Beadle's Dime Library, No. 240 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

ef ~ - <> arg : Lie ‘ .? _-_ 14 ee ee “i Suddenly she heard a slight footfall behind er. Turning her head, she caught the outlines of @ woman’s figure stealing forward. Supposing it was the matron, she stood still and awaited ber approach, wondering what pun- ishment would be inflicted. But as she glided up beside her, she whispered eagerly, as she griped the delicate arm of Ethel with a fcrce which almost made her cry out with pain. “Tf have come! Cannibal Islands!” ad It is I, the Queen of the CHAPTER XXIX. UNDER THE STARS. Erne. LANGDON had descended to the first floor of the asylum, whence she hoped to es- eape, when she found herself confronted by the massive door, from which the huge key had been removed, Wondering why she had ever held the be- lief that it was possible for her to get out of such a prison, she was about to turn back when she was approached by the violent Junatic who would have killed ber that forenoon but for the timely appearance of the matron. At that moment our heroine heartily wished she bad never left her apartment. But, for the time being, no one would have suspected the sanity of Hannah Hablo. ** How did you get out of your room?” she whispered. “Toe matron dropped a key with which I opened my door.” “‘ How fortunate!” “How was it you were able to leave your apartment?” ‘*T leave it nearly every night; I’ve been in the bali more than twenty times when every- body else was asleep.” ‘* How did you manage to do it without de- tection?’ ‘*T made the key.” co How 7” “*T got some wire out of an old bonnet frame of mine, and, one day [ twisted it into such a pe that Ican open any door on our floor; There it is!” The woman held wg becwnm but there was mot enouzh light for Ethel to perceive it. She did not doubt the truth of what was said, however. ‘* My intention was to open all the doors on our floor, and let every one out: what a lively time tnat would make for the matron and her old man in the morning!” * Most undoubtedly it would.” “Then 1 thought | would wait till I had an- other key made with which I would open the doors on the otber floors and release all the men and women. That 1 calculate will make a rum- *T am afraid it would be dangerous.” “Who cares? But I have changed my mind.” “In what respect?” “What’s the uss of bothering about other folks? We will all bave enough to do in this world if we attend to our own business.” “That is true.” _ “Instead of trying to free them, I made up my mind to look after myself and no one else,’ ‘How will you do that?” “T shall uolock this door and pass out.” "Can you do it?” **T’Jl soon show you; I’ve been down:stairs a a nights with my wire, working to make it t ** And you think you have succeeded?” ieee it perfect last night.” “Why didn’t you leave then(” _ “Tt wasso near morning that I thought I wouldn’t have much chance; sol went back and waited till this evening.” At this Hannah Hablo stooped over and in- serted ber ingenious key into the lock. Sie worked it with much skill and care, and, in a moment or two, Evbel distinctly heard the bolt slip back, Then she shifted several large bolts, removed a siide and chain, gave a quick pull and the door was drawn inward several inches. Ethel Langdon plainly caught sight of th twinkling st»rs through the opening. * You will go with me?” asked tha other. “Yes,” answered our beroine, doubting much whether, after what she had learned of her disposition, she was doiog a wise thiag in trust- 4 herself in the company of the lunatic. ut she feared, if she refused, sbe would be attacked right there in the lower hall. The lunatic drew the door back further. The huge structure moved on its hinges with- out a creak, The ladies stepped through, and the door was closed bebind them. They were now outside the building. “*Ts oot the placesurrouvde! by a high fence?” asked Ethel, while they stood for several mia- - ites in the shadow of tbe door. “Yes; the fenee is eight feet high, all the way around, * How shall we got over that?” A Cool Head. ‘‘T’ll show you; there’s something else to be afraid of.” ‘* What is that?’ ‘‘The big watch-dog; if he sees us, he will go for us like a loosened tiger.” ‘‘How can he fail to see us?’ asked Ethel, who again felt as though she were committing a great mistake in stealing out of the building as she did. But, with the conviction that her letter to Brayton Russell would never be delivered to him, came the belief that her uncle had con- cealed her abduction so skillfully, that her betrothed would not be able to follow her. She was therefore convinced that her only hope lay in doing something for herself, ven came the deciding answer: ‘The dogis in his kennel at the other end of the yard—that is to the left; we will turn to the right.” ‘*Then we ought to be able to avoid himf”’ ‘Tf we are careful; come.” Hannah Hahlo went down the stone steps as silently as a shadow, Ethel Langdon following | closely. The grounds of the Julliard Asylum were laid out with much taste, and a moment later, the fugitives were walking over the fine graveled walks, where the thio shoes made a rasping noise that threatened to betray them. In the clear starlight they were able to dis- tinguish the patches of grass, on which they stepped and walked with the same stillness as if treading upon a velvet carpet. The one great dread of Etbel was the dog. Hannah Hablo had been engaged in preparing for this attempt for weeks past and ehe had used an ingenuity almost incredible in any one of a sound mind, Obscured as was her intellect at times, yet it retained a certain cunning that was wonderful. Eyes and ears of the fugitives were strained, as they moved like phantoms over the grass toward the high fence which interposed itself like a Chinese wall across their peth. She had decided what to do if the dog bounded upon the scene. She had managed to sharpen another piece of the wire from the bonnet-frame until it was like a needle. This was now grasped in her hand ready for use. If the dog should appear, she would try to soothe him, but, if he would not be soothed, she a jam the stiletto through his eye into his rain. Then he would stay “soothed.” CHAPTER XXX. OVER THE GARDEN WALL. But the precautions of