Evening star., 1922-09-02


couple of light silk-rope ladders,
some common wooden wedges and an
instrument which resembled a sur
veyor's transit with two conical horns
sticking out at the ends.
We made the trip out, of New York
ard up the Boston post road, follow
ing the route which Cranston and
hours before US. In the town OF
Montrose Kennedy stopped only long
enough to get bite to eat and to
study up on the roads in the vicinity.
1t was long after midnight when
we struck up into the country. The
night was very dark. thick and foggy.
With the engine as muffled as pos
sible and the lights dimmed, Ken
nedy quietly jammed on the brakes
as we pulled up along the side of the
road
a few rods farther ahead I could
make ou; the Belleclaire Sanatorium.
surrounded by its picketed stone
wall Not a light was visible in any
of the windows.
Now that were here" 1 whispered,
what can We do?''
You remember the paper I gave
Mrs. Cranston when the excitement
in the hall broke loose?'
Yes" / nodded. as we moved over
under the shadow OF the wall.
Il wrcte on sheet from my note
book" said Kennedy, ''and told her
strike the window: and / gave her a
piece of string to let down to the
ground"
Kennedy threw the silk ladder up
until it caught on one of the pickets /;
then, with the other ladder and the
he
wall, followed by me. We pulled the
first ladder up as We clung to the
picke:s and let it down again inside.
Noiselessly we crossed the lawn.
Above was Mrs. Cranston's window.
Craig picked up some bits of broken
and threw them gently against the
pane. Then we drew back into the
shadow of the house, lest any prying
eyes might discover US. In few
minutes the window on the second
floor was stealthily opened. The
muffied figure of Mrs. Cranston ap-
peared in the dim light: then a piece
of string was lowered.
To it Kennedy attached light SILK
ladder and motioned in pantomime
for her to draw 1t up. 1t took her
some time to fasten the ladder to one
the room. Swaying from side to side,
but clinging with frantic despera-
ton to the ladder while we did our
best TO steady 1t. she managed 10
reach the ground. She turned from
the building with shudder and whis-
pered:
"This terrible place! How can l
ever thank you for getting me out
of it?"
Kennedy did not pause long enough
to say word, but hurried her across
to the final barrier. the wall.
alarm from the front of the house
watchman, who had discovered US.
Instantly Kennedy seized a chair
from a little summer house.
Quick. Walter" he cried. over
I hold him! Then throw the ladder
back on this side. I'll join you in
moment. as soon as you get her
safely over"
A chair is only an Indifferent club,
IL that Is all one can think OF using
| the watchman,; holding 1t out straight
before him Only once did I cast
a hasty glance back. There was
the man pinned to the wall by the
chair, with Kennedy at the other
end of it and safely out of reach.
, Mrs. Cranston and l managed 70
scramble over the wall. although she
tore her dress on the pickets before
we reached the other side hustled
her into the car and made every
thing ready to start. 1t was only a
couple of minutes after I threw the
ladder back before Craig rejoined US.
"How did you get away from the
watchman?" demanded, breath
lessly, as we shot away.
81 forced him back with the chair
into the hall and slammed the door:
Then I jammed a. wedge under It,
ter than any lock. Every push Will
jam it tighter.
Above the hubbub inside now we
could hear loud gong sounding In
sistently. All about were lights
flashing up at the windows and NOV
| ing through the passageways.
shouts came from the back Of the
house as a door was finally opened