Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1872-12-12
am YOU are transparent as air Haf

/ y
pure agony of spirit. ''What do you
want?"
"Well, ma'am, since that is fair,
honest question, will attempt to an
swer it. To begin with, my financial
affairs are in complicated condition.
Money I have but little of; credit none
so am compelled to levy trifling tax
upon my friends in this and other neigh
borhoods, to extricate me from my dis
astrous condition. AS soon as / collect
a certain amount [ intend to leave this
country for Europe, never, perhaps, to
return. Do not shed tear at this, dear
madam, for wherever my footsteps tend,
your image, ruffied night cap and all,
will remain forever imprinted upon my
heart"
''You old goose!" l said.
"Please do not interrupt me, madam,
l have but few minutes longer to stay
and must t, business at once. i have
learned that you have deposited in q
trunk in an adjoining closet forty dol
lars and eighty cents. The forty, dol
lars I would like to borrow of you for
an indefinite length of time. The
eighty cents. | do not care anything
about. You can retain them as an evi
dence of my generosity in this great
emergency Of my life.
"You are robber, q thief, then?" l
said spitefully.
either, at your service, madam, "
rising and making bow fer. all the
world like French dancing master.
''Now, the money, if you please, tie
! that giveth to the poor, lendeth to the
Lord" he said, speaking just like a
preacher. ta
':And he that steals from the poor,
what of him?''
''My bible does not dispose Of my
case, especially madam
"And you came to rob meme a
poor woman"
81 came to borrow Of you for an I'M
limited ength Of time.
| saw it was useless to waste words
with him, besides | didn't like the
looks in his eyes, | osed my lips
tightly together, resolving that l would
not speak again.
of you've no objection maam Ill
look around bit, he said, taking the
lamp as he spoke eff / hear any noise
from you, my dear, or if l see that you
are i'll any way becoming nervous. l
shall be 90 iged to quiet you by thee us
Of" He held up asma phiai.
"Chloroform!" gasped.
cat your service, madam.
at would be the death Of me" l
moaned. -
''I' shou a be sorry to bring such a
loss to the wor' d, but believe me, all
that rests in your own hands. This
door leads into the closet where the
trunk is l believe" he said, making
straight fer the closet where my forty
dollars were put away for safe keeping.
| didn't say a word. 10 tell the truth
the chloroform had scared, he nearly
out cf my wits He turned the key in
the door q had always kept it locked
and glanced into the closet. 1t was
large and the trunk was at the further
end of it. Let me say here that this
closet or store room was in the l. part
OF the house, fully foot lower than my
room. Mr. Burglar was not acquainted
with this fact. CHANGING towards me
with his sharp eyes, to see if was
quiet. he took step forward and went
sprawling upon all tours. | don't to
this day see how he managed to save
the lamp as he did, but it was not
broken in the fill and burned as bright
as ever. My wits came to me here. |
sprang lightly as cat out Of bed, and
before he could get upon his feet, | had
the door Of the closet shut and locked
him up He grew lamb-like in a
moment. s.
"You'ye done it now, haven't you,
my charming creature! [ swear I'm in
love with You from this hour to the end
of time. You've come splendid dodge!
You've got me tight and fast. What's
the use of money, now ? Ill take the
eighty cents and you may have the forty
dollars if you will let me out.
.:.'No sir, l am going to call the neigh
bors,'' l said reso utely.
"Going with that night-cap on!
You'll make your fortune. But don't
hurry, that's a dear Let's have a
friendly talk. Say, I'll giveia hundred
dollars if you will let me out" 4.;
ayes, and leave you free to scare
some other woman nearly to death-no
sir"
"Well, then, I'll give you two hun
dred."
sNo, sir.
''Name your price, then, dear girl I
suppose you have one; they say every
man has
/ mo, it wouldn't be right" I said
hesitatingly.
heard him chuckle.
''First step .towardsit; she begins to
think of what is right.
thought of my poor girl out to work
by the week, and so anxious to get an
education, and I'm sure it isn't to be
wondered at If | did begin to think OF
setting price. But | said not word.
'Look here! I'll put five hundred
dollars in good sound gold under the
door, and you can count it as | push it
through, piece by piece, if you'll only
let me out of this cursed hole. I'm
smothering."
''Try some chloroform,' whispered
through the keyhole.
Course the chloroform! Will you let
me out?"
had light by this time, and had
4 slipped into calico wrapper and my
!. slippers. -
4 III got the money, how could | lei
him out of the closet? | wondered.