The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1870-11-17

I Z
" What troubles you, Rolfe 2" asked
Fowler, noticing his silence.
" cannot tell, !" answered Rolre "I
feel nervous t" night. cannot account
Tor it, The feeling will pass away pres
emily fancy"
The belief that Rolce had expressed
that his uneasincss would wear away
presently, did not, however. prove cor
rect; foras the minutes passed his
nervousness increased to that degree.
that it finally became uncomfortable.
lie commenced to feel trembling in
all his limbs aud he was attacked by
nervous shocks, which so affected i'm
that he could scarcely hold his pipe be
tween his teeth
Under the impression that action
would dispel this singular physical nm.
easlness, he rose from his seat, walked
across the room several times. aud at
last went into the open air But the
feeling still remained to torture him.
Suddenly, while thus walking about.
the face OF Artlcs, the hired man. came
before his mental visi n. As he saw
this mans feature with his minds ey,.
they seemed to be transformed into
those oil tieud At the same moment
he recalled having seen Artles several
times, since his employment on the
Farm, looking about Il room ir the
house, in which was bureau that con
talned sum of money, the savings of
many years
With dreadful prcsentiment of evil
upon him--a presentmeut which in.
volved his wife and children as in dan.
ger from his hired man-Rolfe retIrned
to where his neighbor was sitting.
Fowler" he said hurriedly, al
think | must 20 home, have a ore.
sentiment that calls me home"
Pshaw! You are simply nervous
holIe. TO morrow We will go home
together"
"No,' replied Rolfc resolutcly, al
must start at once, The truth is, my,
presenilment concerns Henry ArtIo.,
my new hired man. | suspect him of
some mischief"
Expostulation and ridicule on the
pnrt OF his neighbor, were equally pow.
erIess to move Rolle in his decision
lie said that he would walk, but that
he could not delay another moment, as
his mind was too troubled to permit
him to stay. With a promise that. if
he found all well on his arrival at home
he would ride into town next morning
anI transact the rest of his business
Hoic bade his friend good bye aud set
out upon his long walk.
1t was midnight before he reached
his house. During all these nine miles
OF swiit tramping the thought Of Artles
had constantly been in his miud. and il
was with something like dread that he
paused at the front door to listen before
Knocking for admission. Not a sound
came to his cars. He was seized with
a horrible perplexity. Was all quiet
within the house, he thought, because
his wife aud children were peacefully
sleeping or had they been murdered
aud hence the silence?
la few moments he brought him.
self on the point Of rnpping ou the door.
lie listened intently. aud to his intense
relief, heard football approaching =
When the door opened, exposing the
forn oil his wife, whe gascd at him with
astoRishmeut at his return at so un.
seasonable an hour, he uttered an ex.
preston OF thanksgiving, aud entered
the house.
What brought you back so sudden
~ Beruard 7" asked Mrs. Role
Something told me to return-a
presenllment that my presence was
needed at home. Has anything oc
Cured during my absence p
No, Everything has gone on in
the ordinary way"
" Has there been anything not ce,ble
in the conduct Of Artles, since nv
departure?"
Nothing. He attended to his work
as usual lie was in the hous. far -,
while after his work was done. lie toIJ
me that as the weather was warm, he
would sleep IN the barn 20 night"
Rolie niadc no reply, but, impelled
by an impulse that he could not resi,,
he went from his bed room into the
kitchen, thinking ut the time that il
was suspicious circumstance. that the
hired man should have chosen. ontrarv
to hH usual custom, TO sleep ia the
barn.
AS he entered the kitchen he noticed
with surprise, that one OF the windows
was open This window directly faced
the barn
lie called to his. wife:
+" Did you leave this window Oman gr
he asked p'"
: No. | closed all the windows he
fore going to bed"
" This is Artles' work" said Rolfo
as he approached the window. - Per.
haps | have returned ;ns, IN ,;n
ALL" :" W" . a''er
as he spoke he peered out into the
darkness, looking toward the barn. nnd
listening tor any manifestation of the
n"ed man : presence. Whatever might
oe the ending to the nights adventure
OF one thing was he cert in and this
was that Ariles was plo ting some dark
dee t. to Illustrate which, he had arrived
not y moment too early.
isolie was still gazing out of the win.
oow, ms wife standing BY his side
wnen nc heard the low, creaking noise
OF the barn door opepilg.
:. = Look = he said, softly to his wife.