But what were they saying now? That Phelim was suspected of having instigated the murder, and that there was talk of lynching him, as Bangs had been lynched only the day before for shooting Barney Nolan down dead.
Horrible! horrible! She was almost wild with terror on Phelim’s account. Oh, if she could only warn him! if she could only help him to escape from the jail before the lynchers got there!
Alas! that was impossible; but perhaps there would be no attempt to harm him, and if she were in that neighborhood she might go near to the jail in the night, when his keepers would be asleep, and in some way attract his attention, so that he would come to his cell window and speak to her. She would venture a good deal even to hear his voice.
She fell asleep while thinking of it, for she was weary with the wanderings of the past night, and must wait for the sheltering wing of darkness before setting out upon the contemplated journey; and she had no preparation to make in the way of packing, except to gather together her few possessions into a small bundle that she could carry in her hand.
She rested through the remainder of the day, and when the sunset glow had faded from the sky, and darkness began creeping over the landscape, crawled from her hiding-place and started upon her toilsome tramp, following the course of the river, which she knew would finally bring her to her destination.
There was a more direct route, but she was not acquainted with it, and dared not make inquiries.
Feeble from mental suffering and lack of sufficient nourishment, she could not travel fast. Two nights of journeying, lying by during the days, brought her at last to the vicinity of Prairieville.
Day was breaking when she arrived. She lay concealed in the woods through that day and evening, till nearly every light in the town was extinguished, excepting the street lamps, then made her way cautiously to the jail, which stood upon the outskirts, partly surrounded by a grove of trees.
All was darkness and silence there; probably keeper and prisoners were asleep.
Slowly she made the circuit of the building, gazing up at the grated windows and trying to conjecture which was the one belonging to Phelim’s cell.