Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-12-15

glancing anxOusly around the room. g-l
Z $40 Winchester!'. repeated his wife ia
,dismay. ''Twenty mikes IN this stUr4ar.1
Cant he helped" he returned. .i"RIiSi
ness is business, you know. .''-st ~ Ta
lie removed IfiS hand from. lIis pocket.
J took eff his hab and hfushed back lis fair
hair, revealing the rather Handsome faee9of
a lght-complexioned, nidriie-aged man.
lie had large gray eyes, but they wore an
anxioors expression, and their glance wan
dered restlessly about the apartment.
"Jane,'' he said, suddenly, again diving
his hand into the Troublesome pocket, ''dO
you suppose you could take care of a large
sum of money till tomorrow s r-
..Why, yes," she answered, looking up in
surprise.
II have collected five thousand dollars,
he continued, ''and it is too late 10 get it
into the bank, and do not dare to carry SO
much with me-"
..Well, you can leave it here as well as
not No one would think of my having
such a sum of fmOney."
He drew Il large wallet from his pocket
and placed ii in her hands.
1T belongs to the Government, and ii
YOU let It pass from your hands Z an
ruincd," lie commented. And he arose us
if to depart.
''You are going to eat some supper:' she
qUeried.
''No. | have no time to lose. l must
make Winchester by midnight. Goodbye.
Take good care Of the money, and tasten
all the DOORS"
lie gave her Il hurried kiss, and the next
moment he waS7gOne
But the sound of his footsteps had scarce
ly died away before Mrs. jacobs began to
feel a strange fear creeping over her. Why
il was She knew not. She had lived there
seven years, aud slept in the house many 4
NIGHT without tIic doors being even shut
Now they were locked and boited, she
c0ul, not think of going to bed. She Was
too nervous for that She was likewise too
nervous to work. She put the money in
her dress pocket, and claspin@ both tightly
in her hands, she sat very still, gazing anN
iously into pothingness, and listening 50 It'll
tcntlv that silence became Il fearful ming
limo of diScOrdant sounds in her ears.
An hour passed. 1t had been an age to
her.
Il am clad tnat | ain not lich," She whis-
ppled as the clock struck II. "What Il task
il must be TO watch ones gold.
Presently she heard sound. II WIS Hot
the rain. for there was 4 perfect hlll III tn"
Storm. 1t could not be 4 neighbour for she
lived in the outskirts Of the village, several
blocks from any one, and She was not hhclA
to bc called in cases Of sickness.
Again she heard it. Ii seemed aa ii a
window-sstsh was being slowly raised
Strange that she should have forgotten TO
tastcn them down,
"Why didn't john leave me hi, reviewer?
She unused. Il have nothing with which to
protect myself in case that | should bc mo-
Tested tonight. 1t was really an oversight
i'll him.
Again She heard the sound. 1t seemed
to come from the bedroom. II Was surely
~ ,,,r ", tlltli. -. tit!4
sound Of Il movement IS though SolnC one
was entering That way.
Fear NEARLY lN,aiyzod .ier .or : m"mrij,
bet She quickly rallied, and taking up The
I3lnp proceeded to investigate the matter
She had scarcely opened the bedroom door
when She staggered backward with half
suppressed scream. Two men i'll hideous
diS@uiscs were already i'll the room and a
third rIf1ian was iii The act o. crawling
through the window. lnyoluntarlly She
/ clutched the pocket which contained The
money. thinking meanwhile how she should
protect herself and it, Alas. she had liU-h-
inc but her own weak hands with Which to
fi9ht the battle and She well knew how
pOWeilcSs thcy were compared with the
strength Of the enemy.
''N'hat do you want here - Size asked IN
(. fIitering voice.
! we want lie f>ct!ojls,nd dollars Which
YOU have in keeping for your husband, said
one Of them.
! They knew then that She had it in her
possession.
+ You can .,ct nU nrJi"l from me- Size
said dccisiycly. Il have 10 money.
~ pretty little lib," he responded with Il
rough laugh. s.We viii just look into Our
pocket anG see
In her cagcrncss to preserve her treasure
she clutcIcd the pockets of her dress III both
hands, thus umconsciouSly bctlaNn It's
whereabouts.
She turned pale when the knowledge Vi
her thougltlcssncss was revealed to her.
You can't have it you shant have it,
She cried, knowing wei all the willie that
thcv would have it in spite Of her.
we Will see - G<citiulCd ,u., # thc
men, grabbing her in his arms.
She struggled desperately, but was soon
oyerpowcrcd and the money taken tIoin
/ her.
Then, wcmanlile, She began To cry.
Let us 90 now" said one Of the rob
bers. You take the sponduliN ;md Git.
and [ will fix her tongue i'll a way that ii
will remain quiet for one hour at least"
Don't hurry put iii another; Il am
dalmatiOn hungry, AMI we can just as well
take Il bite here not.
The others demrrred, but he continued
- Set to work, old gal, and get us somt
supper. You've got a fire and some boil
ing water, and we want Il cup Of tea. Il
work, | s;y!'
Mrs. Jacobs knew that refusal WOul'
ouIy subject her to more indignalion, amo
she arose to do their bidding.
She put some more plates on the table
along with such food as She had cooked
and then proceeded to make the tea, Won
dering all the while if there was aly Wa,
to regain possession Of the money, anI
dreading her husbands anger and dismal
on his return should fail to do so.
As She took the tc;l-c;nnister from th'
pantry shelf she caught sight of Il bottle III
beled arsenic. Her husband had pttr
chased it on the previous day, in order t.
destroy the rats which were bccomin:
| troublesome, but as yet he had used II,
portion of it.
Here was Il chance Of relief, and ah'
seized il eagerly. Opening the bottle 81!
put Il few grains into the teapot along viii
the tea, Of which she gave good measure, il
, order to destroy the taste Of the arsenic.
A few minutes later the robbers were sit
ting at the table, unconsciously sipriI;
their death.
, They may kill me, unused the I,titlhil
woman, ''but the money will be found an,
my husbands honor saved.''
After few minutes, one by one, the rob
hers complained Of being sick.
; Il verify believe the jade has poisonc'
us" said one, and the next moment he fcI
| with deep groan to the floor.
Il know that She has poisoned us, erie,
| another, land her own life shall pay th
: forfeit
L.