Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1867-12-21

ously looking around and seeing no

lousy looking around ana seeing no
one.
Jane set the candle upon the table to
look about, but she caught it up again
almost instantly, and strobe suddenly to
the other end of The room, where dark
bundle OF something seemed to be lying
against the wall.
q shudder, even now, at the thought
Of the hosIcr Of the next moment.
There stood Jane with The candle in
her hand, bending forward as motion
less as a figure carved in stone, her face
white and scared, her eyes wild and
liked. Huddlod against the wall, just
rs she must have fallen, lay the servant
girl, Ellen, where the Ii hit fell full and
bright upon her, a CHASTITY wound gap
ing across her throat, end the blood
trickling il great pool upon the floor
beside her.
had taken a single step forward, and
then paused suddenly, perfectly para
yzed with horror, an awful sickening
fear, that took all the strength away
from me, and caused me to drop upon
my knees, and cover my face with my
trembling hands. I thiuk l must have
cried out, for Jane sprung quickly back
from her rigid attitude, and pressed her
1aa., ..4rG over ny mouth.
- b. she said III low impressive
We. This dreadful decd Las but
:. Isl beta ovlaE. TIED, and the murderer
.,.us1s ct be IN the house. A single
lcu1 noise ,ay ba.iay US. We must
run for naln ts fast as We can sop
Sac v.ow C45 the candle and dragged
'n3 into ne hall BY nI;:a force. ! Was
weak a'd trembling, ara felt SO deathly
sick that : could cot stand. 1t seemed
as il ali the life was going out of me.
20, it was awful, awful I mutteied,
leaning back eiddily against the wall.
Miss Jessie, you nust net be so
eGcolish, whispered Jane harshly. Your
q Ler aad mother will soon be at home,
aae they may De murdered too unless
We can get away first, and find belp'
@ |anc, Jane, go this minutep I
cried, catching eagerly at her gown,
ard now brought fully to my senses.
goa must save them. Do not mind
mel cannot Str step, indeed can
net. Lave NE he.c and go without
me"
she was s;ie~t : ucmort, irresoluse
Then she pal'ad me aftor be- to the
loor and pushed ne hastily under the
c.eps vhera there YVES just rcom enough
'or 80 to cr Oh i, the darkness.
'h;3 there she said speaking sharp
and q1i9A, and do not stir for your
Ii e ]. do not ,hink they will find you.
=! VII not be gone very long
She k;ased my cold lips passionately
ouce I'll twicc, aud then fastened away
e tie gloom of the sumner night.
raT som, time 7. uainod l3t as sic
bad let ne, bearia e my owl heart beat,
as it seemed, in the awful Stiffness, and
feeling all the while that the murderers
mrst Re very near me. But I gradu-
ally crew cal'ner and more like myself
| began to think of my father and
mother, and the dreadful consequences
that would be sure to follow, should
Trey return without having been warned
of the lurking danger. Somehow the
thought seemed to give me strength.
Singularly, enough, it occurred to
ne that some Of our silver. was in one
of the dining room closets especially a
lev ar.::cics very much pr;2ed by my
mother, as the had been arreSent from
;;raHdfather-aud that 1 might save
talse, lad ought 10 do it, because my
parents aould feel 50 badly over their
loss. bly, dizziness vas all gone, and
now realized that there Was chance to
make my father praise his brave little
child.
It was a wonder that dared venture,
bat | pulled OF my shoes and darted
TITO the holse once more. 1t was dark
in the ROOMS, though the moon was up,
Int 7 WAS too familiar with every nook
nd cornar to be at a loss, and soon
ioaud the dining room aud closets
Tie silver was still there, as [ discov-
cred TO NY intense delight, though I
nd been guided entirely by the sense
Of touch in selecting tao articles
Hcrfaps it was ! foolish idea, but gath
cred up the corner: Of The apron I wore
and l!lcd It with the heavy articles un,
til [ l7ss afraid CT lyeuEiag the string
I lad sasFceiy dope this when heard
voices or the sta;r5, and the glimmer
Ct : lat through tie hall open door
Their, ssa5 10 time to escape. and SO l
G5i,el across the room, the silver rat
ting Ike the boom Of cannon, as it
seemed, at every sep, AID sunk behind
a 1ofa in corner, laying IL, upon me
floor. n another minute two men
came IL. taking t2ssther ia low, eager
tones
Il: one Of these closets I think We
VIZ Gn1 the silver, aid tie man who
led the way, Il neaid them say as
much ibis morning
I had recognized the larsh voice ia
stantly, though from NY position l could
not see the face Of either Of the rufiians
It vas the stroller to whom we had
given Tho lunch. He had taken ad-
vartage of our incautious remarks, and
.h;s was The r-si.!t.
the closet door is open,' exclaimed
the other nan. 'And what IS that up
Oh the floor! Some ouo has ce.,ainly
been here since W first passed through
l listened, more dead than alive,
hardly l. eathiDg in the terror that
c5iD5 apol me. TIE shawl had slipped
- st,nn ldnrs IL I. .c.l,ect;-.r IL IL