Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-06-17

creaking of some dreadful persons shoes
coming up stairs to kill me with carving
knife; and if the wind blew the easement,
1t was some person trying to get In at the
window, althoug h it was two stories high.
You may imagine, then, my horror,
when [ heard a tremendous sneeze within
an inch of me. just behind the head-board
of the bed, and between that and the wall,
where there was considerable space. l
had, as usual, taken the precaution, before
| put the candle out, of looking every
where in the room where it was quite i'm
possible any person could be hid /; but the
little alcove into which the bed was pushed
| had never so much as thought of looking
into, although it was capital hiding place
for anybody. Ever since | slept in that
room, In short, | had been like the ostrich,
who puts his head in the sand, and then
imaglaes himself in security. L had piqued
myself upon precautionary measures that,
after all, might just as well have been
omitted The only thing, l believe, which
saved my reason from departing altogether
when heard that terrible sound, was that
my mind clung to the hope that it might
be, after all, the sneeze of cat Fifty
cats together could not make half such a
disturbance. it is true, for it was the sneeze
of man who sneezed in spite of himself,
and almost shook the house but the idea
sustained me over the first shock.
The next instant the wretch had sneezed
again. and pushing aside the bed, which
rollel on castors, | felt he was standing
beside my pillow looking at me. If he
had given only one sneeze. he might, per-
haps, have believed me asleep as l lay
quitestill, breathing as regularly as could
and pretending to be; but he reasoned
very Justly, that unless | was deaf or dead
l must have been awakened by the sound.
You're awake, marm," said he, in a
gruffvoice, and it's no use of shamming
If yeu don't want tap with this life-pre
server, just look alive"
| opened my eyes exceedingly wide at
this, and beheld man with Grape over his
face standing by the bedside; he had a
club with two knots upon it, in his right
hand and with his left hand he pointed to
the safe.
is the money there ," said he.
The plate is" said |, in tremulous
voice pray take it, sir: | am sure you
are very welcome ;" for he might have
everything of value in the room, with all
my heart. SO long as he saved my life
The money-the gold-the notes-are
they there ?' cried he again, in terrible
sort of whisper.
"It is all there cried l although |
knew nothing about it; " all except fifteen
and sixpence in my purse, On the dressing
table yonder There's silver mustard pots
in the pantry, and couple of candle
sticks in the study, only they are plated,
for | would not deceive you, sir, on any
account"
You had better not, observed the burg
lar, grimly, "or 1t will be all the worse for
you"
He produced key like that my hus-
band nSed. and approached the iron safe
but as he did so, his guilty ear caught the
sound of footstep upon the stairs.
Who is that ?" cried he.
My husband, sir" returned | but
pray don't hurt him
" Is he not gone to town, then ," cried
the ruffin, with an oath of disappointment.
He is going at twelve o'clock, replied
l !; 4" he is indeed"
- If you tell him, woman" said the burg
lar hoarsely, If you breathe but one word
of my presence here, it will be the death
doom Of you both" He then slipped into
place again in an instant.
My husband entered Immediately after
ward. and even while he was in the room |
heard the awful threat repeated once again
through the thick curtain behind me:
" If you do whisper it. woman, will kill
you where you lie. viii you promise not
to tell him."
a WILL" said l, solemnly; Il promise
not to open my lips at all about the mat
ter"
Frank leaned over the pillow to kiss me,
and observed how terrified looked
You have been frightening yourself
about robbers again, l suppose, you silly
child
q" Not l, Frank" returned l, as cheer
fully as | could have little head
ache" But | said with my fingers, so that
he could plainly read it in the fre-light,
" For Gods sake, hush. there is a man
behind the bedstead "
Frank was bold as lion, and had nerves
like iron, although he was SO tender-hearted
and kind. He only answered.
Where is your sal volatile, dearest ?"
and went to the mantel-piece to get it. l
thought he never could have understood me,
he spoke with such coolness and unconcern,
until | saw his fingers reply. as he took up
the bottle, All right, don't be afraid +"
And then was not afraid, or at least not
much; for 1 knew | should not be left
alone one instant; ana L thought my Frank
was match for any two such men in such
case. Only he had no weapon.
{" He has life-preserver," said I, with
my fingers.
"Your fire is getting rather low, Geor-
gie,' observed he, as he took up the poker.
(Ah. he had weapon, then q must
leave you a good blaze to comfort you be-
fore 1 60"
He poked the fire and left the poker in,
without ever taking his eyes off me and the
bedstead
a will just ring the bell, and see wheth-
er Thomas has got the portmanteau ready.
Mary" continued he to the maid who an
swered the bell, send Thomas up" Then
when she had gone upon that errand, @ By
Jove! | never gave him that key. Where
is it, George? l have not minute to
spare. If it is in your dressing-case with
the rest, shall be an age looking for it.
Might ask you to get out of bed for an
instant, and show me where it is? He
said with his fingers, Jump" and [
jumped, you may be sure, quick enough,
and was inside the dressing-room, with the
door locked, in half a second.
"Come in. Thomas" said Frank. come