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

not been pushed quite back to tho wall, in con-
sequence of which its bulk now intercepted
part of the light of the lamp held by the w O.
man, SO that that portion of the landing which
was behind the door lay in deep shadow, and
this shaddsFae1tended itself in narrow strip
was down this strip of blackness, herself a
moving shadow, that Martha now began to
glide on her dangerous errand. Fortunately
her dress was a dark one and her feet were I'M
shod. Her sole chance of safety lay in the fact
OF the three people below stairs being 80 in
tently occupied that they would neither see
nor hear her; and Martha judged that they
were SO occupied, because, for the last few
minutes, csnversation among themselves had
almost entirely ceased. The grand crisis of
their labors was evidently Mt hand.
With her back and hands pressed close to the
wall. SO as to keep within as small space as
possible, aud with the skirts of her dress kept
close about her, Martha began to move slowly
down the stairs.
Her faoe was very white, but filled with a fine
resolution. From her present position the in
mates of tie cellar were not visible to her; but
both eyesNnd ears were painfully on the alert,
and they toid her that SO far everything was
safe. By an inch at time, as it seemed, and
so SLOWLY that her advance was almost imper-
ceptible, Martha kept descending steadily. In
all there Aere fifteen stairs to go down; she
mad counted tbem many time; and as each
one was DOW cleared and left behind her heart
gave o little extra throb, and she felt that by
so much was her task nearer completion, and
that by 40 much had her danger become more
imminent. When dozen stairs had been
passed In safety, she paused for moment or
two ia her progress. The beating of her heart
sounded SO unnaturally loud and strange in
her own ears that she was afraid those in the
cellar would hear it too. But in a little while
hsr heart grew stiller, her fainting resolution
ThiEeek F5srseen. Fifteen. cen. NE fs'i first par.
OF her task was over. She stood at the foot OF
the stairs, the iron door close beside her, the
bunch of keys within half yard of her feet.
The next difficult thing to do was to pick up
the keys, which were threaded on a steel ring,
without being heard by the thieves. She was
just on the point of STOPPING to make the at
tempt when the woman inside the cellar spoke.
You must do without me for a minute or
two, Fred" she said, "while go and look af-
ter my prisoner"
She set down her lamp, and had gone SO far
on her way up stairs, that, by putting out
hand, Martha could have touched her dress,
when the harsh voice of the man recalled her.
" fOur prisoner is quite safe," he said, land
| cannot spare You just now. You must hold
the light for few minutes longer; l cannot
get on without it."
The woman went back and Martha breathed
again.
Now or never. Martha stopped and put out
her hand with quick, steady movement, and
felt the keys between her fingers. How to
gather them, aud lift them off the ground
without making the slightest noise Even
this difficulty was conquered ut last. The hand
holding the keys was drawn back into shadow,
and still there was no alarm. The remainder
ut her task seemed easy. 1t was only to get
back nndetected to the top of the stairs She
was going back slowly, but not as slowly as
she had come down. aud had accomplished
abont one third of the return journey when an
exclamation from one of the men below told
her that she had not an instant to lose, and
hat she had better make rush for safety.
The keys! Where are the keys" he ex-
claimed, having turned round instinctiyely, as
t We're. They were here not five inmates
. 90"
AS he sprang forward, Martha, no longer
hidden, made a rush up the remaining stairs
sheer amazement. The second man, more
luck-witted than his comrade, drew a pistol
rom his belt and fired. Martha had just put
1er foot on the top step when she felt some
forward into the corridor, wheeled
quickly round and flung berself-head, arms |
the oaken door, which, yielding |
% her strength, turned on it's well-oiled hinges, |
md, with a little triumphant click, as it's |
Ipring-bolt shot home, shut up, as in n trap,
The three thieves below.
Without the key this door, which locked OF
tself when pushed to, could be opened neither
rom one side nor the other; with the key it
Gould be opened on either side. Hence the ne
,essity for Martha to Obtain at every risk, the
punch of keys which, besides several others,
contained the particular one that belonged to
he open door.
The door had scarcely been shut q second, IS
t seemed, before the two men inside begaa
earring anu OeaJlDR al IL llke nauiueu, biy hS
o escape. Their language made Martha shud-
Ter and stuff her fingers into her ears. Now
hat the door was shut she was completely in
he dark and SO, with her fingers still in her
ars, she ran along the corridor and back into
he private Office, where the small gas1jet was
till burning.
She stood here for a moment or two like one
,ewildered, staring helplessly about her, not
moving which way to turn next She felt an
de- numb sensation in her left shoulder. She
nut her hand up to it, and withdrew it, marked
With blood. This was almost more than she
ould bear, and only the. strong sense there
vas upon her of duty unfulfiiled kept her
rom fainting. Still holding her bunch of keys,
he went ont of the office and down passage
hat led to the side entrance. She was trem-
ling now. and had scarcely strength enough ,
D unfasten the heavy door AT last it was !
pen. She fitted out, and sped down the
treet in seapah of assistance. On reaching the
rst corner, safe nearly stumbled into the arms
f a constable, who was coming the opposite | I
-ay. What sort of an incoherent story she {
Did him she could never afterwards remem-
er but it must have been 60 the purpose.
No one could have been more surprised than ,
Iartha herself was, when she came to her ,
onses, to learn that the thieves were none
Their than q certain soi.disant Captain Brom-
", his wife and his servant, who, some four
lonths previously, had become the tenants Of