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A Flight for Life.

           Turnwhichwayhewould,thereappearedtobenoavoidingtheblowwhichhungoverhim. Yettheoldmanneverwaveredinhisresolutiontopartwithlifeitselfbeforeheconsentedtowhatheregardedashisdaughter’sdishonour. 

           Hewassittingaloneoneeveningponderingdeeplyoverhistroubles,andsearchingvainlyforsomewayoutofthem. Thatmorninghadshownthefigure2uponthewallofhishouse,andthenextdaywouldbethelastoftheallottedtime. Whatwastohappenthen? Allmannerofvagueandterriblefanciesfilledhisimagination. Andhisdaughterwhatwastobecomeofherafterhewasgone? Wastherenoescapefromtheinvisiblenetworkwhichwasdrawnallroundthem. Hesankhisheaduponthetableandsobbedatthethoughtofhisownimpotence. 

           Whatwasthat? Inthesilenceheheardagentlescratchingsoundlow,butverydistinctinthequietofthenight. Itcamefromthedoorofthehouse. Ferriercreptintothehallandlistenedintently. Therewasapauseforafewmoments,andthenthelowinsidioussoundwasrepeated. Someonewasevidentlytappingverygentlyupononeofthepanelsofthedoor. Wasitsomemidnightassassinwhohadcometocarryoutthemurderousordersofthesecrettribunal? Orwasitsomeagentwhowasmarkingupthatthelastdayofgracehadarrived. JohnFerrierfeltthatinstantdeathwouldbebetterthanthesuspensewhichshookhisnervesandchilledhisheart. Springingforwardhedrewtheboltandthrewthedooropen. 

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Roboto Lora
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Сторінка 119 з 164