the fifth string-第13章

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Tom　kept　pace　with　her。



‘‘Gil　will　be　surprised；　sure　enough；

when　he　sees　me　coming；　won't　he？''



‘‘Yes；　he'll　be　s'prised；　you　bet！''　said

the　boy；　taking　a　firmer　hold　of　her　hand。



The　night　was　fast　approaching　and

Foley　was　leading　the　child　through

unfrequented　alleys　and　streets。



‘‘But　maybe　Gil　won't　come　back

this　way；　and　it's　getting　awful　dark。''



‘‘Oh；　he'll　come　back　this　way；　all　right。''



They　were　now　on　the　shore　of　the

river；　dark　and　desolate　in　its　winter

dress。　The　restless　splash　of　the　water

sent　icy　sprays　over　the　child；　and；

clinging　still　closer　to　her　treacherous

companion；　she　stopped　him　for　a　second

and　begged　him　to　return。



‘‘Don't　be　afear'd；　nuthin's　goin'　ter

happen　to　yer；''　he　said；　jerking　her

savagely；　and　almost　breaking　into　a　run

at　the　same　time。



‘‘Oh；　Tom；　please　let's　go　back；''

supplicated　the　child。



They　were　now　at　the　old　wharf。　He

gave　a　low　whistle；　and；　without　waiting

for　an　answer；　pulled　the　helpless　child

through　the　entrance。　Then；　groping　his

way　over　the　slimy　stones　and　through

the　oozing　mud；　he　dragged　the　affrighted

little　one　after　him；　to　the　mouth　of　the

cave；　and　called：



‘‘Dad；　I'm　here。''



‘‘Come　right　in；''　answered　a　voice。



‘‘I've　got　her；　an'　I　got　her　easy　as

dirt；''　said　the　son；　pushing　the　terrified

child　into　the　cave；　and　then　roughly

into　the　arms　of　his　father。



‘‘Don't　yell；　yer　brat！''　said　the　older；

clasping　his　hand　over　mouth；　and　drawing

her　brutally　toward　him。　‘‘Shut

up；　or　I'll　kill　yer。''



Foley　now　called　Hildey；　who　was；

asleep　in　the　corner；　and　said；　‘‘Cul；

we've　got　to　git　out　er　this　place　jest　as

quick　as　possible。　It's　too　near　the

city；　an'　if　we're　tracked　here　we'll　stand

no　more　chance　than　a　snowball　on

Beelzebub's　gridiron。''



‘‘What's　yer　lay；　Dennis？''　questioned　Hildey。



‘‘Move　up　the　river；''　was　the　reply。

‘‘I　knows　jest　the　place　where　we　wouldn't

be　found　in　a　thousand　years。''



‘‘When　d'yer　want　to　start？''　asked　Tom。



In　ten　minutes　the　abductors；　with

the　stolen　child；　were　slowly　winding

their　way　along　the　deserted　beach。



It　was　now　very　dark。　No　stars

were　shining；　and　it　had　become　bitterly

cold。　Suddenly　voices　were　heard；　and

the　abductors　stopped　to　listen。　They

were　in　a　ravine　near　the　magazine

landing；　not　more　than　fifty　feet　from　the

spot　where　the　Lillian　was　launched。

Foley；　Tom；　and　Hildey　crouched　low；

and　drew　the　little　girl　closer。



The　steady　dip　of　oars　was　heard　up

stream；　and　the　voices　grew　plainer。

Out　of　the　mingled　sounds　was　heard；



‘‘I　agrees　with　Sandy；　he's　the　dirtiest

coward　as　ever　went　unhung。''



Lillian　started；　for　she　recognized　the

voice　of　the　Jedge；　who　with　Colonel　Franklin；

Sandy；　Dink；　Leander　and　Gilbert；

were　returning　from　a　sail　up　the　river



Foley　became　frightened；　and　bending

over；　hissed　into　the　child's　ear：



‘‘Remember　what　I　tol'　yer：　if　yer

utter　a　sound；　I'll　kill　yer。''



The　sailing　party　meantime　had　reached

the　landing　and　stepped　ashore。　Sandy

and　the　other　three　boys　lowered　the　sail；

rolled　and　carried　it　into　the　boat…house。

The　whole　party　then；　marching　three

abreast；　with　steady　step；　went　up　the

graveled　walk　of　the　old　magazine　road；

singing　in　unison：

　　　‘‘HepHep

　　　Shoot　that　ni**er　if　he　don't　keep　step。

　　　HepHep

　　　Shoot　that　ni**er　if　he　don't　keep　step。''



While　its　cadence　was　continued　by

Colonel　Franklin　and　the　Jedge；　the　four

boys；　in　marching　rhythm；　sang　out

cheerily　into　the　crisp　cold　night：





‘‘When　other　lips　and　other　hearts；

　　Their　tales　of　love　shall　tell；

In　accents　whose　excess　imparts

　　The　power　they　feel　so　well。

There　may；　perhaps；　in　such　a　scene；

　　Some　recollection　be；

Of　days　that　have　as　happy　been；

　　And　you'll　remember　me。''





