Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-10-13
Deer the
Border sx
BARR.
1870 ,oo, a, Author O "Jennie Baxter.
Fr.a.r;et H. y,os.. Co. JournoiiSf" Etc

uoItS OF tue outer NoOF were thrust INTO
their places. but this apparently failing
to satisfy the doubts of the inmate,
there was sound Of some heavy arti-
Gle Of furniture being dragged across
the room; then the tramping ceased
and MI was still. Inhecdng she heard
the clock in Il neiGhboring tower toll
the hour: now 1t struck again and she
counted the notes Eleven, II was
still too early. People slept heavier as
the night wore on. one. two. three four,
five. six. seven. 1t must be midnight,
and the first i've strokes had been on
Cromwell's hreastplatc She reused
herself and attempted &c take off her
shoes. but her hands We're trembling
80 she was forced TO desist She sat
up again. telling herself it was better
10 wait until all effect OF the long
ginning had ceased. for the striking of
Twelve sometimes disturbed or awak-
ened the souudest sleeper. The clock
tower seemed dangerously near, MS IL it
We're approaching her hour by hour.
A. last the shoes came off. and in
stock inged feet she stood by The secret
door waiting till the frightfully rapid
beating of her heart should moderate.
1t threatened to choke her. Then she
slid back the bar and drew open the
door, all So smoothly oiled that there
was not the whisper oc u crcak She tip
food into the cavern of hlackncss and
silence, holding her spread hands in
front Of her MOVING slowly. with the
utmost caution. step 10y stop.
In hor mind she had estimated. from
her earlier survey of the room that
nine steps would take her 10 the bed
Now shc realized she had taken
dozen and Yet had not como 20 it, she
stood hewildered and listened The
helplessness of a person in the pitch
dark thrilled her with a new fear up.
setting all her CalCulatious The panic
Of pulsation in her throat and in her
ears 1T first rendered any attempt NJ
listening futile. but al last she heard his
regular breathing. as peaceful as Aat
Of m infant, and It came from the
other side of the room For q moment
this terrified her and she wondered il
she We're really awake or in the ma2cs
Of some battling nightmare. but the so
lutiOn came 70 her mind and quietcd
the growing agitation. II had been his
bed that ne 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 at the throat:
that vas so much to the good. Like
snowflake in its coldncsS and its light
ness her hand stole down underneath
his vest fluttercd by the slow, steady
subducd beating of his heart. running
no such wild race rs her own at that
moment II seemed incredible that mt
last her fingers closed on the parch-
ment. but there it lay, and gently she
drew it forth Was the robbery 10 bc
so easily accomplished after allf All,
she had congratulated herself too soon
Ii stuck fast. Either the silkeu cord
that bound ii was caught or the docu-
men, was secured TO the vest con
tingoncy she had never thought Of. and
Yet what more naturalt Twice she
tuggod it gently. then a third time
more strenuously when il came unex
poCtHdly away and her knuckloS Strnk
the sleeper under the chin. Instantly
like the snap of a steel trap, his fingers
closed upon her wrist. and his voice
rang out rs widcawake and clear as
ever he had spoken to her:
"Franccs."
Now the racing heart stopped dcNd
Lucky for her that AT this supreme mo
ment an action was impossible ana
that she was stricken into frozen mar
Die. She imagined he was awake and
knew her and then the cold horror of
her situation nnmbed thought at its
source,
Frances" The voice came more
Sloopily this time and he repeated
thrice, very rapidly, Frances. Frances,
I'rnnces" fechly her heart had taken
up IFS work again. She was not to die
as she had foured. Soddon with droW
SluosS. his voice rambl"d on. Then the
words became indisliuct and died
away. But alas the grip of iron re
NAMED on her wrist. For Il long time
she stood there motionlcsS. then tried
10 dis"npaac his fingers gently. hut at
tie first movement the grasp frightened
agau one o'clock struck He slept
50 silently that il began to appear to
her agitatcd brain that she was Il
prisoner OF the dead. She came near
to sinking from very WEAKNESS. Two
| o'clock tolled from the tower, Some
times she fancied she slept standing
there but her five jnilors did not sleep,
She kept wondering in which direction
/ lay the open door. for Mt times the
room seemed to swim around her, thus
{ disturbing all sense of locality, Sh"
| almost laughed aloud whom she thought
/ of herself free, but cropping helpleSsly
| for the open door, failing to find it, and
she shuddercd that even the remcm-
| hrance Of laughter should come to her
/ at such time Surely sign Of APP
preaching frenzy
Then it seemed the fingers lOoScncd
but hand and wrist had lost all feeling
and she could not he sure. She totter
ed and nearly fell When she stood
upright again she was free; he muttcr
ing To himself and his hand slashing
undirected on the mattress as if II
missed something it sought drunkenly
TO recover The girl could scarce re
press IA cry OF JOY at her release. She
moved eagerly in the path that shout