The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-06-03
CHATTER V.-(Continued.)

As the actual second Of her terrible
enterprise approached she became
self-controlled and calm. Some of the
most subtle and careful brains in Eu.
rope had devised and supervised ev,
cry detail of what she was about to
do. Nothing had been left to chance,
The strange and dangerous plan by
which the Kidnapped child was to be
shot out into the night suddenly and
n~oiselessly, had been calculated with
marvellous nicely by those in the pay
of a tall, fair woman, who ven nov
sat waiting for tidings in an old cas-
tie on the Rhine. And the tool OF the
princess, the ~treacherous instrument
Of another's revenge, the trusted
friend of the woman she was about
to rob of all that she held most dear,
had herself been trained, as a gym.
mast is trained, in every detail of
what was to be shown in the expendi,
mental house which had been taken
this.
Miss Deoies remained by the bundle.
She set IL gently, swinging to and
FRO, and noticed with satisfaction that
the arc it described in its progress
would take It far out through the
open window and we the narrow
pavement below, when sufficient i'm
petus had been given ii.
The tramp of the great cart horses
came nearer and nearer.
Now there was nothing to listen for
but the sounds at the far end Of Pic
cadilly, by st. Georges hospital,
which would tell of the simulated riot
and draw all the patrolled constables
of the neighborhood to it in a mo-
ment.
The fresh night air from the Green
Park swept and eddied into the dark
ened room. Beyond the great, black
square of the open French windows a
faint radiance of moonlight illumined
the sky, and the only sound in the
room itself was the mufied drum
ming that Miss Decies heard as her
heart raced and pulsed within her in
terrible exhilaration.
All! there 1t was-a drowned and
distant shout! More shouting "a
chorus of shouts! the mufiled whis-
ties of the police.
Almost Immediately the old lady
heard heavy hurryiug footsteps not
far away from the open window.
They echoed loudly for a moment and
decreased in sound, while the distant
noise and shouting grew louder and
yet more loud.
She glided to the table upon which
the keen. edged hunting knife lay, took
Il up in her hand, and once more re-
turned to her station by the swinging
bundle. AS she did so she was aware
Of the heavy clank, clank OF the great
horses which drew the half-wain be-
meath the windows.
There was a dead silence for a mo-
ment, and then a low whistle shivered
up and into the room.
1t was the signal.
When she heard Il the old woman
went to the end of the bundle, ran
with It to the window and pushed II
against the recoil Of the rope until II
was out above the balcony. Then she
released 1t, and in a fash h was
back against the opposite wall. she
was there, waiting, before the return
swing of the long narrow thing
brought it within her grasp.
She caught it, held 1t for the moiety
Of a second, and then gave 1t a fur
Their and tremendous impetus. 1t
flashed away out Of tho dark room
into the pale moonlight, and as 1t s
to It's highest point again the low
whistle sounded,
The knife was in her hand, and at
the moment of hearing she drew 1t
with a quick and certain movement
across the taut rope tied to the pillar
Of the sideboard.
There was a little whispering
shrek, high up in the roof, as the re-
leased rope rushed through the pulley.
Then a dull, muffied thud came to her
as the bundle fell accurately In the
middle of the hay. The third low
whistle announced the complete sue
cess of everything; there was a trail
ing noise as the concealed people
upon the top or the wagon ure" III
The severed rope, and once more the
heavy tramp of the re-started horses
began to echo as the cart with It's
precious burden moved on.
She staggered to the windows, had
lust enough strength left to close and
lasten them. to pull the heavy cur
tains ov r them once more to switch
on the e.ectriS lights, and then she
fell in a huddled heap upon the floor,
and everything flashed away from her.