Omaha daily bee., 1905-08-27

which led away from death The next
instant I threw myself through, and lay
maintaining upon the other side The
panel had closed again behind me, but
the crash of the lamp, and a few moments
atterward the clang of the two slabs of
metal told me how narrow had been my
escape.
Il was recalled TO myself by a frantic
plucking at my wrist and 1 found myself
lying upon the stone floor of a narrow
corridor, while a woman bent over me
and tugged at me with her left hand,
while she held a candle in her right. Il
was the same good friend whose warning
had so foollshly rejected.
Come! comet she cried, breathlessly.
They will be here in a moment They will
see that you are not there Oh. do not
waste the so-precious time. but comet
This time, at least, I did not scorn her
advice. 1 staggered to nay feet and ran
with her along the corridor and down
winding stair. The latter led TO another
broad passage, and. Just as we reached It,
we heard the sound OF running feet and
the shouting OF two voices, one answering
tho other. from the floor on which we were
and from the one beneath My guide
stopped and looked about her like one
who is at her wits end. Then she threw
open a door which led into a bedroom
through the window Of which the moon
was shining brightly.
&" Tt is your only chance" said she. Tt
, is high, but It may be that you can
Jump It,
'As she spoke a light sprang into view
at the further end of the passage, and
saw the lean figure OF Colonel Lysander
Stark rushing forward with q lantern in
-
cleaver in the other. I rushed across the
bedroom, flung open the window, and
looked out How quiet and sweet and
wholesome the garden looked in the moon
light, and II could not be more than thirty
feet down. I clambered out upon the sill,
but hesltated to jump until I should
have heard what passed between my
saviour and the ruhian who pursued me.
II she were ill-used, then at any risk ]
was determined to 50 back to her assist
ance. The thought had hardly flashed
through my mind before he was at the
door. pushing his way past her; but she
threw her arms round him and tried to
hold him back.
Fritz! Fritzl she cried. in English,
remember your promise after the last
time. You said It should not be again
He will be silent! oh, he will be silentr
Cling to break away from her You will
be the ruin of us. He has seen too much
Let me pass, I say! He dashed her 10 one
side, and. rushing TO the window, cut
at me with his heavy weapon. had lei
myself go, and was hanging by the hands
to the sill. when his blow fell I wal
conscious of a dun pain, my grip loosenet
and fell into the garden below,
II was shaken but not hurt by the fall
so picked myself up and rushed of amonl
the bushes as hard as / could run, for
understood that l was far from being on
OF danger yet. Suddenly. however, as
ran. a deadly dizziness and sickness CAM
over me. l glanced down at my hand
which was throbbing painfully. and then
for the first time saw that my thumb hal
been cut on and that the blood was pour
ing from my wound I endeavored 10 Il
my handkerchief round Il. but there cam
a sudden buEzing in my ears, and mex
! moment fell in a dead faint among tn
: rosebushes.
How long I remained unconscious can
not tell. 1t must have been very lon
time. for the moon had sunk. and brigh
} morning was breaking when l came
myself MY clothes were all sodden wit
. dew. and my coat-slseve was drenche
!. with blood from my wounded thumb. IN