Этюд в багровых тонах
A Flight for Life.
Ferriercarriedthebagofgoldandnotes,JeffersonHopehadthescantyprovisionsandwater,whileLucyhadasmallbundlecontainingafewofhermorevaluedpossessions. Openingthewindowveryslowlyandcarefully,theywaiteduntiladarkcloudhadsomewhatobscuredthenight,andthenonebyonepassedthroughintothelittlegarden. Withbatedbreathandcrouchingfigurestheystumbledacrossit,andgainedtheshelterofthehedge,whichtheyskirteduntiltheycametothegapwhichopenedintothecornfields. Theyhadjustreachedthispointwhentheyoungmanseizedhistwocompanionsanddraggedthemdownintotheshadow,wheretheylaysilentandtrembling.
ItwasaswellthathisprairietraininghadgivenJeffersonHopetheearsofalynx. Heandhisfriendshadhardlycroucheddownbeforethemelancholyhootingofamountainowlwasheardwithinafewyardsofthem,whichwasimmediatelyansweredbyanotherhootatasmalldistance. Atthesamemomentavagueshadowyfigureemergedfromthegapforwhichtheyhadbeenmaking,andutteredtheplaintivesignalcryagain,onwhichasecondmanappearedoutoftheobscurity.
“To-morrowatmidnight,”saidthefirstwhoappearedtobeinauthority. “WhentheWhip-poor-Willcallsthreetimes.”
“Itiswell,”returnedtheother. “ShallItellBrotherDrebber?”
“Passitontohim,andfromhimtotheothers. Ninetoseven!”
“Seventofive!”repeatedtheother,andthetwofiguresflittedawayindifferentdirections. Theirconcludingwordshadevidentlybeensomeformofsignandcountersign.
