Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-07-18

pea and lay Stlll. ! SaS&eu HlM Will
his own handkerchief, and then hold
ing both bony wrists in one hand,
searched his pockets until found my
watch.
It was now quite dark SO that
moved without fear Of being seen, rem
embering only to move in silence. Why
Stevens had come could not guess.
1t was enough for the momnet that he
was here and must be reckoned with.
Glad as was to see him, he must not
interfere with the real work had in
hand. So, for while, sat holding
him and listening to the irregular
whistle of his returning breath, cast
ing about in my mind for some means
of leaving him safely behind me. had
nothing in my own pockets to tie him
with except my handkerchief. and
this used to bind his gag more firm
ly in place. At last, with infinite salts
faction, I set deliberately to work.
First Of all. stripped him of his coat.
and when I had transferred the con-
tents OF his pockets to my own, tore
out the lining and twisted 1t into
very serviceable rope to bind about
his knees and ankles. His tie, I found,
although very ugly one as remem-
bered it, was finely suited to my needs:
for 1t was strong and long and thick,
SO that when had turned him on his
face and brought his hands together
behind him, found it exactly suited
for tying them together. The lining of
the sleeves furnished me with cord
enough to draw up his feet until they
almost touched his hands, where
tied them together, and left him trus-
HIp1
razor-back swine. 1t was not, per-
haps, very comfortable position In
which to leave the minister who had
married me; but the night was warm,
and to my thinking, Mr.. Stevens did
not merit much consideration And
reflected that it would be easy
enough next day to send somebody
word to release him.
| My own repeater licked delicately
in my pocket with steady courtly
little sound perfectly distinct and
rhythmical through the louder and
coarser pulsation Of Its cheap plebeian
substitute, and when I pressed Its
spring, told me merrily that 1t was
nearly nine O'Clock, news which veri-
fed by q glance at the dim, phosphor-
escent face of the other And sat by
the human bundle had made, at peace
and almost happy. For all Of my ten.
seness had Disappeared, all that before
struggle feeling Of interminable time:
in their place reigned the joyous and
confident calm Of combat. l did not
even care that had still more than
an hour to wait. and. although l had
missed my glimpse of Nancy (for now
her light was lit and the shade
drawn), yet felt that could afford
to wait, serenely certain that in lit
tie over an hour / would take her In
my arms again. There Is something
Intoxicating in even the smallest sue
cess, the very fact Of winning seems
to make the ultimate and completer
triumph an easy and foregone conclu-
sion. even made some shift to make
my prisoner comfortable, although Of
course I did not loose his bonds. AT
ten minutes of ten left him In undis-
puted possession of the place he had
chosen, and began to make my way
carefully toward the door of the sana-
torium. The watchman should just
have gone by, SO my only thought was
to avoid observation by the man on
the roof, an observation which the
heavy darkness made practically I'm
possible.
| felt along the ivied wall until
came to the low steps which led up to
the great door. and then shrank back
into the Ivy to wait and listen. l did
not dare, now, to press the spring Of
my repeater, but guardedly took the
other watch from my pocket and.
grading 1t in my hands, saw that It
was two minutes Of ten. In moment
more thanked God in the darkness;
for heard the soft shrek and click
of the big lock almost at my ear.
climbed the steps very cautiously,
and for moment stood at the door
listening. Then, with infinite care,
softly and slowly turned the knob,
and pushed the door open an inch or
so. I could hear a murmur OF voices
that was almost articulate, and sur
missed that our mercenary had been
unable to close the door Of the Office.
Nevertheless, although 1t was not now
or never, at least 1t was now. pushed
the door still farther open, just far
enough to admit my body, and, slipping
in, softly closed it behind me.
To my satisfaction found the hall
but dimly lighted, SO that the bright
ness from the Office door at my left
hand made broad, truncated v on the
worn boards OF the hall floor, space
of light not four feet away from me,
through which must pass into the
safer dimness on its farther side.
could now hear plainly Doctor May
hew's voice, debating what suppose
was some racsally letter or other, and
/ drew back into the corner at the
right Of the great door in the hope that.
leaning forward, / might be able to
see him. AS did SO his shadow
passed before me on the floor. Evi.
IDENTIFY he was pacing up and down al
he wrote watched the gortesque
shadow pass four or five times, a shad-
low whose striding, giant legs COM
menced somewhere in the ONCE, fell
fatty across the floor and, bending at
the wall like some huge, black, paper
IDOL staggered in vague fiat bulk al