The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1872-12-06

stand good chance of getting your throat
cut without so much as by your leave,
ma'am, to begin with A gentleman
With all my faults thank heaven, that is
not among them !"
nYou incident have gone on that way to
prove it," / said tartly,
"Well, you are a sharp old damsel, arnt
you % turning his big eyes upon me, and
twisting up his mouth in comical way,
which l shall never forget. 81 swear you'd
be pretty good-looking, If you didn't wear
such wide ruffle on your nightcap. Jol-
ly,isn't it lunker-big enough for grave
yard fence.
"Sir !" said, looking very savage.
"Ma'am! J" he answered, initiating my
voice and tone to perfection.
ooh, if were only out of this bed, sir %
began.
"And pray, madame, what is there to
hinder you from getting out, I'd like to
know 2"
"Do you intend to insult me, you good
for nothing creature Oh, if the wind only
would blow you away"
"1f one goes, the other is sare to go too"
he said stolidly.
"If brother Joe would only waken," l
said.
He cooked his eye knowingly.
"You want to make me believe that he is
in the house somewhere, eh My dear ma
dame, you are as transparent as air. Had
he been under this roof you would have
screamed blue murder long before this
time"
"oh, you varmint !" groaned, in pure
agony of spirit. What 10 you want ?"
"Well, ma'am, since that is fair, honest
question, l will attempt to answer it. To
begin with, my financial affairs are in a
complicated condition. Money have but
little of-credit, none / am forced to levy
trifpg tax upon my friends in this and
other neighborhoods, to extricate me from
my disastrous condition. AS soon as col
lect certain amount intend leaving for
France or Italy, never, perhaps, to return.
Do not shed tears at this, dear madame, for
wherever my footsteps tend, your image
rufned nightcap and all-will remain forev-
er imprinted upon my heart"
"You old goose ~ said.
"Please do not interrupt me, madam |
have but few moments longer to stay, and
l must be to business at once. have
learned that you have deposited in trunk
in an adjoining closet forty dollars and
eighty cents. The forty dollars would like
to borrow of you for an indefinite length of
time. The eighty cents do not care any
thing about. You can retain that, as tri-
fling evidence of my generosity inthis great
emergency ofmy life"
"You are robber, Il thief, then !" said
spitefully.
EITHER, at your service, madam" rising
and making bow for all the world like a
French dancing-master. "Now, the money,
if you please"
He wasn't joking now. There was de-
termined look in his eyes and about his
mouth.
"He that giveth to the poor lendeth to
the Lord" he said speaking just like a
preacher.
"And he that steals from the poor, what
of him?"
"My Bible does not dispose of his case
especially, madame"
land you came here to rob meme, a
poor woman 2"
~ came to borrow of you, for an uncer-
tain length oftime."
saw it was useless to waste words with
him; besides, 1 didn't altogether like the
look in his eyes. l closed my lips tightly
together, resolving that would not speak
again.
"If you have no objection, ma am, I'll look
around Bit" he said taking up the lamp
as he spoke. If hear any noise from you
my dear, or if see in any way that you are
becoming nervous, shall be obliged to
quiet you by the use Of"
He held up small vial.
"Chloroform |" gasped.
cat your service, madame"
at would be the death of me-" l moan
ed.
II should be sorry to bring such loss to
the world, but, believe me, all that rests in
your own hands. This door leads into the
closet where the trunk is, believe" he said
making straight for the closet where my
forty dollars were put away for safe keep
ing.
I didn't say a word. To tell the truth,
the chloroform had scared me nearly out of
my wits. He turned the key in the door
q hrd always kept it locked, and the trunk
was at the further end of it. Let me say
here that this closet or store room was in
the 81" part of the house, fully foot low
er than my room. Mr.. Burglar was not &C
quainted with the fact. CHANGING toward
me with his sharp eyes, to see if was quiet,
he took a step forward and went sprawling
on all fours. / don't know to this day how
he managed to save the lamp as he did,
but it was not broken in the fall, and burn
ed as brightly as ever. My wits came to
me here. l sprang as lightly as cat out
of bed, and before he could get upon his
feet had the door of the closet locked
upon him. He grew lambl-ike in mo-
ment.
you've done it now, havn't you, my
charming creature? swear Pm in love
with you from this hour to the end of time.
You've got me tight and fast. What is the
use of money now? I'll take the eighty
cents and you may have the forty dollars,
if you will let me out"
mo, sir; / am going to call the neigh
bors," said resolutely.
"Going with that night-cap on? You'll
make your fortune. But don't hurry, that's
a DEAR Let's have little friendly talk.
Say, I'll give you hundred dollars ifyou'l
let me out"
"Yes, and leave you flee to scare some
other woman nearly to death-no, sir /"
swell, then, III give you two hundred"
| "No, sir"
"Name your price, then, dear girl
suppose every woman has her price--they
say every woman has"
mo; 1t wouldn't be right" ] said, hes
itatingy.
heard chuckle.
"First step toward it; she begins to talk