The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-11-26


saw it was useless to waste words with
him, besides, didn't altogether like
the look in his eyes. l closed my lips
tightly together, resolving that would
not speak again.
| "If you've no objection, ma am I'll look
around bit, he said, taking up the lamp
as he spoke. eff 1 hear any noise from
you, my dear, or if see in any way that
you are becoming nervous, shall be obli-
ged to quiet you by the use Off,
He held up small vial.
"Chloroform p l gasped.
SCAT your service, Madame"
"It would be the death ofme," l moaned.
81 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 keeping.
didn't say word. To tell the truth,
the chloroform had scared me nearly out
of my wits. He turned the key in the door
Il had 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 "L' part of the house, fully
foot lower than my room. Mr.. Burglar
was not acquainted with this fact Clan
cling toward me with his sharp eyes to
see if was quiet, he took 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 burned as brightly as ever.
My wits came to me here. / sprang as
lightly as cat out of bed and. before he
could get upon his feet, had the door of
the closet shut and locked upon him. He
grew lamblike in moment,
"You've done it now, haven't you, my
charming creature? swear Pm in love
with you from this hour to the end of my
time. You've got me tight and FAST
What's the use of money now? I'll take
the eighty cents and you may have the
forty dollars if you will let me out"
"No, sir, I am going to call the neigh
bors," said, resolutely.
"Going with that nightcap onp You'll
make you fortune. But don't hurry, that's
dear. Let's have little talk. Say I'll
give you a hundred dollars if you'll let me
out"
Yes, and leave you free to scare some
other woman nearly to death-no, sir p
g Well then, I'll give you two hundred
dollars"
"No, sir"
Name your price then, dear girl,
suppose every woman has her price-they
say every man has"
No;it wouldn't be right" l said hesi-
tatingly.
heard him chuckle:
''First step toward it she begins to talk
of what is right"
thought of my poor girl out to work by
the week, and so anxious to get an educa-
tion, and I'm sure it isn't to be wondered
at if l did begin to think of setting price.
But said not word.
Look here I'll put five hundred dol
lars in good sound gold under the door,
and you can count it as l push it through
piece by piece, if you'll only let me out of
this cursed hole I'm smothering."
"Try some chloroform," l whispered
through the keyhole.
"Curse the chloroform Will you let
me out?"
had light by this time, and had slip
ped into wrapper and my slippers.
"If got the money how could let him
out of the closet ?'' wondered. "I should
not dare to meet him he'd rob me again,
and perhaps murder me-" But l said,
"I'll take the gold, resolving that would
try to get out of it somehow, just for the
sake of poor Rebecca, who SO much wan
ted TO go to school.
"Your heart is in the right place." he |
said and the next moment a big round gold
piece came through the wide crack under
the door.
"It's right enough now, isn't itP'' he
sneered. "There's nothing like gliding
over our sins little. Bah all the worlds |
alike Here goes another, and another.
Count fast, my pious damsel. dare say
there's no confessional in your church. 4"
lis there in yours?"
"Well, if there was, gold gets into that
sometimes, they say. Hold fast there
you've got the last clinker; now set me
free."
wait minute