The Storyteller.

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 372, 26 November 1898, Page 1 (Supplement)

The Storyteller.

Some years ago I was invited by an old friend to spend a few weeks at her pretty home in D—shire, and being at the time badly in need of a holiday, I gladly accepted her invitation, fixed time and day, and finally found myself steaming out of Paddineton Station one fine morning. The journey, if long, was uneventful, and on arriving at the little station I saw Mary and husband, Mr Sandford, waiting on the platform to greet me, both looking as blithe and happy as ever. Then ensued a delicious drive of eight miles through the fresh green country, the repose of which came as a welcome relief to ray jaded nerves, and it was late in the afternoon before we drove up the avenue of Clifford Manor. This was a fine, rambling, red brickhouse, half smothered in creepers, and standing in the midst of extensive grounds, where everything betokened prosperity, from the wellgroomed horses in the stable to the kitten with its blue ribbon and silver bells playing on the hearthrug in the boudoir. The Manor stood rather by itself, the nearest neighbours being at least four miles off j but none of" us cared very much for society, and I was always perfectly happy in driving about the country with Mary in her low pony cart. In this way I rapidly began to rub up mv former acquaintance with the district, till one day, when we had gone farther than usual, I felt quite nonplussed, and in a short time gave vent to an exclamation of surprise. ' Mary laughed. ' Yes, I do not wonder that you are astonished, Nellie. There have been great changes since you were last here. Do you remember that lovely heathy knoll and the wilderness of bracken, and the solitary stream which you christened «The Silver Thread ?' It was such a sweet spot, but they have covered it all with that huge lunatic asylum and its prim-looking grounds. Is it not all too horribly ugly V Mary was rather given to emphatic language, but on this occasion I could heartily agree with her, for the large, plain building, with its rows of staring windows and brand-new paling and gates, was a sad substitute for all the Bylvan beauty which it has replaced. 'J. hardly ever come this way now,' continued Mary ; ' more especially as I sometimes meet the patients walking. I suppose they are quiet enough, but still one does not feel quite comfortable: and besides—oh, here are some of them now coming this way. Whoa, go on Sultan,' and she gave the pony a smart flick with the whip. In another moment we had rattled past the little group, which was proceeding quietly along the road, and I was just coming to the conclusion that 1 had never seen a more sensible-looking, well-disposed set of people in my life, when I caught a Jeering glance from a pair of dark glittering eyes which literally made me shiver—there was such a world of cunning and malevolence expressed in the momentary gleam. 4 Did you notice that man's face V I asked my companion when they had gone by. 'I never saw such an evil countenance.' ' No, I am thankful to say I did not,' she returned. ' They generally live quite peaceably, but it is un pleasant to think that there is such a place so near at hand, and I live in mild dread of some of. them escaping and turning up at the Manor,'

She apoke so. seriously that I asked if there had been any case of escape, and she said that recently a maniac had overpowered his keeper, and nearly effected a safe retreat after frightening an old woman out of her wits. This had evidently made an impression on Mary, so I tried to laugh off her fears, and expressed the certainty that after inch an occurence double precaution would certainly be taken, though all the time I felt a little " creepified ' myself, and was ridiculousiy relieved when we turned in at the avenue gates. Several important letters wero waiting for us, and these and other things served to distract our attention from the rencontra of the afternoon, so that in a day or two we had quite forgotten it. One morning, about a week after this, Mary announced that she was going to leave me to my own devices for a few hours, as she was obliged to attend'a church bazaar committee meeting in Haddon, the nearest small town.

' What will you do with yourself, • Nell ?' she inquired. ' Would you like the dog cart, or will you stay indoors?' * Neither one nor the other, most excellent hostess,' I returned briskly. 'This is a golden opportunity for an exploration of that fine old pine wood, so I will walk over there.' ' Take care that you do not lose your way. The paths aro rather confusing when once you get off the main track, and the place is very lonely. Had you noc better wait until Robert can go with you V A shade of anxiety dominated her voice, but I made so many promises of taking hoed to my ways that she was reassured, and drove off happily to her meeting shortly

after. I sallied forth, too, armed with my usual light walking-stick, and a small volume of poetry. One of the dogs seemed disposed to accompany me, but he turned very soon in evident disapproval of the route, which lay lirst through the grounds and into the high road by a small gate. Some distance on I turned to the left, traversed a long grassy lane which led into another road, and, after going about threequarters of a mile along this I came to the goal of my pilgrimage, a fine wood of pines and Scotch firs, which ran back across country for a long distance. As it was all on Mr Sandford's property there was no danger of trespassing, and after carefully closing the gate behind me I marched boldly along the narrow but well-defined path, which led on into the recesses of the wood. The silence was intense, not a sound being audible save the crackling of dry leaves under my feet, and I went on among the long colonnades of trees, through whose dark canopy the sunlight, bright outside, could only come in chequered I was not too immersed in the enjoyment of the beautiful surroundings, and when I presently struck off from the main path into a faint track through the leaves, took particular stock of the place. On and on I went, slowly until the solemn stillness made me feel an intruder, and involuntarily I came to a halt. At this point a "high bank, crowned with bracken, sloped very gradually down to the path, on the left ; and the spot was so beautiful that I decided to rest on a large stone which lay conveniently near, and after sitting in silent admiration for some time, I drew out the volume of poetry and soon became immersed in its contents.

