The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1915-10-14

"a self III the nlaunOuSe 10 WHICH
Judge Stanley had committed
her without warrant OF law, and she
screamed and struggled. The matron
and burly warden overpowered her
with difficulty, placed her in Il strait
jacket and threw her upon the cot in
the cell AMI locked the changing door
and left her.
A wild idea suddenly seized Hagar.
She staggered to her feet and gazed
around. Above her cot, some eight feet
from the floor Of the cell, was small
barred window. Hagar listened for Il
moment at the iron barred, heavy oak
en- door; then she backed toward the
table and pressed the lacings that held
the sleeves of the straitjacket against
the fame Of the candle. The leather
thongs in the eyelets at the back Of
the St.aitjacket smoked and burned;
then, with Il great effort, she parted
the smolderins thongs. To release her
self from the straitjacket, now her
arms were free, was but the work Of Il
few moments.
Mounting the table, she drew up the
o9ken stool and with its sturdy legs
she priad the bars from their cement
ed sockets. The ground was only some
ten feet below. She held to the ledge
Of the window q moment and then
dropped. She struck the earth with
out injury and made off in the dark
ness, Il free woman
On this very night Colonel Stanley
had sent for the doctor to take away
the little girl.
At Stanley hall the old nurse was
preparing little Esther for the night
journey. In his library Colonel STAN
ley gazed In the lamplight at the dia-
mond from the sky and the sealed
document he had prepared that would
betray the Stanley secret. he heard
the sound Of the opening Of the long
French window by the fireplace, and
there he saw Hagar entering, dishevel-
ed, painting, but resolved to have her
own. At this apparition the colonel
arose and faced the wild intruder. II
have come for the childr' said Hagar
hoarsely. Colonel Stanley felt sud-
den pang through his heart. 1t was
the last shock the doctor had foretold
for him. He gave a moaning, inartic-
ulate cry and sank back dead man!
Hardly knowing what she did, Hagar
swept into her bosom the diamond
from the sky and the sealed document
with other papers on the table. Then,
turning, she softly opened the library
door and rs softly crept up the stair
way. Led by unerring instinct, she
opened the door upon the landing and
entered the room where the child, her
own son, the putative heir of Stanley
hall, lay sleeping. She marked the ele-
gance of his surroundings as the risen
full moon shone In the window, light
she left her child here she would be
cheating the cheaters. What would be
the wild and lawless upbringing she
could give her son in comparison to all
hall?
AS she faltered she heard footsteps
outside, and, gazing out cautiously, be-
held the old colored nurse descending
with the little girl, the rightful heir Of
Stanley hall. Hagar huddled upon the
landing place and listened. A wild
shrek arose from the colored nurse as
she entered the library and discovered
her dead master. Then the bell rang
In the servants quarters from the ner-
vous pull on the bell rope Of the old
nurse in the library. And shortly aft
erward Hagar could hear the nurse
was joined by old Ned. the colored but
Ter.
Just at this instant DR.. Lee drove up
outside, and soon the great knocker on