The Washington herald., 1912-02-04

quiet OF the situation. My fathers
nerves gradually righted themselves; he
became more sane, more clear in his
mind, and began TO think of escaping
from the horror of that situation.
Yes. How was he to get out OF that
terrible predicament? He could, per-
haps, grope his way to a door, but, even
then, could he escapel He determined
TO try and see.
Crawling forward upon his hands
and knees he soon found himself
against the wall, and felt his way along
this until he arrived at a window, and
was. soon scrambling out upon a wide
portico. A few hurried bounds, and he
had left behind him the terrible man
sion with its spectral inhabitant.
"A faint blush illuminated the hori-
zon as he ran across the disused lawn,
and, stopping when he was fifty yards
or more from the house, he began to
walk. AS he did so, he contemplated
how best to make his escape. The
proper way. was, of course, by the gate
through which he had entered. The
he not be stopped by the two hooded
figures that had stood at the heads OF
the horses?
He turned and made his way to-
ward that portion Of the fence where
was the rear gate, now hidden behind
bank of shrubbery. II took but few
minates for him to get within sight of
the place where he had entered. When
he arrived there he discovered no
horses and no retainers. There was
absolutely no one there-and the gate
was closed and bolted with an iron pad
lock.
There was now but one avenue Of
escape, and that was by the other gate
the keepers gate. II would have
been well TO try this earlier, but il was
now daybreak and the two wolfhounds
would be moving about. He knew that
they were grim and ferocious dogs, that
they had an evil reputation in the viii
lage, and that il would be an hour or
more before the keeper would be astir.
He must wait for this. Consequently
he seated himself upon a mossgrown
flight OF steps, pulled out pipe which
he had luckily found in his. pocket, and
determined TO make the best of bad
bargain. His nerve was still somewhat
shaken and he felt cold.
But no sooner had he lighted his
pipe than all thoughts of a peaceful
rest were quickly dispeiled, for long
drawn howl from the direction of the
keepers cottage sounded, and il was
soon followed by another. The baying
drew nearer and more distinct and my
father knew that the hounds had either
seen him or had smelled his track, and
that they were on his trail. He jumped
to his feet and began to run in the
direction OF the house.
"As he did so, he made up his mind
very. quickly that he must seek shelter.
There were. two alterpatives open TO
him; one, TO Te-enter the house; the
other, TO climb tree, and of the two,
he preferred the htter.
Near by was a rough-limbed apple
tree, into which il was easy to swing. In
moment he had seized one of the
lower branches and had pulled himself
up into a position Of safety, just as the
hounds came galloping across the lawn
tree trunk They showed their white
fangs and looked ugly, for they were
keen for grip on his body.
my father relighted his pipe and
began to enjoy himself for the first
time that night and morning. AS he
sat contemplating the slow onereep of
the daylight, and blowing rings into the
wind gusts, he heard a loud Hello
over toward his left. The keeper had
discovered him in his perch Of safety,
and was rapidly approaching. He had
a short double-barreled shotgun in his
hand
1T took him some time TO get near
enough to point his weapon, but he
came up with It leveied on my fathers
head. The latter puffed away noncha-
lantly and said things quietly to him
self, while the hounds frisked around
the bottom Of the tree and gnawed the
bark.
when the keeper arrived near
enough to see who it was. he lowered
his gun and began to laugh.
by gravy yer honor he said.
What the divil ails you this airly in
the NORM
."'Call off your dogs and I'll explain
said my father.
"The keeper whistled to his wolf
hounds and said a few words to them