Before she sat down she looked up
to the mantel, but the swords were there. She sighed, and a tear
glistened on her eyelashes. She brushed it away with her dainty
fingertips and, as she sat down, saw the paper. She turned pale, caught
it up, read it with a little cry, and let it drop with a shudder of fear
and dismay. She looked round the room. Everything was as she had left
it. She was dazed. She stared at the paper again, then ran and opened
the panel through which Bucklaw had passed, and found the outer door
ajar. With a soft, gasping moan she passed into the garden, went swiftly
by the lilac bush and on towards the trees. Bucklaw let her do so; it
was his design that she should be some way from the house. But, hidden
by the bushes, he was running almost parallel with her. On the other
side of her was Radisson, also running. She presently heard them and
swerved, poor child, into the gin of the fowler! But as the cloak was
thrown over her head she gave a cry.
The firs, where Iberville and Gering had just plucked out their swords,
were not far, and both men heard. Gering, who best knew the voice, said
hurriedly: "It is Jessica!"
Without a word Iberville leaped to the open, and came into it ahead of
Gering. They saw the kidnappers and ran. Iberville was the first to
find what Bucklaw was carrying.
Pages:
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68