It must have been about ten minutea afterwards that I was startled by the sharp crack of a breaking branch, and looking up, to my great surprise, I saw a man emerging from the group of firs on the bank in front of me, and beginning to descend the slope in a curi ous, stealty fashion. 'One of Mr Sandford's keepers,' was my inward remark, and I was watching him in a vague way until he came nearer, and then a sudden flash of recollection thrilled me. 'Where had I last seen that dark prune-coloured suit and that grey wide-awake hat 1 Great heavens, it was the lunatic with the dreadful eyes whom we had met a few days before. He had escaped, and here I was alone and far from help. He was quite unconscious of my proximity, and knowing that any movement would be sure to attract his attention I kept resolutely still on my rocky seat ; but fate was against me, as a hare sprang up and fled swiftly away. This made the man stop, and look down. Then, seeing ine, he gave vent to a low cry, and began to descend the bank faster than ever. I sprang to my feet, and had almost started away, when realising that it might be wiser to face him, I stopped short, and turned round. By this time he was within a few yards, and I could see the same gleam in his eyes which had terrorised me before,

' Ha, Esther,' he cried in a harsh voice. 'lt is strange to meet you here ; but lam glad. We had a a good deal to say to each other.' He was at my side now, and peerinto my face, which must have been white and terror-stricken enough.

'Why, you're not Esther, after all," he exclaimed, and gave me a push. ' Where do you come from I,' Summoning all my resolution together, I replied as calmly as I could :

« Well, I am trying to get out of this wood, ana if you want to see Esther I can tell you where to find her. Go straight along that path, and you will come to her house at the end.—lt is not very far.' He looked at me douhtfully for a moment, but I maintained a composed mien, and he seemed satisfied. 'You must come too,' was his authoritative remark, as he glanced in the direction indicated—needless to say, the opposite one to that from which I had come.

• Certainly.' was my repidner,' but I want first to see where this path leads to. If there is a gate I will come back and fetch you, and we will go together. So do not stay too long at Esther's house.'

' Agreed,' he exclaimed. ' Go you on first and take this with yon ; no one will dare stop yon now,' and lie thrust, a small revolver into my hand, 1 turned away, feeling more ready to faint than to walk, and had barely stumbled a few yards in the return path when his mind changed and he rushed after me. ' He is going to kill me,' I said to myself in a husky whisper, and in another second the revolver was wrenched from my nerveless grasp. It went off, and hearing a bullet go ping against a tree, I felt that death Was inevitable, and was trying to brace myself to meet it, wnen another rough push nearly sent me headlong, and I heard the thrice welcome words, 'Go on.' And on I went again, not daring to look round ; and though feeling all the time as if my limbs were paralysed. I tried to drag myself on as bravely as possible, Until a faint shout impelled me to glance behind, and then to my great relief I saw the mad man gliding off in the opposite direction. Hound . the next corner I was out of sight, and now suddenly the weight seemed taken from my feet, and with one gasping sob I started to run at my hardest pace. Well indued was

it for me that I had run so many races with my active young brothers —one of whom, the champion quarter of a mile runner for his school, bad sometimes declared that be found it very dificult to beat his sister Nell. I had all but gained the main path when the alarming shout sounded again behind me, and, to my horror I saw my enemy in full pursuit. It was hopeless to think of putting him off the second time, and I fled for my very life, on ami on, anywhere to get away from him —my breath coming in quick gasps, and my whole being sending up one silent cry for help. Would the path never end I wondered. It twisted and turned and there appeared no welcome gate. Could I have missed a turning 1 The horrible conviction that I had gradually forced itself on me ; _ out the very idea braced .up my failing strength, and I fled on more swiftly than before, until a shout of mingled rage and pain made me pause in spite of myself, and I saw that my pursuer had tripped over the root of a trie and was painfully picking himself up. This gave me. encouragement, so I started off again, and soon, to my unspeakable relief, saw the glimmer of a white gats between the trees. All my strength was nearly spent, but with one desperate effort I fled towards it, tore open the fastening, and staggered into the road to fall in front of two gentlemen who were quietly riding along.

On recovering consciousness, I found myself lying on the boudoir sofa at Clifford Manor, ami Mary was bending over me with an anxious air.

'That's right, dear," she said as I looked up You arc quite safe now, and amongst us all again.' ' Where is Y I tried _to articulate more, but the words failed me'; however, she guessed the unspoken question and replied gravely : ' Dead, Nellie, as is beat for his own sake. He was close upon you when you came out of the wood in front of Mr Blake and his son, but directly he saw them he put a pistol to his own head and fired. They carried you to the nearest farmhouse and sent a messenger from there; but. oh, my poor Nell, what a narrow escape it has been. You had evidently missed the right path and came out on a lonely road which is hardly ever used and leads right away from here. The Blakes were luckily taking a short cut home." Here she fairly broke down, and tears came also to the relief of my overtaxed nerves, so we clung to each other in a passion of weeping. T have stayed with Mary on several occasions since that memorable time, but by mutual consent we avoid the road near the asylum : and once only, and then with a 7 strong contingent of friends, have I visited the scene of my narrow escape.—North British Advertiser.

Tmrrow escape.