Abduction -- Fiction; Americans -- Europe -- Fiction; Love stories
Lady Saxondale proceeded to relate the history of Philip Quentin's
achievement. Instead of sailing for New York, he surrendered to his
overpowering love and fell to work perfecting the preposterous plan
that had come to him as a vision in the final hour of despair. There
was but little time in which to act, and there was stubborn
opposition to fight against. The Saxondales were the only persons to
whom he could turn, and not until after he had fairly fought them to
earth did they consent to aid him in the undertaking. There remained
to perform, then, the crowning act in this apparently insane
transaction. The stealing of a woman on whom the eyes of all the
world seemed riveted was a task that might well confound the
strategy of the most skillful general, but it did not worry the
determined American.
Wisely he chose the wedding day as the best on which to carry out
his project. The hulla-balloo that would follow the nonappearance of
the bride would throw the populace and the authorities into a state
of confusion that might last for hours. Before they could settle
down to a systematic search, the bold operator would be safely in
the last place they would suspect, an English lord's playhouse in
the valley of the Alzette. Nothing but the most audacious daring
could hope to win in such an undertaking. When Mrs. Garrison's
coachman and footman came forth in all their august splendor on the
night of the wedding, they were pounced upon by three men,
overpowered, bound and locked in a small room in the stables. One of
the desperadoes calmly approached the servants' quarters, presented
a bold face (covered with whiskers), and said he had come for Miss
Garrison's trunks. Almost insane with the excitement of the
occasion, the servants not only escorted him to the bride's room,
but assisted him in carrying two trunks downstairs. He was shrewd
enough to ascertain which trunk was most needed, and it was thrown
into a buggy and driven away by one of the trio.
When the carriage stopped for the first time to permit the masked
man to thrust his revolver into the faces of the occupants, the
trunk was jerked from that same buggy and thrown to the boot of the
larger vehicle. Of course, having absolute control of the carriage,
it was no trick, if luck attended, for the new coachman and footman
to drive away with the unsuspecting bride and her companions. It is
only the ridiculously improbable projects that are successful, it
has been said. Certainly it was proven in this case. It is not
necessary to tell the full story, except to say that the masked man
who appeared at the carriage door in the little side street was
Quentin; that the foot-man was Dickey Savage, the driver Turk. In
the exchange of clothing with the deposed servants of Mrs. Garrison,
however, Turk fell into a suit of livery big enough for two men of
his stature.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account