The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1872-02-22


then immediately proceeded to hi
chamber. Mrs. Watson ais, retired
aud Marion again entered the sittina
room. She locked the door and with
drew the key, with the intention o
passing All hour or two 10 reading.
But she found the book less interest
ing than before, so she CLOSED it spc
sat gazing abstractly into the fre
And with a strange persis'cucy hel
mind ran upon all b, horrible stories
sho had ever read or hoard. 10 vain
did shc picture to herself q happy
home, with herself ne mistress (for
Marion was but nineteen. and ike ali
young girls, was given to building cas-.
ties in the airy; in,vain did she try to
bend her thoughts to any other sub
jec,; her visions, bright and golden,
all ending with the thought of the
money in the drawer, and that it wa,
in her care, and she must guard it in
spite Of everything. Aud then she
would 60 over in her mili Ihe partic.
ulars of some robbery, which had
te'n in her thoughts, perhaps. for
years.
Determined, at last to ria herself OF
snch foolish thoughts, she arose and
walked tothc window; but il was with
out--sn dark that she could not see
the least thing-not even tho trees
that stood in front OF the house. As
she walked back to her scat she cas-,
eyes around the room, TO assure her
self that everything was as it should
be, aud put out the light. The fire al
iorded light enough SO that she could
sec all parts of the loom distinctly,
and drawing her chair little nearer.
and throwing shawl over her shoul.
dcrs, she sett'el herself Down for n
nap, having made up her mind to re-
main there for tho night. Her vision,
of robbers and assassins had left her.
and in short timc she was asleep.
She had slept perhaps for two or
three hours, when Sho was awakened
by n slight noise. Sho ctlld not tell.
at first, what it was. hut it was soon
repeated, and she knew that some one
was trying to ualock the door. In II
short time they succeeded, aud she
heard them stealthi!y cross the room.
by this time the fire had burned down
and the room was in total darkness but
the robber brought with him q dark
lantern, which he placed upon the sec.
retary in such position that Marion
conld see his movements plainly while
she was entirely hiIen from Wow She
sat there and watched him, almost stu
p"lisd with terror, until he had sue
ceedcd in fitting key into tho drawer
which containdd the package Of money
and opened iS. Then she thou, ,ht, ''ir
he should chance TO s'c mo utter he
obtains the money, ho would not hesi-
tate to murder me- SO she resolved
to make one effort to help herself and
the money too. She remembered as
she glanced around before putting out
the lights, she had noticed standing
10 one corner OF the fireplace, an old.
fashioned iron poker. And now while
no was busy looking over the drawer
for the money. see noiselessly crept
across the hearth, possessed herself of
the poker, and with prayer in her
heart for aid, swiftly and silently made
her way behind him, and with all her
strength she brought it down upon his
head. With a deep groau he sank
down upon tha foor. IL was but
moment for Marion to secure the mon.
ey, close and look the drawer, remov-
ing the keys which he had left hang
ing 10 the lock, and possessing herself
OF the lantern, left tho room. She
closed and locked the door upon the
villain, and fastened up the stairs to
arouse Dennis. Receiving no answer
to her knocks aud cal Is she oped the
door and looked 10. lie was not there
but his boots wsro sitting besides the
bed, which looked as though be nd
lain down on the outside. A terrible
broke upon her mind; the
thief down stairs aud Dennis wero one
and the same. He had overheard Mr.
Clifford when he was talking about the
money to aer; for although he had
left the room, he could not have got
on tof heariog--and had made up his
mind to gain possession Of it. And
now If he should come " himself aud
escape from tho room where she leii
him, he could easily overpower her and
Mrs. Watson, for he veil knew thsfe
was no one else 10 the house, aud the
nearest neighbors lived half mile OF
With these thoughts 10 her mind she
hurried to Mrs. Wstson's yoom. aud
awakened her by violeotlv shaking