The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-01-01

led the way out of the office, and along the
corridor that led to the heavy oaken door,
on to the fight of stairs by which access was
had to the cellar. As before, he requested
Martha to point out the proper key; and as
before Martha complies Farther Th IMAM ;. shis
ed readily, falling back of it's own accord as
the bolts were Withdrawn, and revealing q
gloomy fight of stone Stairs, ending in an iron
door. MOtioning to his second to keep
watchful eye on Martha, the leader took the
lantern and decended the steps. He reap
peared in the course Of q couple of minutes,
without q word. Once there, he turned and
spoke to Martha. 49,
81 must compliment you on yoIr sensible
conduct in this affair" he said. Nov, how
for q while. Excuse me if, before go. / pnt
it out of your power TO frnstate my designs,
and mahe q prisoner If you for the next few
hours. What has to be done shall be done
with as much regard for your comfort is
possible under the circumstances Chere annie,
the cord"
The last sentence was addressed to the
masked woman, who, up to this time, had been
a mere looker-on. Now, however, she started
into sudden activity. In obedience to q sign
from the leader, she placed Martha with her
the roof of the Office. From some hidden
pocket she next produced a coil of long, thin
cord and with it proceeded to tie Martha
Ss1v to The sh e W VIZ m sss was lett
they. were fastened togsther at the wIists
with band of Some stroug woven stuff, which
held them as surely as if they had been guyed
with iron.
ITO have fastened ycnr arms down to your
rsfi I Of osssisy gtwhiol, b. your clso, Z
of a1Ss Ssh Be ss pa1
mains. You must give me your word that You
will not CRY out. Or call in any way for assist
ance, other wise shall be under the unpleas-
ant necessity of having you gagged. II you
give your word, have sufficient confidence III
you to believe that you will keep it. How say
your Is your tongue to be made prisoner
or pop
81 give you my word not to cry ont or create
any alarm by calling for help" said Martha,
after few moments silent thought
Another moment, and Martha was alone.
AS before stated, the room in which the girl
was confined was the private office OF Wang
shaw Brothers. 1t was a comfortable room.
carpet, and the old-fashioned mahogany fit
tings were almost black with age. The only
light at present was that given by the small
gas,jet before msntined. 1t was just sufficient
to enable Martha to make out the familiar fSa-
lures of the room.
She began to breathe more freely as soon as
she was left alone. The first shock to her
nerves had been q severe one but when she
saw that real harm was intended her so
long as she obeyed. the orders of her captors her
composnre had quickly returned; and now a
wa rim flush of hope ran through her at the
thong hit that there was just faint possibility
of escape. But she quickly found, when she
tried to free herself from her bonds, that she
had moderated the skill of the woman who
had tied her to the pillar. She was absolutely
helpless child of year old wonid have
been under similar circumstances Again ana
again, with desperate energy, she struggled TO
free herself; but the sole result, as 1T seemed
tn nix he Is
is true that her arms were partly at nDertH,
but her wrists were so firmly tied together as
to render her hands completely useless. Inc
last flicker of hope died out in her heart and
she resigned herself with bitter patience to
her fate. .
She had little fear that the burglars would
succeed in reaching the secret golden store OF
Wangshaw Brothers. Before they could touch
a single sovereign they must force open two
iron doors of immense strength. These doors
Martha had been taught to look upon as i'm
pneppable; andtshe smiled to herself to think
hoW utterly futile the efforts of the two masked
men would be. She knew nothing OF those
modern improvements in the science OF mousse
which would seem to make light OF
the strongest safes that can be constructed.
When Martha had fully made up her mind
that it was impossible for her to escape, sne
ment was likely to last. 1t was now about 1,t,
half past one A. NJ, and at ten o'clock viii
Tafford would be here to spend his Christmas
day at the bank. If not set at nper1y peio[e
seeing that the burglars would require some
time to get clear away after leaving the bank
she mi ght calculate upon being released on
the arrival of her sweetheart. He would nat
urally be surprised at finding his sumnons IN
an alarm would be raised, and final
" she, Martha, would be discovered and set at
liberty. But eight hours and half OF lmPrls-
such mprsonment!-was long
and dreadful time to look forward to. This
thought was still in her head when the masked
woman came gliding noiselessly into the office,
with the intention of seeing that her prisoner
was still safe. The reimbursement of Knot or
two satisfied her.
ssl-ou have been trying to escape, and you
bave found that you can not" she said, as she |
tnrnld to 90 Take my advice, and rest quiet
w. At such q time as this we do not stick at
..VNAho can the woman be ~ asked Martha OF
What a strange thing for female to
he n,iled up in such an affairT
More dreary minutes passed how many she
,onld mot have told. She was dreadfuily
,ramped. and the cord by which she was last,
med seemed biting into her very flesh. All
ordinary thoughts were being gradually swat
IoNedNnp in pain that with every minute was
more unbearable. 1t was all that nat
me could do to refrain from crying aloud. She
bit her ander-lip in her agony, and moaned pc
low her breath but there was no one 70 near