The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1857-06-20

seem portion OF which al this III ,,mcnt felt
pfcternaturallv heavy ii ms pockcts-:nast
have been three times greater than any thu
governor eyer possessed, and that various
pieces were of 4 size and mlsSivcacss | nd
never before seen in the establishment. In
vain bethought nvsclf that | had seen and
recognized the weii-known door-piate. and
that the area from which entered was i'm
mcdiatelv under: in vain argncI that. since
Laura was abou: T. he married. the extra
quantity of plate might be intended to form
a part of her troSsrtm: could not convince
myself. But the course of nv thoughts sug
gcstcd an idea. and pulling hastily from my
pocket tablespoon. | felt. for could not
see. the legend which contained nv fate. But
nv fingers were tremulous; they seemed to
have lost sensation only fancicd did feel
some thing more than the governors plain
initials. There was still light in the hall.
If could but bring that spoon within its IL
Elimination. All was silent, and venturcd
TO descend step after step. no: as had bound
cd up. but with the >tcalthy pace of thief.
and the plate growing heavier and heavier
in nv pocket. At length was near enough
to see. in spite of dirnnts IS that had gather
ed over my eyes; and. with sensation of ;.l,-
solutc faintncss, behcld upon The spo al
engraved crest-:he right hand of baronet!
crept back again. holding by the banis-
ters. fancying every now and then that
heard door oped behind me- and yet my
feet no more consenting to quicken their mo-
ton than if | had been pursued by a murder
or in the night mare. l al length got into
the room. gropcd for a chair, and Sat down.
No more hurry now. Oh no. There was
plenty of time and plenty to do in it for l
had to wipe away the persriration that ran
down my face in streams. What was to be
ONLY sncakcd into a gcntleman's house by the
area window, and pocketcd his tablespoons;
and here Was. locked. and barred. and bolt
ed in. sitting very comfortably in the dark,
and alone, in his drawins-room. Very par
,icularly comfortable. What capital fellow.
to be sure Wouldn', the haronet laugh in
the morning. Wouldn't he ask me to STAY
to breakfast? And wouldn't / e.: heartily
out of the spoons | had stolen? But what
name is that? Who calls me house-brcak-
cro Who gives in charge? Who lugs me
off by the neck' | will not stand it. / am
innocent. except of breaking into baronc,'s
house. am 4 gentleman. with another ger
tleman, spoons in nv pockct ! claim the
protection Of the law. Police. police.
Ny brain was wandering. | pressed nv
hand upon my wet forehead. TO keep down
the thick coming fancics. and determined. for
the first time III NV life. To hold deliberate
consultation with myself. was in an awk-
ward prcdicament-it was impossible to dcnv
the fact: but was there ANYTHING really srri-
Gus in the casc' had rnqucs;ionahly de-
sccnded into the wrnny arca-:hc right hand
one instead of the l,f, hand one: but was |
DO; rs unqucstinnah'y the rrlaiion-thc dis
tant r,iatior-.he very distant rcLat;on-of
the next-dcor nciShhor? l h.ti been four
wears absent from his house. and WIS there
any thing more natural than that sl,o,lLst Z
sire to pay my rex: vi>i, through sub+rc.
ncan window? lhad appropriated i, bu,
quantity of silver plate | hal fc,a done
with what other intention could -, re-
this than t" present ii 70 NY - m;,.1 hex
lation's daughter. and rcpyoal q! ~. T;nal-
carelcssacss in leaving il ,--' "'i'' .,,c- ard
X. was shared. casci. traFi't'.-'; ,,;.bn,,.,
any reiiom>trance on ny pa-;-::i:,. was
some considerable tine liz the i.,ue:. unsu,-
pccte!. VI; q prisoner. Thc position nas scri-
Gus: bu: come. >:.pposc the worst. thai VAS
actually lad ho,J. 81 a> 4 n,ale.acto-. and COM
,ra:ilrd - ,:Nc - account Of Iliv>c,f Well.
wa>. a> a:o.l SAID. 4 distant relation Of the
;n,!i> ;Gl:a. :,>x; dor. | i,,lonsc,. 20 ohui,
in III. Ho:..J. ii ncl 10 him: here hn; al H.
;!itrcl: r,l,t;.ti, II 10 st,al;i,oss: AM. at.-.
tur v;;tg, ;;i,>.:.cc il :. cr, ;n county had
; returned Idle. ;cl1.;l,>>. :;v2:.,ss;:usi "a
time - find a.: ,.,a window "rcn in the G1sk
of the evening. .rd l. heap ot plate lying hc-
hind ii. within view q :;lr *::cct
This self-cxa,!linaiion was not encouraging
the case was decidedly queer: and ;.S sat
TINS pondcrirg iii the dark. with the spoon
, in niv hand. an quite sure that no rlalrfac-
tor in 4 d,nSc,: Co,:il ha-c cn,;cd nlr refcc-
:ioEs. In fac'. the evidence was so dead
against me. that began 10 dou!s. ny own IT.
noccrcc. What was here for. if nv intcn-
tons had really been honest? Why should
desire to come i.to any individuals area
window instead Of he door? And how ca,,,r
i; that all this silver plate lad fou.d It's va,
i,::o i.,y rocke:>? WIZ angry As well IS tcr-
ri:icd: | wss Judge and cri,1firei ii onr
: hi!; the instincts uf nature got the bet
: ter Of my scEsc of justice: and | rose sud
o denly up 10 ascertain whether it was mt Dos
: sihle TO &c; fro:, the window into the street.
As l moved. however. the horrible booty |
!, had in my pockets moved likewise. appearing
Il 10 ne to shrek. Ike score % fcrds. "Po-
e lice. police. and the next instant heard a
quick foot>tcp ascending the stair. Now was
g the fearful moment comc. was or NV feet
i my eyes gl.rcd unon the door: III hands
: were clenched: the Tcrspiration had dried
i suddenly upon my skin: and ny tongue cla,c
i TO the roof If INV mouth. But the foo,s.en.
Ii accompanied h: 4 CLEAN of Eight. passed.
s passed; and from very weakness sat down
8 again. with dreadful Indifference to the
l, screams Of Tie plate in nv pockets Present
y there were more footsteps along the hall
/. then voices: then drawing of bolts and crc,k
ing Of l;'cks: then utter darkness: then 81
y l.ncc. lasting. terrible. profound. Thc housc
II had gone to bed the house would quickly hc
p asleep: ii was time TO be Up and he doing.
e but first and foremost. | must get rid of the
e plate. Without that hidcous corpus G.,ic,;
IL | should have some chance. ! must. at al
t. hazards. creep down into the hail. find m,
d way to the lower regions. and replace the ac
l cursed thing where found it 1t required
II nerve to attempt this, but was thorouyhly
= wound up: and after allowing a REASONABLE,
o time to clapse. TO give my enemies 4 fair or
L. porturity of falling asleep. set ont UPON III,
II adventure. The door crcahcd As went on,
ri the plate grated against MY very soul as de.
n scended the steps: bat slowly. stealthily. I
crcpt along the wall. and at length fouua nv.