Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1857-01-22
health. He was undressed and wore
on his head a night cap. 1858

oh htS uSou h'6uo o"P'
Avague sensation Of uneasines
crept over me. regretted having
entered the house, and looked rount
the room for means of exit. Their,
was Only one door in the room, tina
by which / had entered. Opposite
this door was window. | walked
| up to it aud endeavored to peeE
through the outside darkness, but
could distinguish nothing. | en-
deavored to reason away my forebod
ings, and succeeded in doing SO to
some extent.
/ began to prepare for bed, and
had already taken off my coat and
waistcoat, when | fancied | heard a
step on the stairs. | Immediately
extinguished the light and awaited
with breathless. anxiety, the door
gently opened and the woman cauti-
ously tbrust forward her head, In
the gloom of the room she could not
perceive me, and finding the light
extinguished ! supposed she thought
| was in bed. for she closed the door
very softly and descended the stairs
again.
was now worked up to the high
est pitch Of excitement. | felt Ger
tain that something was geing to
happen. / remembered my lonely
situation the inquisitve questions
of the men below. There was no
possible means for me to escape, ex-
cspt by going through the room in
which they were seated, and such
course | knew would be perfect mad
ness.. | summoned up all my pbilos-
ophy and determined to wait the
denoansent, and tried to persuade
myself that my fears were groundless.
But when thought of the signifi-
can't looks that were passed between
the men when they saw my gold
watch, / must confess that the effort
was a failure. Five long minutes
passed away, and heard nothing
At that moment light flashed be-
fore the window. | went directly to
it and saw two men with a lantern
digging iu the garden. / watched
them with eager eyes. They were
digging I; hole about six feet long
and three broad. The truth flashed
upon me in Il moment. "Gooa God!'
| exclaimed to myself "they are
digging my gravel
Five minutes more of agonizing
suspense ensued. | had nothing
with which to defend myself, and was
completely. at their mercy. A sud-
den calmness new took possession Of
me. ! supposed it was the calmness
Of despair, but withal, my faculties
we're perfectly clear, and | turned
over hundred plans to escape the
doom that awaited me. All the time
| was eagerly watching the actions of
the two men.
The soil was very light and they
soon succeeded in deepening the
hole al least four feet. They then
threw down their spades and entered
the house again. ars
! expected every moment to hear
them ascending the stairs, and had
made up my mind to sell my life as
dearly as possible, when a purring
sound arrested my attention.
lnow perceived that the light from
the room below penetrated through
several chinks in the floor. | laid
myself all my length on the ground,
and. applied my eye to one Of the
cracks and found that ] could per-
ceive everything in the apartment.
One of the men was sharpening a
large knife on a gIindstone, and it was
this that made the purring sound
that had heard. He felt the edge,
and finding it sharp enough, dis
continued his employment. They
than began to converse. ! could hear
every word they said.
'sCome. -Franqois," exclaimed the
elder stranger, 'let's finish the busi-
ness at once. ~ Sls = -
"Do you think be is asleep yet2"
returned FRANCOIS.
'sNo matter If be. is not-he'll
sleep we'll enough afterwards, he
looked precious tired" 81
FRANCOIS laughed-hideou !
thought. 49,
Twill you go up stairs, or shall II"
said FRANCOIS. x I
a"Oh! you may go-but be sure
you make no mistake. Ben you