Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1904-03-11


ward
Can | hide?" he said Quick, girl
quick! You shall be rewarded, but
there is no time to lose Is there any
place-ah, a sack
sack half filled with wheat ready
to be ground stood with It's mouth
open at his side. The girl nodded and,
strung up to pitch Of curious excite
ment and hearing hurrying feet coming
nearer and nearer through the storm,
she lent ready hand to the fugitive
without stopping to question his right
Of forcible entry into the mill. Five
minutes later there WAS no sign OF any
man in the mill; only girl sitting at
her sewing, and a sack which rose
slowly and swung round with a sharp
creaking OF chains through the hole in
the low ceiling up to the next floor.
As It hung motlonless for an instant
before disappearing through the dark
aperture violent blow on the wooden
door shook the old walls to their foun-
datlons.
Open" cried a rough voice, and the
girl got up and unbarred the door The
storm was stll raging furlously, and
she could only see three men standing
outside. A cart and horse were dimly
visible at the corner where the road
turned up to the mill.
HAS any one come here for shell
terY' asked the taller man hoarsely
His voice was almost raised to a shout.
Miriam shook her head
"Sure. grip" he said, susplciously
Then will you give us shelter for five
minutes before we go on our way? The
night Is awful-and we have come
far"
"By all MEANS" said Miriam boldly;
come ln-my father will be home
presently, but you are welcome to
what shelter you want It's no night
to be abroad"
Nor to be chasing a madman," said
one Of the men roughly as they shook
the rain from their coats and followed
Miriam into the mill They looked
about them with inquisltlve eyes, but
there was no place of hiding here, at
any rate. The creaking and groaning
of the machinery filled the place with
weird sounds, and Miriam began to
busy herself with preparations for tea.
The three men meanwhile stood to-
gether by the fire and talked In low
accents. She could catch a word here
and there, and her interest grew. They
spoke of a madman-of his escape
from their hands-of the evil fate
which should befall him could they
once catch him again--of reward
which they would receive from the
master they served. She turned from
her preparations and went towards the
ladder which led to the rest Of the mill.
"She has done her days work p said
one of the men, apparently the leader
of the party.
Miriam nodded.
I'm going up to stop the sails" she
said, and disappeared UP the ladder.
She stopped for momeat and listened
lntently; the men We're silent, and
were probably listening also. She re-
membered the cart and horse which
she had dimly seen waiting at the cor
ner she remembered also the iron
stanchions by which man might
climb down from the outside of the
mill to the ground If he were lucky
enough to escape the whirling sails.
The mill was to stop working for the
day now, and such an escape was
quite possible for an active man.
As she opened the little door leading
out on to the narrow parapet which
ran round the top of the mill and seized
the heavy chains which stopped the
81 lis, she remembered hearing a story
of man who had been seized and con
fined in lunatic asylum. sane though
he was. on account OF the immense
property to which he was heir, and to
which a wicked cousin laid claim. She
wondered IL this fugitive could be the
man In question, and in an instant be
fore she stopped the fierce whirl Of the
sails she slipped down to the sack in
which he was hiding.
A whispered word brought him out
TO her side
She silently opened the little door
once more and pointed out the way OF
escape to him In cautious tones. Down
below them they could just see the
outline of the waiting horse and cart.
when | stop the sail. so down by
the irons" she said quickly. II will
engage the attention of the men below
and you win get away in the cart
go-and heaven defend you"
He seized her hand.
What | owe you | will repay you a
thousand fold" he said, and stopped
and kissed the hand as it rested in his
for moment. The next moment the
sails had stopped their wild course and
the man was on his way to freedom.
She descended the ladder, and as she
reached the lowest floor the faint
sound of wheels dying away In the dis
lance told her that he was safely away