On the evening of Louise's flight, however, he had been forced to go to a
neighbouring ranch, and had commanded Li Choo to keep a strict watch at
the windows of her room to see that she did not attempt escape. She could
not escape by the door of the room because he had the key in his pocket.
Li Choo was not a stern jailer, however. Mazarine had not been gone three
minutes before the Chinaman had touch with Louise. He did more; he threw
up into the open window of her room a screw-driver, with which she took
the old-fashioned door off its hinges, after half an hour's work. Then,
leaving a note on the table of the dining-room, to say that she could not
bear it any longer, that she would never come back, and that she meant to
be free, she summoned Patsy Kernaghan and fled to the Young Doctor.
When Mazarine returned and found her note, he plunged up the stairs to
her bedroom, his pious wrath gurgling in his throat, only to find the
door locked; for Li Choo had promptly restored it to its hinges after
Louise had gone, afterwards dropping from the high window like a cat,
without hurt.
Li Choo, blinking, opaque, immobile, save for his piercing and mysterious
eyes, had no explanation to give. All he said was, "Me no see all sides
house same time"; so suggesting that, as the room had windows on all
three sides, Louise must have escaped while he made his supposed
sentry-go, slip-slopping round the house.
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