The Washington herald., 1911-08-13
THE PURCHASE PRICE
By EMERSON HOUGH.

secret errand might tread light. She
flung herself upon the bed, her hands
clasped, her lips moving In supplication.
But now it came again, that was it-it
was a football, 1t approached along the
hall, paused at the barricaded door. IT
was there outside. stopping. She heard
a breath drawn. The knob was tried.
silently at first, then with greater force.
who is there?" she quavered. who is
thereT' she repeated. No answer came.
jeanne she cried aloud. "Oh,
Jeanne! Jeanne! Sally!''
There was once a sound Of distant
door opening. No voice came. Outside
her own door now was silence.
She could endure no more. Though II
were into flames, she must escape from
this place, where came one to claim a
property, not Il woman; where woman
faced use. not wooing God! And there
was no weapon. to assure Gods ven-
geance now, here, at once.
Half-clad as she was, she ran to the
window, and unhesitatingly let herself out
over the sill. clutching at the ivy as
she did so. She feared not at all what
now was before her. 1t is doubtful
whether those who spring from burn
ing building dread the fall-they dread
only that which is behind them.
AS she now half slid from the window.
she grasped wildly at the screen Of ivy,
and as fate would have it caught one Of
its greater branches. 1t held fast, and
she swung free from the sill, which
now she could never again regain. She
clung desperately, blindly. swung out;
then felt the roots of the ivy above her
rip free. one after another, far up. al
most to the cornice. Its whole thin ladder
broke free from the wall. She was
flung into space. Almost at that In
slant her foot touched the light lattice
of the lower story. The ivy had crawled
up the wall face and followed the cor
nice up and over somewhere, over the
edge Of the caves, finding some sort Of
holding ground. It served to support her
weight at least until she felt the ladder
underfoot At this in turn she clutched
as she dropped lower. but frail and rot
ten as it was. it supported her but slight
" The next instant she felt herself
falling.
She dropped out and down. struck
heavily, and had but consciousness
enough left to half rise. Before her eyes
shone scores of little pointed lights. Then
her senses passed away. and all went
sweetly. smoothly and soothingly black
about her. . After ages. there came
faint sounds of running feet. There was
a sort of struggle of some sort, II seemed.
in her first returning consciousness. Her
first distinct feeling was one of Won
der that Dunwody himself should be the
first to bend over her, and that on his
face there should seem surprise, regret.
grief. How could he feign such things?
She pushed at his face, painting. silent.
Jeanne now was there-Jeanne. fearful,
excited. wringing her hands. Offering aid;
but in spite of Jeanne, Dunwody raised
Josephine in his arms. AS he did so he
felt her vince. Her arm dropped loosely.
Good God! It is broken" he cried. "Oh
why did you do this? Why did you?
You poor girl you poor girl! And 1t was
all my fault-my fault" Then suddenly,
''Sally,-Eleazar,' he cried.
They came running now from all
sides. Between them they carried Jo-
sephine back to her room and placed
her once more upon her couch.
Saddle up. Eleazar." commanded
Get a doctor-Jamieson-
from st. Genevieve, as fast as you can.
The lady's arm is broken.r
Pardon, monsieur" he began. but
1t is far to ST. Genevieve. Me. I have
set harm before now. Suppose set
heem now. then go for the doc'r"
Gould you do that?' demanded Dun
woody.
Somehow. yes. me-" answered Flea
zar. Dunwody nodded. Without fur
Their speech the old man rolled up his
sleeves and addressed himself to his
task. Not without skill, he approached
the broken ends of the ulna. which was
fractured above the wrist. Having done
his without much difficulty he called
but for splints, and when some pieces
IF thin wood were brought him he had
them shaped to his needs, adjusted
about them his bandage. and made all