The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-08-23

my room, and stay till it's all over. Do
you understand %
eyes" said Madge.
every well. There's Joseph with the
tray; he's come a little before the time,
that his nice draught may have time to
work.
Madge shuddered, and her cousins feat
ures relaxed into a grim smile. Old
Joseph came stumping in, and set down
the tray, with his mistress tumbler ready
mixed, as usual.
"Thank you, Joseph" said Miss Thor
ney. "Leave the tray, and come again in
ten minutes to shut the windows and take
it away"
The old man went away silently.
"Now, then," said Miss Thorney, when
she had heard the door in the back hall
swing behind him; throw away the con-
tents of that precious tumbler on the
grass. No! I'll find out what the old
wretch meant to do to me. Get that glass
vase; empty it into that; lock it up in the
chiffonier, and give me the key. Very
nicely done. Now mix me some wine-and-
water in that other tumbler, and fill the
wine glass for yourself"
az would rather not, thank you," began
Madge.
"Do as 1 tell you," answered Miss
Thorney; and she was accordingly obeyed.
Joseph came in again, shut the windows,
and took the tray with the empty glasses,
looking as stolid as an old elephant.
"Send Lawrence with my candle at
once" said Miss Thorney. 81 wonder
what makes me feel so sleepy, Margaret.
eyes, Ma'am," said Joseph.
Madge looked at the old lady in silent
astonishment at her sharpness and COOL
ness, and thought she was like gnome or
a troll, or some of those cunning North
land spirits, there was something so un-
canny in the twinkle of her little gray
eyes. Sleepy. She never had been wider
awake in her life.
! The old clock in the hall had struck
! twelve, slowly and portentously and was
followed by the musical clock in the draw
| iiS-iooih, "hiSh Pi"yeu az ohiooiihS Nv
tie jig before striking, as if it had no share
in the anxieties of the house.
After Lawrence was gone, Miss Thorney
dressed herself again with Madge's help,
and they sat waiting. Tho time seemed
interminable, though it was after II when
they began to wait and listen. The clocks
had just done striking ~, when stealthy
step went creeping along the passage. \
board creaked as it stopped at Madge's
door and turned the key, which she had
left outside.
"There goes Joseph" whispered Miss
Thorney, with her grim smile. He's
not so light as he was once, SO the boards
creak under him. l thought he would
hardly venture his old bones up the tree
They have got you safe, Margaret. Lock-
ed up, do you hear9"
eyes" said Madse. "I feel so anxi-
GUS. Do you think there will be any fight
ing?"
"No, child. If l had thought of it,
however, the young man might have had
my fathers pistols
"IIe has revolver with him. said
Madge.
"Oh, very well. Mercy on us! what a
long time they are. l thought thieves
were generally punctual. They must be
in the room by this time, certainly. l
hope our defenders won't let them break
open the plate-chest before they jump out
upon them"
A few minutes more of dead silence;
then something between roar and howl,
followed by confused noise of strug-
Cling.
"There is Mr.. Hyde coming along the
passage" said Madgc.
"Ask him to be good enough to come
here"
Madge went out to meet Robin.
"You are not hurt" she said.
go, no. hope you were not much
frightened? Is Miss Thorncy there9"
eyes. Will you come in and speak to
her 90
"Well?" said Miss Thorney as Robin
entered, rather flushed and dishevelled,
but otherwise the same as usual.
"They are being handcuffed," he said,
"and will be taken off at once to the lock-
up. You don't wish to see them, sup
pose?"
"Not in the least. Had you much
trouble?"
"They struggled good deal, as you
heard; but we surprised them thoroughly.
They were setting to work comfortably on
the chest when We bounced out of the
wardrobe, and our other fellows had run
up tho tree like squirrels, and were al
ready at the window. One Of them hit
Jem Riddoll in the eye; that is the only
casualty.
elbow do you feel after your exer-
tions?"
every glad to get out of the wardrobe"
said Robin, drawing long breath.
"And what are you going to do now ?"
elf you have no objection, Jem and
are going to watch in that room. by turns,
for the rest of the night"
"Well, get the keys from Joseph, and
fetch some WINE out of the sideboard for
yourselves and the policemen. Coed night.
We shall see you at breakfast"
So ended the Monks Dene burglary
Robin, bad as it may sound, had enjoyed
it from beginning to end; it gained his
object for him at once-a free entrance to
Miss Thorney's house. l suppose he was
only burglar of another kind.
During the next week Or two he was
there constantly, and sharp woman like
Miss Thorney was, of course, not long in
finding out his attraction there. AS soon
as her mind had grasped the subject, she
sat down and wrote to Madge's father,
without saying anything to the young
people, who would both have been startled,
as they had not yet come to an under
standing.
"What's the matter now, l wonder,
said Mr.. Thorney, when he saw her hand
writing. 81 hope she doesn't mean to
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