The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-04-22

| ooh, / Sec,' commenced the countess,
then to herself: ITS because | look
something like her. And she's young
and fascinating. Humph.'
"Glad / could tell you about her"
observed the prisoner, "but IL you
don't mind I think I'll climb down off
this cot. It's rather rickety, and
feel another sneezing fit coming on.
| Was there anything more!"
II beg your pardon" she said ear
nestly. Listen. You must 90 away
from here at once
Nothing would please me better, but
l can't crawl through these holes"
81 know, and / haven't key to the
paddock But / shall get one. If
can't get the key / shall demand that
you be set at liberty. I'll go to my
father to Mr. Devine. and
"Oh, wouldn't bother them about
It, Just you say nothing at all, but
find the key. undo the lock and then
slip away Perhaps you'd better wait
until afternoon
"But it's such shame. keeping you
shut up here like criminal"
That's so. / told them it was an
outrage And I've caught frightful
cold too. Think you can find the key,
don't your
I'm sure | can. I'll send Timmins
on an errand and look in his desk
"I'm greatly obliged, you know.
You're a trump. It's mighty good of
you"
1T isn't at all. couldn't do less,
and if / ever speak to Mr.. Devine
again it will be only to tell him what
l think of such cruel treatment. Good
by. I'm going now
"GOodby and good luck" came faint
ly through the air holes in the door.
Perhaps it was best that the count
ess could not see the grimace of salts
faction which accompanied the words
as she departed to get the key to that
paddock on the icehouse door.
Thus it happened something after
this fashion: The time was late after
noon between ) and o'clock. when the
golden autumn day was about to end
in blaze of sapphire light that was
| soon to fade into an empty arch of tur-
QuoiSe blue. The Countess Necchi was
reading on the upper veranda. 1t had
f, become we'll understood in the Serv-
ants wing that the brief but disturb
ing reign of that Devine person was
over. Twice he had impudently offer
cd his hand and fortune to the Count
css Vccchi, and twice he had been
scornfully refused. The parlOr maid
knew all the details.
Just now Timmins appeared up the
left carriage drive. He was on foot
and leading a half grown Jersey calf.
He had been sent to purchase the calf
from the Wilbur-Tremway' head dali
ryman.
Suddenly the icehouse door swung
gently outward on it's hinges. while a
man. wearing wrinkled frock coat
and silk hat whose luster was
somewhat dimmed by a drapery of
cobwebs, stepped cautiously out. Next
he glanced In the direction of the
house.
Above the shrubbery he could see
only the roof and the dormer windows
of the upper story, but apparently he
was satisfied. Then he turned and
looked toward the stables No one was
i in sight there, but the man in the silk
hat shook his fist at the sunset redden-
ed windows.
| Had he cast Il glance directly behind
him he would have seen Timmins and
the calf just coming into view over the
crest of Il little rise in the rolling drive
way. But he cast no such glance. Ev-
identity he knew of only one exit from
Hewington Acres, the right gateway,
by which he had entered, and he at
once struck businesslike gait in max.
ing for it,
! The discreet Timmins was both star
tied and puzzled. He did not wish to
shout and alarm the folks in the
house, for that would reveal the Sc
cret of the prisoner. Neither did he
wish TO release the calf. Yet he could
not stand there and watch the man
I escape. That would never do. What
| would Cherub Devine say? Timmins'
sharp little eyes narrowed menacingIy.
/ With the free end of the rope he gave
the Jersey calf Il smart whack on the
ribs, rudely rousing it from it's peace
! full promenade. The calf jumped
ahead So did Timmns. Yanking and
whacking, running and leaping, the
pair of them careered impetuously
across the velvety lawn, crashing
through shrubbery, lodging between
trees and making a straight course for
the right hand driveway.
We have all we can manage to pic
ture the CONSERVATION of the escaping
| prisoner when lie saw himself headed
off by this incongruous tandem. No
doubt he instantly recognized Timmins
as his jailer, for after moments as
tonished hesitation he doubled on his
tracks.
In spite of his lack OF knowledge of
/ the geography of the grounds. the flee
ing prisoner was not to be caught cas-
lily. He dashed down one of the gar
den paths So the placid meditations
of Mr. Hewington, who was in the
garden. were interrupted by the noise
of rapidly approaching footsteps. The
next moment he had a glimpse of an
individual in a frock coat who was
sprinting toward him at top speed.
Involuntarily Mr.. Hewington raised
his arms and stepped directly into the
middle of the path. That was quite