The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-01-22

"niSn e'oou upou tue tOllet- taDle, ana turn
ed Its bright contents out in heap before
, her., She held spray Of diamonds against
her hair, as If to try its effect she clasped
ana uncIasped her bracelets, and toyed with
her rings. Meanwhile the door creaked
again, and letting an unset diamond fall to
the ground, and stopping to pick it up, she
; saw with rapid glance, that burlv. ill.,
looking man was peering at her from be-
} hind the curtains of the bed. lie started
back, thinking himself discovered; and in
that moment which, for aught she knew,
might be her last-what did she do ? She
could hear his breathing distinctly, sharp
encd as all her senses were, and almost felt
the cold steel in her heart; and so she
made herself mocking curtsey in the glass,
and held the diamond spray above her fore
head.
clutches of Nemoura !" she said, softly.
"And why not ? should look we'll with IL
coronet. l wish my husband was dead!'
She leaned her head upon her hand, and
seemed to think. A subdued rustling told
} her that the robbcr was retreatiDg. The
door swung softly together-she saw it in
the glass-and her resolution was taken.
"Two diamond rings and diamond
spray" she said, counting the gems aloud,
as she put them back in their case. ga
ruby and an amethyst bracelet, a ruby ring
and a garnet-But where is the garnet
necklace, by the way? How stupid of Inc
to mislay it. And my husbands gift, too |!
l wonder if put 1t in my trunk %
The trunk stood very near the door Of the
closet. She went and unlocked it, and
tumbled its contents out upon the floor,
bending over it with her lights while that
man was within two feet of her. wonder
how she had the nerve to do it. Indeed,
she SAID afterwards that she knew he was
bending down too, and looking over her
sholder at the tripke,s as she turned them
over with steady hand, and that her great
est difficulty was to keep from breaking out
into hysterical laughter, and SO betravine
that she knew of his presence.
The bracelet was not there. She pushed
the things aside impaticnty, shut down the
trunk, and placed the candle on the lid
Then she stood up, with her finger on her
lip, and her head bent down.
sWhere can the necklace beg
She turned, as if to go by the closet. to-
wards chest Of drawers that stood in the
corner OF the room; made one step past it ::
whirled suddenly; and, pushing both hands
upon the door with ali her might. locked
and double locked it in a second. She
heard a terrific oath inside as the robber
threw himself against it, too late: and. .
snatchnS up her candle, sped out for help.
she found me rs have described. while |
was coming up the staircase, and She stood
at the head of it.
In three moments after she had spoken to
me, came back with the landlord. the
waiter, Charles, the head hoster and boots,
They were all strong men; and the land
lord had his pistols. Boots, remember.
carried the poker, and snatched UP Il great
carving knife from the sidcboard. What
did that woman do, when she saw our pro-
cess!on, but burst out l.ughing!
'lou come as if you were going to ion
the army in FlanderS,' she said. after she
had related her dangerous adventure. 81
!, have locked the man up safely, and YOU
will frghten him to death with your savage
, looks
colorcd up to the roots Of nv hair, and
gave my carving knife to Charles, and
sneakcd bchinl the rest, believe, at that
moment, | hated her.
1t was great sight to see her marching
before us, with her light in her hand. An
English woman would have fnintcd at be-
ing seen en- destdbWc by five men, but she,
, with the frank, free bravery Of an Ameri-
can laSsIe, let the circumstances explain the
dress, and marShalIed US quietly into the
room. There WAS her book upon the toilet
table, end there were the jewels glttering
IN their caSe-thc contents Of her trunk as
, she had left them, on the floor, and the
closet locked and silent.
She put the key in the landlords hand.
, 'llclp the gentleman out = she said {;
laziiy.
think she was the bravcst woman have
ever seen, and could not help looking at
!; her with admiration and respect She
took great shawl from chair and wrap
, ped 1t around her form, shvcring slightly,
and then stood little aside and waitct,
We heard the man breathing heavily, as
, the key turned in the lock, and the moment
, the door was open, he made u savage rush
out, knocking the landlord and Charles
t down, as if they had been two boys. But,
boots and caught him: and the hostler
snatchcd leather strap from Mrs. Arnold's
trunk, and we had him bound in moment
She set in her easy chair, looking on quiet
; ly, as If she had been at Il play, and when
his eyes met hers, she smiled.
] you see was too much for you,' she
said quietly.
He grow!cd out, you are a clever woman
| by jingo didn't thirk there was a wo-
man as could bring Bill Nevins to this
'Thank you, my friend; never had a
greater compliment paid me-
We led him from the room, and the land.
lord turned to her and said
t 'Of course you will wish to 90 to Mrs
, Williams room, or can give yoa one near
t the housekccpcr's'
= 'No; think I'll stay hcrc,' she said, il
, her short ,uirt lprilpi vov
Il suppose you have not left any of your
| friends behind you, my man = she added
turning to the prisoner.
| The fellow grinncd and pulcn at his fore
e lock, saying no my lady, | was alone.'
} 'That will do then. Good night, gentle
men. Accept my thanks now, and | vii
offer them more suitably when | am not
} quite so sleepy
She bowed US out of the room, and lock.
ed the door behind us. Every one was louC
in her praise but me; and as for the prison.
e er, he swore with more emphatic oatt
e than | should like to record, that six months
r or Il year was nothing after that; and that
if he thought all American women were likt
| her, he would cross the ocean to find one il
G his own station, the moment he was Sc
Y free. But | was silent And when tn,
r housebrcakcr had been consi gned to the ten
/ der mercies of the police, and the hote
e was silent, and | alone in my room,
j scarcely knew what to think. Such courage
f almost frightened me and yet | remember
ed how pale she looked, and that she Leaned
; against the mantlcpiccc at first, as if to sup
= port herself :; so forgavc her bravery, ant
Il thought only Of the beauty of her eyes an,
, the sweetness Of her voice, and sank ava,
t to sleep at last, with the firm resolution
5 that another day should not pass over N.
$ head before had told her how had learn
r ed to love her.
+ But the next day brought its own events
: and what was worse, its own personaGes
: with it. a carriage stopped before tn
r door rs | entered from my morning walk
tall, bearded man, with an honest handsome
v face. dartcd into the house, and up th
t stairs, three at a time. There was cry Of
r surprise on the second landing--a murmur
$ and a sudden mingling of voices, that rous
ed my curiosity to the highest pitch. l raj
t up to my own room, and passing the half