The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-07-15

/ looked, and how happy was with such 6
loving husband and such q large sum o.
money in our safe, when suddenly, / saw
in the mirror sight that made my heart
stand still A hand appeared between the
curtains, drawing them slowly apart, and
grasping cautiously the head-board. II
was a mans hand, large and course and
dark, as If belonging to q mulatto, or tc
one greatly tanned by exposure to the
weather. a
Ny first impulse was to start from the
bed, and scream for help. / reprersed il
by strong effort of will, and lay perfectly
motionless, except that partially closed,
my eyes, keeping them only sufficiently
open TO watch the mirror. As quick as
lightning my mind took in the situation.
In the few minutes of my absence from the
room, while talking tn Dinah in the entry.
thief robber, possible murde er, had
stolen in by the piazza windows, nd had
hid himself either under the bed or be-
hind the drsped head. He was doubtless
armed; and, ifI cried out, and attempted
to escape from the room, he could easily
reach the door, before 1 could, and for his
own security, would probably put me to
death. Dinah was too distant, and too
feeble and clumsy to afford me any assist
third story, The man doubtless knew
that my husband had that day received q
large sum of mSney, and gone off ACROSS
/ the river, leaving me alone or nearly alone
in the house. He had entered, caring only
for the meney, and anxious, above all
things, to escape undetected and unrecog-
nized. If I let him know that was aware
eff his presence, 1 should expose myself to
m RI
der. My obvious policy was, to keep
quie and feign sleep. thought also Of
the money, and was not altogether willing
to resign that without an effort to save it,
aud to have at least some clue to the iden-
tity of the thief confess, however, that
this last consideration was not very strong
one, and am afraid, that, if / could have
seen my way clear to an escape from the
room and the house, should have fed in
continently, without stepping to see more
than that terrible hand.
A moment, which seemed an hour, pass
ed while these thoughts rushed through
my mind. lay perfectly still, with nv
half-closed eyes watching the mirror
Slowly and noiselsssly the friehtful hand
pulled up its owner, until could see the
head and face reflected in the glass, and
glaring at me with fierce yet wary eyes.
The man was mulatto, very dark, with
evil passions written in every Ineament. /
could scarcely refrain from shuddering at
the sight of his hateful Yisage, and speedily
closed my eyes to shut it out
1 was not yet quite ready for the ordeal
through which knew / must soon pass.
intended to move my light stand little
out of the way, and to so arrange the bed
clothes that could spring from the bed
without impediments. therefore gays q
little sigh, and moved, as ifabout to awake
slightly opening my eyes at the same time.
The head and the hand instantly disap-
peared. then composedly made the de-
sired changes In the position of the stand
and the arrangement of the clothes, put
my watch with the key of the safe under
my piilow-so near the edge that they
could easily be taken out, as knew he
would take them-extinguished one of my
candles, said my prayers, and, closing my
eyes, resigned myself to my fate, with no
very sanguine or definite hope of extrica-
ton from my perilons position.
made nay breathing regular, and little
louder than when I was awake, and Law
With my cheek on my hand, counterfeit
ing sleep. At last the stiffness became
more terrible than even my first agony of
fear. Several time fancied that L heard
q soft step approach from the place of con-
cealment. As often was deceived. Then
again that dreadful stiffness in which 1
counted the ticking OF the watch through
the pillow 1t was q positive relief when
he came out from behind the curtain, stop
ped at the table, and stood looking at me,
as I was well aware, though my eyes were
closed forced myself to breathe regu-
larly and audibly. He came closer; he
bent over me. He passed the lighted can
die slowly before my face two or three
times. I felt the heat, and saw the light
through my closed lids, which must have
quivered, though he did not observe their
motion, Heaven gave me strength not to
move or cry out Satisfied, apparently, he
put back the candlestick on the stand, and
his hand crept softly and slowly under the |
pillow, and, one by one, he removed my |
watch, and the key of the safe. He stood |
so long looking at me that I felt impelled |
to open nay eyes suddenly upon him.
As he walked softly toward the safe, |
did partly open them, and cautiously |
watched him through my eyelashes. II
heard him fumbling with the lock, and |
once he looked over toward the bed. NY |
eyes were wide open, but closed them in |
time not to be detected. Watching him |
I saw him open the door of the |
safe, 60 to the stand for the candle, and |
return to the safe, which he entered with |
out Withdrawing the key from the lock.
Here was the opportunity for which |
had waited and watched. sprang light |
ly from the bed with one bound, reached |
the safe, dashed the door to, turned the |
key, and with one loud shrek fell PROSTATE |
and senseless on the floor of the dark room. |
How long lay upon the floor, do not |
know probably for few minutes only
but, as was unconscious, it seemed, when |
l came to myself, as if the interval had |
been long. / was aroused by his blows |
upon the iron door, and found myself weak |
after the long nervous tension, but still |
calm. remember the satisfaction with |
which thought while lay there, before |
rising, that he could not escape, mingled |
with vague and foolish dread that he |
might in his rage burn the valuable con- |
tents of the safe. He pounded desperately |
on the door, and swore fearfully at finding |
himself entrapped. But as took no no. |
tice of his outcries, he seon grew quiet
Presently rose, and lighting a candle, |
dressed myself with all possible haste, and |
with trembling fingers, turning often to |
look at the safe, from under the closed |
dOor of which more than half expected |
to see blood trickling why, cannot tell, |
except that my mind was full of images of |
of horror was soon in readiness, had |
no means of ascertaining the time, as he |
had my watch in his pocket, and there was
no clock Ia the room. Taking the candle, |
I hastened to arouse Dinah, who, as |
shook her, slowly opened her eyes, and |
with scarcely any more than her usual
slowness, pronounced her formula: "Well |
Miss Lille, what shall fy--Lord q
massyI what's de matter wild de chile : |
You amt seen ghost-haSe you honey?"
No, Dinah; but I've seen something |
worse than ghost. I've caught robber, |
and he's In the safe. What tine is it?" and |
looking at the clock, that ticked slowly and |
deliberately, AS how could Dinah's clock |
help doing RI saw to my great relief that |
it was nearly midnight
We had scarcely got downstairs when |
heard the sound of wheels. A moment
more, and my husband was in my arms |
with smazement to rapid mar
rative Of my singular adventure. would
not suffer him to open the safe until Silas
had summoned assistance from the neigh
boring houses, feared that my desperate
prisoner might escape. When the safe
Al