The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1873-05-22

TeWUis U6 CNOVtOye W uiKut M
the only thing want is to stretcl ,
my limbs q little, for they are cramp.
ed from long sitting"
Speaking thus, Madame Lucca
arose with an air Of admirably acted
Indifference, and took turn or two
across the room, passing close TO the
cupboard as she did 50. She after
ward declared that she thought she
could hear the man breathe in his
hiding place. He, on his part,
might have heard my heart beat, she
said, whom. on looking at the key
hole, she found the key had been re-
moved. She was foilcd in her plan,
which had been TO lock him in.
Still her presence of mind did not
desert her.
"Ah, dear mel' she said, gasping,
II feel very sleepy"
"Sleepy, your ladyship f! l wish ]
did," replied her maid. ~ don't
feel sleepy, I'm too frightened"
"Frightenedl What are you
frightened of, you, foolish goose 7
Nonsense y replied Madame Lucca-
"Ohl begging your ladyship's'
pardon, it is not nonsense, and that 8
lust it. How can Sou be sure that
some villain, hearing you and 1 are
alone in the house. may not murder
us in our bedsi But he shan't muir
dor me in mine, for, with your lady
ships permission, will sit up all
night in your ladyship's easy chair. y
Madame Pauline Lucca glanced o.t
the cupboard. Her blood ran cold
she thought sho saw the handle turn
What course was she to adoptf She
dared not give her maid the slightes,
hint Of the real state Of matters; she
felt that the girl would go into a I'll
then and there, and thus bring on {
crisis. Scarcely knowing what SHE
was doing, Madame Lucca replied q
random: t-
Murder us! What fort"
"What for, your ladyship! Why
for your money--for your jewels, t
be sure. Every body knows yo,
have plenty of them"
The girl might have been uncon
sciously sharpening, so to speak, tin
knife by which she and her mistres
were doomed to perish.
. "What absurdity!" said MADAME
Lucca, with q forced smile.
AS she spoke her eye wandered
from tho key hole of the dreade,
cupboard to that of an adjoinin,
room. In the latter there was key
Her face flushed, and a smile, as j
:, were, of proud inspiration lighted i
! up, though only for second.
- Jewels p she replied. "Why
every one with a grain of sense mus
, know that 1 should not have then
! about me as rule. They, of course
!, are generally under lock and key n
.e '' Berlin. 1t is strange thing, though
, Editha, that to-day is an exception
. 1 expected the Countess Won War
tenstein to call, and 1 brought dow
all the jewels presented to mo at m,
: ,' last visit to st. Petersburg to show
! her."
:, y "Your ladyship did! Oh but sup
- - posing q thief
.e "Well, if thief did know il h
! = might easily mako his fortune !" sh
= = observed interrupting her companion
- by numbering US aud running Of
|" with the JEWELS
= Madame Lucca glanced at the cur
y board, aud then rising her voice, sh
% continued
3 "Oh there would be no uecessit
. The door which loads from that roo,
Y to the garden is unlocked; I forgo
.e to lock it. A thief would merel
IS have to walk in from the garden au
70 take nv jewel case from the tabl
y near the window. ne might max
;, 3 his escape richer bv 10000 or 1900
u thalcrs and never be detected
That's better than numbering people
!: 70 is it not ?"
Il "Ob, yes, your ladysbip. -. An
10 !, he might get over to England Q
- America" ,., an
N "Notbiog easier" replied Madam
n Lncca. "Howeyer, that reminds N
10 Il may as we'll lock tho door lead
. ing to the garden. Run into th
" dining ro on !; you will fiud tho key o
'. the table. Don't be long Il y, ,o.
or "Editha / Editha I" cried Madam
10 Lucca, an instant afterward, 81 hav
~ made mistake the key Is in th
st Baron's study. Pshaw | she doe
ne not hear me-" she contioued, speakiu
er aloud, II must 90 aud Fetch II my
~ self. -. 80, . l. .,. :,
IN with those words she left the roou
er No sooner had she done SO tha
r. the door Of the cupboard csutiousl
ls opened, A man put his head out 40
% glanced around. Perceiviug no ou
y he instantly darted into an adjoinin
u chamber. The next il slant the doc
TO was shut to and locked behind him
es But hot BY bin. by Nine. Lucci
ne When she left the room she did NJ
0! proceed two PAGES ; she stood outsit
q listening. As she was in darknes
a. she could Without being visible hsrsel
" see al that was piiaing ID her be,
~ cha mbsr. She beheld the strsng'
a. leave bis hiding place and dart I'M
ne the adjoining room.-Shs gllded aft
him with the steadipess Of : tigre
OK and the courage of heroine. III