The Argosy — page 298: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Sandstone Torr. 277 have been heard below. He ordered Frank to be still : he threatened him; he once took a horsewhip to him and laid it about his shoulders. All in vain. When Frank was alone, his cries for release never ceased. Stephen and his household put it upon the birds and the wind, and what not; but they got to dread it: and Stephen, even at this time, of discovery, was perpetually ransacking his brains for some safe means or departing for Canada and carrying Frank with him. The difficulty lay in conveying Frank out of the Torr and away. They might drug him for the bare exit, but they could not keep him drugged perpetually; they could not hinder him coming in contact with his fellow men on the journey and transit, and Frank had a tongue in his head. No: Stephen saw no hope, no safety, but in keeping him where he was. “But how could you allow yourself to be brought up here?—and fastened to a stake in this shameful fashion?” was nearly the first question of the Squire when he could collect his senses : and he asked it with just a touch of temper, for he was beginning to think that Frank, in permitting it, must have been as simple as the fool ina travelling circus. “He got me up by sd answered Frank, tossing jhis long hair as far back from his face as it would go. ‘“ While we were sitting at supper the night we arrived here, he began talking about the won- derful discovery he had made of the staircase and opening to the tower, Naturally I was interested ; and when Stephen proposed to show it me at once, I assented gladly. Becca came with us, saying she’d carry the candle. We got up here, and were all three standing in the middle of the floor, just where we are standing now, when I suddenly had a chain—this chain—slipped round my waist, and found myself fastened to the wall here, a prisoner.” . ‘But why did you come to the Torr at all?” stamped the Squire, while old Jones stretched out his two hands, as if putting imaginary handcuffs on Stephen’s. ‘‘ Why did you not go at once to your own home—or come to us? When you knew you were going to leave Dale’s, why didn’t you write to say so?” ‘‘After events are passed we nerceive the mistakes we have made, though we do not see them at the time,” answered Frank, turning his blue eyes from one to the other of us. “Dr. Dale did not wish me to quit his house quite so soon; though I was perfectly well, he said another month there would be best for me. I, however, was anxious to get away, more eager for it than I can tell you—which was. only natural. Stephen whispered to me that he would accomplish it, but that I must put myself entirely in h's hands, and not. write to anybody down here about it. He got me out, sooner than I had thought for: sooner, as he declared, than he had thought for himself; and he said we mist break the news to Annet very cautiously, for she CoOnniclooolkks (S©)