The　three　scoundrels　listened；　as　the

voices　rose　and　fell　on　the　air。　The

child；　with　the　fear　of　death　before　her；

and　in　the　clutches　of　her　horrible　captor；

gave　one　convulsive　sob　and　sank　swooning

at　his　feet。



Foley　picked　her　up　and；　walking

quickly；　placed　her　in　the　very　boat　her

father　and　friends　had　left　but　a　moment

before。　He　wrapped　her　in　a　ragged

coat；　loosened　the　hasp　of　the　door　on　the

boat…house；　and　took　out　the　oars。



Quickly　the　captors　pushed　the　craft

into　deep　water；　and　with　muffled　stroke

moved　through　the　inky　waves；　a　somber

specter　sneaking　along　the　banks　of　the

sleeping　marches。



When　they　neared　the　upper　bridge；

Foley　ran　the　boat　ashore　and　abandoned

it。　Picking　up　the　exhausted　and　benumbed

child；　he　led　his　two　companions

along　the　causeway　and　over　the　road

leading　to　the　bridge。



The　wind　came　out　of　the　north；

howling　through　the　leafless　boughs　of

the　mighty　monarchs　of　the　forest。　The

last　flickering　light　of　the　town　was　left

far　behind；　and　darkness；　like　a　great

shroud；　enveloped　river；　valley　and　woods。



In　due　time　Colonel　Franklin　and　his

party　reached　home；　hungry　after　their　fine

sail　on　the　river；　and　all　in　high　spirits。



‘‘Jedge；　you　and　the　boys　sit　right

down；　and　we'll　have　supper　in　a　jiffy。''



The　guests　thoroughly　enjoyed　the

evening　meal。　The　repast　was　about

concluded　when　Edith；　who　had　just

returned　from　the　parsonage；　came　in；

and　called　cheerily：



‘‘Hurry　up；　Lily；　it's　time　to　go　to　the

festival。　They're　going　to　light　up　thet

tree　at　half…past　eight；　and　it's　nearly

that　now。''



‘‘Why；　chil'；　Lily　ain't　here。　She's

wif　yo'　folks；''　exclaimed　Delia。



‘‘With　us？　She　hasn't　been　with　us

at　all；''　responded　Edith。



‘‘It's　likely　she's　at　one　of　the

neighbors；''　ventured　the　Colonel。



‘‘I'll　fin'　her；　Muster　Franklin；　an'

I'se　gwine　to　scol'　her　good　an'　hard　fo'

worryin'　her　ol'　mammy。　At　this　she

put　a　shawl　over　her　head　and　shoulderst

and　started　in　search　of　the　absent　one



‘‘Suppose　I　go　too；''　suggested　Gilbert；　rising。



‘‘I　don't　think　that's　necessary；''

interposed　the　Colonel。



‘‘It'll　only　take　me　a　minute；''　assured

the　son；　as　he　began　to　put　on　his　overcoat。



‘‘Go　if　you　like　then；''　consented　the　Colonel。



‘‘An'　if　yer　don't　mind；　Miss　Deed；''

volunteered　Sandy；　‘‘I'll　go　up　to　church

with　yer；　an'　then　come　back　an'　fetch

Lily　and　Gil。''



‘‘That's　a　good　idea；''　answered　Edith；

‘‘bring　her　right　over　to　the　church；　and

I'll　be　waiting　for　you　there。''



‘‘I　guess　I'll　go　up　to　my　house　an'

look。　Mebbe　Lily　is　playin'　with　Zorah；

an'　if　she　is；　I'll　come　right　back　an'　tell

yer；''　put　in　Dink。



Edith；　Delia　and　the　three　boys

departed；　leaving　the　Colonel　and　the

Jedge　alone；　smoking　their　pipes　and

discussing　the　sensational　events　of　the　week；

in　which　Dennis　Foley　was　the　central

figure。



The　conversation　was　stopped　by　the

appearance　of　Delia　and　Gilbert；　who

declared　that　not　one　of　the　neighbors

had　seen　Lillian　that　afternoon。



‘‘It　seems　almost　incredible　that　she

could　be　lost；''　said　the　father；　‘‘she　must

be　somewhere　about　here。　Perhaps　she

went　to　the　church；　and　fell　asleep　in

one　of　the　pews。''



The　searching　party　set　out　once　more；

this　time　accompanied　by　the　Colonel

himself；　and　by　the　Jedge。　At　the　church

they　heard　from　Sandy　and　Dink　that

no　trace　of　the　child　had　been　found；

so　the　father　requested　the　minister　to

inquire　of　the　congregation　if　the　missing

one　had　been　seen　anywhere。　There　was　no

response　from　those　present；　and　the　family

and　friends　began　to　show　grave　concern。



Another　effort　at　finding　her　was

immediately　made。　The　police　sergeant　was

notified；　and　he　sent　out　a　general　alarm。



All　night　long；　and　all　the　next　day　the

hunt　was　continued。　Wells　were　explored；

basements；　cellars　and　out…of…the…way

place