Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1873-10-08
MIFFL1NTowN JUNIATA COUNTY, PENNA, OCTOBER 8. 1873

room. looked wistfully at her; sh.
did not speak to me, and ], too, wen
away.
She was i'll the next day, but ON the
day following she appeared much al
usual.
OF all thought and felt, I, of course
said nothing. The matter was no affair
of mine. / had not understood it; Mrs
Maltby would make me feel 1t. un
derstood that the two were brother and
sister, that the young man was named
Guy Sedley that he was dissolute and
in disgrace; that Mrs. Maltby had taker
care of him in boyhood, but now ignored
the relationship. I was in no way
allowed to learn anv more.
But on the second night I was awak.
ened by light shining into my cham.
ber.
1t was something unusual, for the
little clock on the mantle was Ginning
twelve.
After a moment 1 slipped out of bed
and glided towards the open door. The
long embroidered folds of my night.
gown tripped me, but made no noise
with my bare feet upon the deep velvet
of the carpet. I don't know whom
expected to see; certainly not Guy
Sedley, kneeling before q sandal-wood
chest, with papers strewn around him
on the floor. A taper. burning in a
silver sconce upon the wall, showed his
lace perfectly cool as he went on search
ing for something.
He must have come through my room
to reach this apartment, for it had no
opening but into my chamber. I was
aware that the papers in the chest were
valuable-that there was money placed
there. / saw that he was robbing his
sister.
saw, too, dirk-knife ON the floor
close at his side.
looked at him an instant-even then
1 remembered to pity him-then glided
forward, snatched the knife and leaped
back to the door.
was mistress of the situation, for
had come from behind him-done all as
in flash of lightning-and as he rose
to his feet stood with my back to the
closed door, with calmness that
showed that it was not my intention to
Immediately arouse the house.
With presence of mind equal to my
own, he put the roll of bills he had been
searching for into the fob Of his waist
coat. and with glittering eye regarded
me speculatively. / was petite, and I
had not screamed. know now that he
was not much afraid of me, although he
appeared to be.
"You have been robbing your sister, "
1 said, 'but if you will put the money
back, l will let you 60.
His intense attention of me changed
to look of wonder.
"You, child, are not afraid of me ?"
he asked.
"No," I answered truthfully.
"But watched you in your sleep a
moment ago, debating whether it were
necessary to kill You or not"
"You must have been glad to find
that it was not necessary" answered.
He locked more astonished than be.
fore, but I did not stop to think of that.
"Put the money back" said.
"No," he said firmly. 81 will murder
you first"
"Do not do that" said 1. 81 am
your friend. / was sorry for you that
day."
He did not speak, but a troubled
look disturbed the pale fixedness of his
face.
"How much money have you there. 7"
/ asked.
Zone hundred dollars"
"And you need it very much ?"
"Very much, he replied, with bit
ter smile.
please put it back" I said. "She
has been just to you. 1 would like to
be merciful. 1 will give you the money. :"
"You ?"
81 have it-yes-here in my room !;
let me show you"
I flung open the door next to my
writing-desk and came back.
"These I will give you freely, said,
opening the roll. "You said to your
sister it should be the last time, and I
hope
He had taken the bills into his hand,
looking at them in kind, unbelieving
way.
"You may hope that you have saved
me-" he said, in low tone.
We were silent for q moment.
"You know now that 1 was very sorry
for you," said with tears in my eyes.
"Yes," he said gravely. "And I love
you for it."
He put Mrs. Maltby's money back,
and rearranged the chest. 1 began to
listen nerv6usly for voices about the
house, but all was very still. He locked
the chest and gave me the key.
"You know where it is kept ?"
"Yes, in q drawer in her dressing
ROOM" 1 wondered how he had OBJ
taired it.
"Hurry and get away"
''There is no danger / paved the way
carefully. Pure, brave little girl, how
fearless you are for yourself"
He looked at me earnestly, as if he
wished to carry away clear memory Of
my features, then wrapped his cloak
about him, flung up the sash, and leaped
soundlessly out into the darkness.
1 extinguished the taper and crept
back to bed. I did not hear o sound of
any kind about the house until day
break.
When I arose I saw the dirk-knife
glittering in the sunshine near my writ
ing-desk, where had laid it. Then I
shuddered.
At eight o'clock the watchman, who
was kept on the ground, was found
gagged and bound just inside Redburn's 8
entrance. Yes, Guy Sedley had peved
his wav coolly and surely.
A year later was mistress of Red
burn; the beautiful house, the spacious
grounds were all mine. Mrs. Maltby
had died and bequeathed them to me.
On her dying bed she had said:
"violet, you are my heiress. There
is only one living being who has my
blood in his veins; him I disown. She
paused, and then went on: "You have
seen my brother; I loved him, l was
ambitious for him, but his natural bent
was evil. We had a cousin-Flora-a
love child who was brought mn with