in the tall grasses which
she threaded ON her way to the brook.
Her head swan; ten thousand blunder-
buses seemed to be firing of inside of
it. She pulled OF her wig and threw it
far from her. She unbuttoned her coat
and waistcoat and drew her cloak In a
twist abous her. She staggered, caught
at an elder. 1t swayed with her to the
water as she fell swooning with her
thirsty lips just in touch Of the spar
king bubbles, her wan face shining in
the CLINT Of sunshine, the whole round
world and all the men and women In 1t
quite forgot, even her sword, unbuc-
kled with the BEDFORD. now lay CLINT
ing its jewels in the sedges half doz-
en- rods away.
A pair Of robins eyed her from the
bushes. a bee swerved and swung
above her mouth, the minnows darted
next her cheek, but my lady did not
wake for any or all Of these. She lay
there mOtionless until the sun had gone
| down and all the sweet scents and
! drowsy sounds and vhirs and futters