Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1863-07-30
two doors Of ths passage. and a,cend i'm

TWO doors OF the passage, anu ascend IN
his turn. pausing . minute 10 listen at my
room before he retired to his own. Still /
lay awake and grew restless in my bed
began to think Of all that had done in
the day and Of sll meant to do to-mor-
row. was going down to fish in the beck
with Beriah. the stablshelp. and Mary. the
dairywoman. had been cutting a new
hazel top to my rod up in the sanctum in
the old buildings. And where was my
knife that had been emitting with? My
knife that my father had brought me from
the town year ago and that Lowell SO
very fondly! 1 had lef. i, in the sttic.-
or course no one would go there. 1t was
quite safe. But how silly to leave it?-
Could go and fetch il? No: certainly
not. My father would DO very angry with
me for going out in the night. | must gu
to sleep. But l should like to see how the
attic looks in the bright moonlight that
shines in my ROOM cannot do any har m
by going our. And cannot sleep. Aud
| hate to lie awake. The Dutch clock on
the stairs strikes eleven. The house has
been quite still for an hour and half
stepped gently ont of my bed and stole
to the window. How sharply outlined the
shadows were. | rene nber the whole
scene now. Great clouds were coursing
over tho sky, and presently the moon
would be hid. i turnel tho key in the
lock of my own door. Ii novel so silent
ly and easily that could not help pulling
back the bolts. Iu another minute | was
in my attic. ..
YOU may think that I was very conr-
ageous girl. and very unlike most of the
children you know. Perhaps children
nowadays have more foolish ideas in their
heads than those of seventy years ago. l
knew nothing to be afraid of There lay
my rod. and there was my cherished knife.
its blale looking very blus in the moon
be SO careless again. How strange the
room looked! Everything was very black
or very bright. and the broad mullion.
made great stripes of shallow over the
floor. ieas,e'l my eyes at the big win
dow, and then turned To the little ono.
/ Opposite to me rose up the sieep tiled
roof. and at the top was the lighthouse. il,
vahe shining in the clear light. and it,
windows looking just rs though the,,
were candle inside. I hail turned tn 60
down TO .s.y led again. FOR was beginnin,
20 be conscious that 1 was cold. when i
saw the window of the lighthouse that wa
nearest to me slowly open | cannot "a,
that was exactly aIrsii even then.
was spellbound with as.onishmeut, an,
stood motionless to watch. The cash wa
raised, man cautiously got out. Ill
moved awkwar,iiy. and seemed to have hi
hands tied. Then he began to descend TIA
roof very slowly, and very YEARLY. Ii
leaned back against the tiles, and Iodgin,
his feet and elbows in their projections
advanced inch by inch along his perilou
Journey with his hands still in front o
him. had just time to recognize his fea
tures. when the great cloud came over tn
moon. and in the sudden gloom of tin
comparative daIkness. | could see little
But 1 hat seen enough now.
The man was one James Conner, o la
borsr on the farm He had como to th
house some weeks ago. and though my
father knew nothing Of him. anil he look
ed like a mere tramp. lac had been received
His fellow servants had complained. one
or twice. that he was drunkard. but h
had promised amendment. tie was in tt
kitchen when my father indi.creetly an
: swerrd my Indirect question. What he wa
doing was clear enough. He had passe
through my iath RS room before the hous
was closed for the night. had coneeals
> himself in the garrett till all was still. an
had then mounted to the lighthouse t
steal the money. lie could not descen
through my fathers room without iousn
him. Nor was it needful to do so. Ii
knew the premises well and was aware tina
if he could descend the roof, and gain III
y little window, he could at once reach III
iarmyard. aud SO make his way whilherse
/! ever he would.
all this flashed through my mind as ii
: cloud fell over the moon. In moment
was watching more eagerly through ii
: night. as the dim figure glided heedfull
downward. lie wore his shirt. his stool
: ings. and shoes. and pair of roug
e breeches. In his hands he held his spoil
perhaps because he wore no pockets; PEI
i hspy. because. as his stupid look shove,
he was half drunk. and ran the ri.k
marring his plot, and manning himself {,
life by his folly. This could not e,
plain. only saw him coming lowe
q lower. with my fathers gold cla>pea
J his hands. The bottom sash alone WI
= standing in the window. about yard fro
= the floor in hight, aud there was no,hr
70 between us but the abyss between the tn
buildings l was hidden com plstely
n the dark corner Of the window Ithougl
y the man must fall. He reached the CO
;. nice in safety: and stood up for . secor
:, :, before he stepped across. Then he ste
u y ped from roof to roof. and in nome
!, = was leaning over the sash. snpportir
n n himself upon it by his arms. and restiI
- !, his feet on the gutter that ran round q
- wall outside.
- All this time l had simply watched.
= had not thought what to do. could n
- run away for help. was chained to I
Ispot. knew that If the robber was
!. be bafflel it must be done now. As
- paused before be clambersd over the sas
uo and as he held out his hands with tn
ne spoil within them. struck them with
90 my strength. The sudJennsss OF the sho
:. effected what my weak form nsver COT
% have done. The man was startled.
ne hands partetl. and the gold rolled all o,