the fair fugitives proved sufficient, without such extreme mea- sures. They reached the high fence which inclosed the asylum and the grounds, without any moles- tation from the Cerberus who was placed there to give warning of just such attempts. ‘*Here we are!” said Ethel, wondering how this difficulty was to be surmounted. In the gloom, she saw her guide swing her arms several times, as though she was throwing something. So she was. A faint thud on the other side of the fence ex- plained what it was. A weight attached to a strong cord had been thrown over the top and its impingement against the boards was heard by the listeners. On each occasion, the woman jerked upon the cord several times as though she were trying to catch a fish. After several such attempts, the weight tumbled back again at her feet and the throw was repeated. Finally it caught fast. Hanah Hahlo jerked smartly at it a number of times, then gave a long steady pull and re- peated her first maneuvers, All the time it remained firm. ‘That’s good,” she said in a low voice, “ it’s caught fast.” “* What has?” “The hook, you goose.” “What are you going to do with it, now that it has caught fast?” ** Wait aud see.” And then, without the least difficulty or hesi- tation, the agile woman drew herself to the top of the fence with the apparent ease and skill with which a sailor climbs the rigging hand- over-hand. Pausing at the top, she looked down and said, in a guarded voice: ‘*Come on; don’t be afraid.” Our beroine hesitated only a moment. Her arms were free, ber weight light, and it proved easier than she suspected. Hannab Hahlo reached down and assisted her to the summit, where the two paused, like a couple of hunters in the wood, who are consult- ing as to the proper course by which they shall get ont. ‘*That’s quite a jump,” remarked Ethel, leok- ~ mile away. He lives there with his wife and has no children.” ‘‘ What is your reason for counting upon his ———_— --~- -_—- en | ing down in the gloom, ‘but not enough to be | dangerous.” | ‘There isn’t any need of taking it,” said the | other, who disengaged the hook from where it | had caught on one side and secured it on the other, so they were able to lower themselves without trouble. At last they stood on the outside of the asy- lum grounds, They were absolutely free for the time at east. Now the question remained as to how this freedom should be made “ permanent.” Hannah Hablo continued to display the same pe ag resources that had been bers from the rst. ‘*In the morning,” she said, ‘“‘ there will be a | high old time, when the matron and her hus- band find out we are gone. They wi'l stert the biggest kind of a search; what do you think is best for us to do?” “Get as far away as possible.” ‘There’s where you make a great mistake,” ** Wherein lies the mistake?” ‘That's what the old fool will think we bave done; he will send to all the railroad stations within a dozen miles; he will start his attend- ants over every road to make inquiries, and others will roam through the woods and across fields. If we succeed in getting six miles away, we can’t avoid being seen by some one who will tell his friends.” ‘“‘In what manner, then, can we help onur- selves?” ‘We won’t go a half-mile from the asylum.” ‘* Where shall we stay?” ‘“‘Tbave a place in mind; old Julliard will never suspect that, while be is ransacking the country for leagues, the parties be wants are nestling right under the walls of bis prison.” And the escaped patient laughed, as she was warranted in doing. ‘‘ Where is the place?” asked Ethel, who could not avoid a feeling of uneasiness over tbe con- sciousness that she was continually placing her- self more and more in the power of @ woman who, but for the interference of another, would have taken her life a short time before. But really there seemed no belp for it. She had advanced so far that it was imposai- ble to turn back. She must go on, though it led to certain death, ‘It is at the house of Mr. Jobn Burrage; he keeps a truck farm, not more than a third of a active sympathy?’ ‘He is an old acquaintance of my father; he knew me when I was a little girl; I bave sat on his knee many a time and there is nothing he would not do for me, were it in his power.” A od being the case, let us hurry to his ace, 2 The two walked quietly away through the darkness, Hannah Hablo saying, as she did so: ‘* We will stay in his house for two or three days, until the excitement blows over. Tien, some night, he will carry us away in bis wagon and we shall be free!” And the overjoyed woman clapped her hands with delight. The poor lady went forward with the essur- ance of one who was familiar with every fvot of the ground. The road leading from the asylum, wound its way through a piece of wild wood fora furlong, though the direct distance was less. It then debouched into the main highway back from which only a short distance, 8 the house of Jobn Burrage. ‘It is so late,” said Ethel, “that we shall have difficulty in arousing him. “Not a great deal; such men are always dreaming about robbers and are easy to awaken; but don’t talk; 1 think I beard some one moving in the road abead of us.” Our heroine held her peace, though she doul)t- ed the truth of what her guide said. Nevertheless the fears of the latter were con- firmed a mivute later in a remarkable manner, The ladies had advanced half the distance throuzh the “ood, when they reeched a point which gave them a more extended view than at any over spot. Tue trees had been cut down on either band, so that a space fifty feet wide was unshaded by trees except when the sun was low in tbe hori- zon. The starlight revealed this quite plainly, im the gloom of the night, as the two approached it. ‘¢ What did I tell you?” The guide caught the arm of Ethel Langdom in her rigid grasp and pointed anead, when she whispered the words. The figure of a man was plainly seen in the middle of the highway. His position was such that there could be ne mistake about bis personality. : It was vot a tree nor shadow, but it was a buman being beyond all doubt, He was standing absolutely motivnless, es if listening for something, which might be the ladies who bad such a horror of being overtaken and recaptured. : oo Mm a ee we Oe eee ‘ “ ; Hee) > nm (E DOOKS)