Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-02-01

ton steadfastly on his nephew, and on his ole
servant, but made no remark from which an
information could be gained as to the cause o
his evident discomposure.
The next morning he called William into hi
room-an event of very rare occurrence-re
quired him TO remove various heavy books, anC
to take down every article from the tops o.
two old-fsshioned bookcases, and from oabi
net Of ancient china, an object of the old man
especial idolatry. The search, however. seemed
very unsatisfactory; and at length seating him
self in his chair, apparently much fatigued
and at the same time regarding his nephew
sternly through his spectacles, he said, slowly
and deliberately-"I 1t is true, then, I an
robbed and plundered daily, and that by some
one who knows my rooms, and has constant
means of access to them" William regarded
his uncle with astonishment and repeated the
words, " robbed and plundered."
I" Yes, sir, exclaimed old Miller, furiously:
" some one has carried off the most valuable OF
my china, box Of medals, my silver crucifix
which once belonged to Thos. Howard, Duke
of Norfolk, and / know not how many other
articles of value; but will not suffer this
Be the robber who he may, he shall be pun
detection, for the things are too remarkable
not to be easily recognized. Tomorrow |
shall apply to the magistrates to search into
the matter"
He then sat in stern silence, and when his
daughter entered the room, attracted by the
elevation of her fathers voice, he did not seem
TO regard her presence. William related to
his cousin the circumstance of his father loss,
which he seemed Inclined to consider mere
Imagination, when he was startled by her
reply, as she appeared suddenly to rememb Der
something in confirmation of the fact. 1T is
singular" she said, "that, for the last two or
three nights, have fancied heard some one
moving in the house long after We had all been
in bed"
Indeed :" cried her father, rousing himself
from his reverie; land from whence did the
sound proceed" ?"
From the front parlor," she replied
Are you sure that the shutters were closed
and the window fastened"
L fastened the window myself, and Viii.
liam closed the shutters ds usual"
Did you hear nothing more ?'
'Once or twice thought heard the crcak-
Ing OF the stairs, az if some one were coming
up; but the noise was so slight, that fanced
was deceived, and fell asleep again"
was the sound from the garret staircase ?"
asked the old man. looking steadfastly at his
nephew, and evidently showing his suspicion
Of him
The blood mounted Indignantly to the cheeks
OF the young man, and his uncle groaRed
heavily; but his daughter, who had not OBJ
served her cousins change of cOuntenance, or
her fathers suspicious glances, simply an
swered, The sounds came from the stairs lead
Ing to your chamber door, my dear father, but
were so slight, that may have been deceived
But what proofs have you of the robbery'"
he things miss can nowhere be found;
they have vanished one after the other Two
or three days ago missed the medals; then
the china; and the crucifx, which was in its
place yesterday, is, you see, no longer there.
But leave me-" he added; Il feel much dig
turbed and uneasy, and wish to be alone"
The young people obeyed, and with the old
domestic who had Joined them. retired to dis
cuss the mysterious affair, which baf1ed all
their endesyors to find clue to its solution.
William could not help brooding over the idea
of his uncle's suspicion being directed towards
him; and though Betsey endeavored to make
light Of it, the matter engrossed aii their
thoughts and conversation.
At dinner, the old man remained perfectly
silent, and never once alluded to the subject
which was uppermost in all their thoughts.
In the evening he retired earlier than usual
to his chamber, but still without any mention
Of his loss; and when William observed that it
was necessary that the affair should be inves-
tigated, and search made for the missing ar
ticles, he sharply bade him hold his tongue,
adding that he did not want to be instructed
as to what it was his duty to do. After he had
retired, Betsey took up her work and William
q book; but the latter felt too much annoyed
at being the object of his uncle's groundiess
suspicion to think on any other subject, and sat
for a considerable time in moody silence. His
cousin, after trying in vain to engage him in
conversation, gave up the attempt and the
evening passed in uninterrupted taciturnity.
till the hour Of retiring was near at hand,
when their attention was attracted by a slight
noise which proceeded from the old mans
little room, and William was rising to investi-
eraf "a tha xuha La har
hand upon his arm, and motioned to him to
wait minute in silence. The noise was heard
again, and the door Of the room in which they
were sitting slowly opened. A figure ap-
peared in the entry dressed in night attire,
with eyes wide open but in which there was
no speculation; it was old Miller himself In
one hand he held long and narrow China
jar, in the other candle and a small key.
rhe daughter and the nephew remained in
mute amazenent whilst the old man glided
into the front parlor, and proceeded to a
closet concealed in the wall, and in which,
when employed as postmaster, he had been
wont to place letters and articles Of value
He opened the door of his private deposi-
tory, and, to the infinite surprise of the
young people, who had followed him, dis
played the missing articles carefully slowed
away. William could not repress loud shout
of satisfaction, which suddenly awoke the SOM
nambulist, who, in his alarm, dropped the Chi
ma jar, which was shivered to atoms on the
floor; at the same time folded paper fell from
it, which William mechanically stopped and
picked up. The old man, startled from his
sleep, was parali1ed with terror. 1t was in
vain they pointed out to him his recovered
treasures; he trembled violently, and was so
agitated, that his daughter requested her cou-
sin to take him in his arms and convey him
back to his bed, where she watched anxiOusly
beside him, and would have sent for medical
aid, but her father recovered sufficiently to
forbid her, and desired to be undisturbed. In
the meantime, William withdrew into the room
below, in order to be in readiness should his
presence be required; and thinking over the
circumstances which had 30 strangely hidden
and brought to light the articles supposed to
be stolen, he remembered the paper he had
picked up, which he carelessly unfolded, think
ing ii probably Of no value. Great, then, was
his amazement, at seeing his own name in
large letters on the sheet. He glanced his eye
rapidly over the contents; 1t was the last will
and testament OF his uncle, William Miller, In
which, with the exception Of few trifing le-
gacies TO his brother Thomas and his daughter
all his property was given to William Bullock
his nephew.
William carefully folded the paper, said no.
thing Of the matter to his cousin, when by her
fathers desire she retired to her chamber; but
next morning had long private conversation