The Placer herald., 1872-03-16

stanulnS III one corner OF tue nrepiaCe, al
old-fashioned iron poker. And now, while
he was busy looking over the drawer for the
money she noselessly crept across The hearth
possessed herself of the poker, and with a
prayer in her heart for aid, swiftly and ST.
Iently made her way behind him, and will
all her strength she brought it down upon
his head. With deep groan he sank down
upon the floor. 1t was but q moment fol
Marion to secure the money, close and lock
the drawer. removing the keys which he hac
left hanging in the lock. and possessing her
self of the lantern, leave the room. Sh,
closed and locked the door upon the villain
and hastened up the stairs to arouse Dennis
Receiving no answer to her knocks and calls
she opened the door and looked in. He was
not there, but his boots were sitting beside
the bed, which looked as though he had lain
down on the outside. A terrible suspicion
broke upon her mind; the thief down stairs
had overheard Mr.. Clifford when he was
talking about the money to her, for although
he had left the room be could not have got
out Of hearing and had made up his mind
to get possession Of it. And now II he
should come TO himself and escape from the
room where she left him, he could easily
overpower her and Mrs. Watson, for he
well knew there was no one else in the
house, and the nearest neighbors lived half q
mile off. With these thoughts in her mind
she hurried to Mrs. Watson's room, and
awakened her by violently shaking her by
the arm.
Good gracious, Marion, what is the mat
ter ?" she exclaimed; "you act as though
you had seen ghost!"
81 have not" returned Marion, "but
there is a man in the sitting-room with a
mask on, and believe it is Dennis"
"Dennis! Well. what does he want with
a mask ?"
81 cannot tell; it may not be he, but why
is he not in his room"
Mrs. Watson was now thoroughly awak-
ened, and had began to comprehend wha,
Marion was saying.
She arose hastily from her bed and dressed
herself, and having fastened the door, Marion
related to her what had transpired. She
was, it possible. more frightened than Ma
rion had been, fearing that he would come
up and murder them. Marion assured her
that he could not. She had locked him into
the room, and besides, he now lay senseless
upon the floor. But she insisted that he
might recover and break open the door. and
he would he sure to come there; he would
be enraged at losing the money. and it would
have been much better if Marion had le.
him keep it, and crept out and left him there.
"She was sure she could hear him coming
up the stairs, now" And thus she kept
Marion and herself in torture until daylight
began to dawn.
With Increasing light her courage began to
return, and she consented to accompany Ma
rion down to the sitting-room door and ascer-
tain if he was still alive. They listened in
tently before venturing to enter the room,
but could hear no sound. Summoning all
her courage Marion opened the door and
looked in. The room was empty. An open
window revealed the way the villain had Sc
cured his liberty lie had clambered down
by trelis that supported some vines by the
window, and made good his escape; and al
though Mr. Clifford. on his return, offered a
reward for bis apprehension. he was never
heard of in that part Of the world again.
Many years have passed since then, and
Marion is now the mistress of happy home,
the cherished wife of Howard Clifford; and
she has been heard to say more than once,
that that night Of terror brought her the
greatest happiness of her life.