Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-06-30

ou'hSu ulnlys Inc room was tull OF gale
trembling shawls, but she had no supersti-
tious fears. Something positive could
raise alarm. She listened attentiyely,
but could hear nothing but the bowling of
the wind over the root, and the pattering
OF rain against the window panes AS
her excitement diminished, the fatigue
which had been forgotten-began to
make itself felt, and she resolved to un-
dress and go to bed.
Her heart leaped into her throat. For
q moment she seemed perfectly paraly-
zed. She had undressed and put out the
candle, when she accidentally dropped her
watch. STOPPING to pick it up, her eyes
voluntarily glanced towards the bed A
great mass of red hair, hand, gleam-
ing knife were revealed by the lis ht of
the hire. After the terrible alarm, her
presence of mind returned. She felt that
she had herself cut off all means of escape
by the door, and was left entirely to her
own resources. Without uttcring a cry,
but trembling in every limb, the woman
got into the bed by the side of her child
An idea-a plan-had suggested ITSELF
1t had flashed through her brain like
lightning. 1t was the only chance left.
The bed was so disposed that the rob-
Der could get from beneath it by narrow
aperture at the head without making a
noise and it was probable that he would
choose, from prudence, this means of
exit There was no curtain in the way,
and Mrs. Martin, with terrible decision
and noiseless energy, made running
roosc with her silk scarf and held it poi
| CnI lOa ON ,,,.h; n1,
my was to make his appearance. She
had resolved to strangle him in defence
of her own life and that of her child.
The position was an awful one; and
probably, had she been able to direct her
attention to the surrounding circumstan-
cess she might have given way to her
fears and attempted to raise the house by
her screams. The fire on the hearth, un-
attended to, had fallen around, and now
gave only dull, sullen light, with an oc-
sional bright CLEAN. Every object glow
ed in the vast apartment with a restless
motion. Now and then Il mouse advan-
ced stealthily along the floor; but, start
led by some movement under the bed,
went securing back in terror to its hole.
The child breathed steadily in its uncon-
|
SO to initiate slumber, but the man under
the bed, uneasy in his position, could not
avoid occasionally making slight noise
Mrs. Martin was occupied with only
two ideas. First she reflected on the ex-
traordinary delusion by which she had been
led to see enemies in the people of the
house and a friend in the red haired man !;
and secondly, it struck her that as he
would fear no resistance from a woman,
he might push away the chairs that were
in the way, regardless of the noise, and
thus avoid the snare that was laid for
him. Once even she thought that whilst
her attention was strongly directed to one
spot, he had made his exit and was
leaning over her; but she was deceived
by a Pickering shadow on the opposite
wall. In reality there was no danger
that he would compromise the success of
his sanguinary enterprise; the shrieks of
a victim put on its guard, might alarm
the house.
Have you ever stood, hour after hour
with your fshing-rod in your hand, wait
ing with the ferocious patience of an ang-
Ter for nibble? If you have, you have
some faint idea of the state of mind in
which Mrs. Martin was-with far other
interests at Stake-passed the time, until
an old clock on the chimney place told
one after midnight Another source of
anxiety now presented itself fire had
nearly burned out. Her dizzy eyes could
scarcely see the floor, as she bent with
fearful attention over the head of the bed :;
the terrible moose hanging, like the sword
OF Democles' above the gloomy apcr
ture,
"What," she thought, eff he delay
his appearance until the light has COM
| pletely died away? Will it not then be
impossible for me to adjust the scarf-to
do the deed-to kill the assassin-to save
myself and my child Oh, God deliver
him into my hands %
a cautious movement below-the drar-
ging of hands and knees along the floor
heavy suppressed breathing-announ
ced that the supreme moment was at
hand, Her white arms were barred to
the shoulders; her hair fell wildly around
her face, like the name of lioness about
to leap upon its prey the distended orb
its of her eyes glared down upon the spot
where the question Of life and death was
soon to be decided. Time seemed un-
measurably heightened out every Sc
cond assumed the proportions of an hour.
But at last, just as all lines and forms be-
gan to float before her sight through an
indistinct medium of blended light and
darkness, black mass interposcd be-
tween her eyes and the floor. Suspense
being over, the time of action having ar
rived, everything seemed to pass with
magical rapidity. The robber thrust his
head carefully forward. Mrs Martin bent
down. There was half choked cry
the sound of knife falling to the floor
| q conNulsiNe strurrln. Pull mill null