The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1913-08-30

nef IAt ups. ln0 Qukoi sAS ~
peated. Good gracious!"
Three of them." 10 continued In
that far-away. faltoring voice.
might have screamed. or drawn the
revolver. but It was In q pocket OF
my dressing gown. and before l could
could get It out sope one. evidently
a guard at the door. seized me from
behind. stifled my cries. And
l think l was gagged. They
talked all at once in French-I don't
. understand much French-but they
| seemed to be trying to decide Whist
to do with me. After wnlle
seemed to understand that instead
Of killing me they were going to take
mo away and hold me prisoner. They
| lifted me, and I was carried down
the stairs. where there was . woman
some woman who seemed to be an
accomplice." 10 stopped as II puz-
zled, and drew one hand across her
forehead. she and the duke talked
in French-rapid French-Im sure II
was French"
| why. I'm the only woman here
who really speaks French" l inter-
rupted. except" Amazement ST.
fenced me.
| Except Mrs Cutler" Laura sup
piled. Please go on"
"Gad!" Hap exclaimed suddenly.
80 my Imagination didn't run away
with me-"
Il don't know who she was 10
went on after a little Il didn't recog-
nize her voice l was taken
| stoIr IaadtnU the tennis
courts don't know why they didn't
discover the revolver in my pocket;
perhaps they didn't think OF my hav-
ing a weapon because I had not USED
it. At the foot OF the stairs
we knew some one had heard us;
and we saw light fash. l was taken
out as quickly as possible. and one
of the men waited to strike down
whoever came after us. don't know
who came" She covered her face
with her hands. "Who-who was IT.
adams, the detective" John told
her
81 didn't know in which direction
they were taking me, but l remember
I was carried across a wire fence and
my dressing-gown was torn. | kicked
off slipper and that's the last l
remember l think they must
have chloroformed me. l was trouble
some. When l came to l was lying
on a bed in little room, and l had
lost my other slipper. 1t was day
light. l got up to find that l was
really a prisoner. The windows were
heavily shuttered. nailed on. with only
openings for light and air. and the
door was bolted. still had the re-
volver, but | didn't see 1t would do
me any good unless could kill"
She paused. shuddering.
"Of course, they brought me things
to eat" she continued. "For-how
many days is it? I've forgotten
tried to make up my mind to shoot.
There seemed to be no one there
except guard continually under my
window. Henri and the duke had
gone away and left him there alone.
l knew I should have to shoot him,
and perhaps later could batter down
my door with chair and escape.
The guard was standing out
side smoking" She drew In her
breath sharply. 81 took deliberate
aim at him-I didn't want to kill him
i aimed at his legs to cripple him,
and fired twice" Again she covered
her face with her hands. Il hit him.
she moaned, II hit him!"
The surprise in her voice was too
much for me, hysterical as I was, and
I laughed The man had been wound
ed in the neck; she had aimed at his
legs.
Il succeeded in battering down the
door enough to crawl through. l ran,
ran. I only knew | was somewhere
near the ocean. and after hours, it
seemed, I found the beach. 1t was
awful without any shoes. but I walked
and walked, and ran and cried, and
I could get no idea where | was.
Finally asked fisherman. and he
brought me here. But l left the poor
fellow there, wherever 1t is, wound
ed. He might die. Find him, oh,
please find HIM" She turned to the
doctor, her eyes ablaze. "a wound
in the leg Is not serious. is IT." she
asked
NO" Doctor Graham assured her,
"a wound in the leg is not necessarily
serious"
There fell little silence the while
we stared each at the other. Laura
at last gave voice to the question
which was paramount.
But Winthrop-Mr. Abbott?" she
asked tensely. You said he What
had he to do with 1t all?"
10 stared at her in amazement
Nothing, my DEAR" she said
Didn't l say he had nothing to do
with it?" She dropped back on the
couch YEARLY. Il thought said that
first 1t was Henri. and the duke,
and"
With a little cry OF relief Laura
turned and flung her arms about her