t he and Estelle were now in the same city and the thought
almost made him wild. He knew that if she was in a house of ill-fame she
was there against her will and was forced to remain there. He determined
to visit every house of prostitution in the city or find her.
The third night of his rounds he visited one of these houses and was
admitted into the parlor. The madam came in and asked him if he wished
to see some of the girls. He told her that he would not object if she
had one real pretty. She told him that the girls were all out now except
one she called the "fighting girl from the country." He told her that he
didn't guess that she was much of a fighter and that he didn't mind her
fighting. He could hardly control his feelings. He paid the madam $5 and
went upstairs. "What if she screams when she sees me and gives the whole
thing away?" thought young Scott to himself. He felt sure that she was
Estelle, and that he was going to meet her now. The door was unlocked,
and he entered. She had dozed off into a sleep. He locked the door and
waited till the hall was clear before waking her. He turned on the
light, looked into her face. She was Estelle! He pulled two revolvers
out of his pockets and laid them where they would be handy, for he had
resolved to take her out of this place this night or die in the attempt.
The light shone on her face and showed him how pale and troubled she
looked. He could see the great sorrows of her soul written in her face
as she lay there sleeping. He bent over her, touched her face and
whispered, "It is William Scott, from Mill Springs, Kentucky, who has
come to take you home. For your life, don't make any noise." She opened
her eyes and saw him and knew him and fainted away from joy. He bathed
her face and soon returning consciousness came to her. She realized at
once how necessary it was for her to keep quiet. They held a whispered
conversation as to how to escape. He did not want to raise any scene,
for this might lead to his arrest and defeat all his plans of getting
away. He determined to steal her out of the house quietly and get away.
He opened the door to see if there was any one in the hall, as there was
no chance to escape through a window from the room. He went out in the
hall and carefully locked the door behind him so as to make no noise. He
then went to a window at the far end of the hall; it was open. He went
back to the room and tied some bed covers and sheets together and th
|