The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-03-02

pounds had aith me- He again turned /
the light towards me, placed the money in
his own pocket, grasped the dagger. aud
gently Withdrew, looking the while steadily
in my face The door was then closed in
the same cautious manner with which it had
been opened
now breathed little more freely. The
imminent peril IN which nay life had been
placed was for q time feE1nved. but ! ieage ed
there was a possibility of the robbor return
ing. (tor roboer | must now call him.) aud
com pleting his crime by taking my life. to
prevent auy exposure Of his deed. TIE silent
hours till the dawn IF day were passed by
me with much anxiety. ! had prepared
myself boldly TO SEIZE the villain should he
visit me a second tima. and arouse every in
mate in the house. But he did not return.
At length the light of returning day beaned
through the wiadow, the occasional sound
Of footsteps on the outside and the voices OF
nlea Indicated the approach o! returning las
Dor. The bell Of the bleach green rang the
hour of six O'Clock, the loud sound Of the ed
giues awOke the echoes or the glen, and the
long, anxious night had passed away. But
the event was a subject of grave establishment
to me. Ilsre was a man cf high social stand
ing, Of character LtheIt to uuGlemished, whom
the whole mercantile cnmmuuity in the north
Of iceland would have pronounced a man of
strict Integrity, now become a robber, and,
had it been deemed necessary, would have
become a murderer. | considered well what
was the best course for me to pursua. and.
having determined upon that which | deem
ed best, | arose and dressed.
When the tinkIing Of the breakfast hell
summoned me down stairs, the family were
assembled in the dining room. and greeted
me cordially. MIR. Thompson seemed slight
ly agjtated at first, but recovered his self
possession in an instant, and talked III his
usual free and easy manner to all in the
room. A desire to conceal embarrassment
evidently made him more proluse in his con
versatjOu, so that a close disceTner would
have discovered that something nDusual had
broken the ordinary condition Of his mind.
When breakfast was over, | requested my
horse TO be brought cut, put on my overcOat
and hat, and took leave Of the ladies. uav-
ing mounted the saddle. Mr.. Thompson
walked leiaurely beside me to the gateway,
talking with apparent easI all the time
Then be tried to put end to the conversa-
ton by holding out bis hand and bidding me
good morning. My opportunity had now
come. Said /:
Mr.. Thompson, that little joke of yours
has been carried far enough. | hope you
enjoyed it. l did not mention it before, rs
was anxious to give you as much pleasure in
it as l could spare; but time IS passing. l
must 50 back at once. Give me back what
you have"
Il beg your parion.'' said he. L do not
understand "hat You say"
| repeated my words, adding in a firm
voice
Give me my money! :"
IL. l., F.- la
asked. i am unable to cUmprehsud your
meaning"
| mean those two thousand pounds you
took out Of my coat pocket during the night,
or rather this morning, wheu you supposed
| was asleep. BE assured | was then as fully
awake ! an. now. l saw you with the
daggC: aud tha little lantern. Nothing eS-
ped my notice Ii is useless to talk any
longer about 1T. l want my money at once.
Remember, however, | stlII regard it as a
joke"
Why. Greer, you amaze me-" he replied.
"IIlve you really lost your money p
That won't 10, Thompson" | ,i1ined.
You are carrying this Ike too far. Give
ire back my money, Tor you have it, and
you know it, or abide thu cOuss qucnces."
Greer" he replied, you are ellher johing
or you are mad. Ii you have los. your purse
you. or dropped it on the road coming"
Now, Thompson" D." said I've vii par'ey
no longer. Ii y0a a. not Instantly restore
tho money. YOU will be arrestei for robbery
within ten minutes. / viii be sure % obtain
it then. BIT, remember. the pub'ic and a
cIimjlaI court will not believe j,ke, but
q deliberate attempt 10 steal
lie now grew pale, ana staggered back to
the paljng for support. Making feeble at
tempt 20 recover his sell>possessou, he tried
to force loud laugh from bis lips, bat the
eifJt miserIbly laIiod. tie stammorsd cut
at leng h, in broken words:
l was only in isst-on!y trying to fright
en- you. Greer. YIN know me too y ell to
suppose | intended to keep your money. |
never meant 20 10 so. Ne, no is was only
a little harmless amusement. Wait for 4
moment"
Saying this, he went rapidly to the stable
yard, passing out of my sight. la a few
milu.cs he returned and gave me back my
money. lie then cutreated me not to speak
Of this Transact n, as sOmo people night
imagine be actually wanted TO steal. l pro
missed to CONCEAL bis guilt as long as he lived.
III die before you" I said. the secret
will die with me but if l survive you | am
free to tell it to whom please. will pro-
mise you this and nothing more"
| took no further farewell but departed
from that house forever, and rode TO distant
market town to execute the business which
had called ms from home.
You may have some desire to know what
brcame OF this man afterwards. His char
acter which hitherto had been deemed fair
seemed gradually to take downward course
Step by step, Le sauk lower aud lower in the
ways Of evil and iniqu:ty. For two years
he was coutiuualIy occupied and perplexeI
by two great undertakings. First, TO susta n
his nominal standing as merchant in the
commticial world and. second. to conceal
fom everybody knowledge Of his real con-
diti0n. Ills bills Tor heavy amounts were
becoming due, and he had no means TO pay
them. Nothing could save him from bank
} ruptcy but mJrtgasias his whole establish
msuI for its full value. This he accom- plished
with banking house, securing a loan that
placed him once more in apparent afflu 4 G
and ability to meet his payments. But his