Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1873-07-03

mine. for. with your lad yship's permission
| will 81. up all night in your ladyship',
easy chair
Madame Pauline Lucca glanced at the
cupboard. Her blood ran cold; she though,
she saw the handle turn. What course
was she to adopt? She dared not give
her maid tie slightest hint Of the real state
of matters; she felt .has che girl would 20
into DO thsn and there, and thus brinr
on crisis. Scarcely knowing what she
was doing. Madam. Lucca replied at ran
dom.
Murder US! What Tor ?
What for. your laiyship! Why, for
your money-for your Jewels. to be sure.
Every body knows you have plenty Of
them
The girl might have been unconscious
ly sharpening. so to speak. the knife by
which she aud her mistress were doomed
to perish.
What absurdity = said Madame Luc.
ca. with forced laugh. As she spoke,
her eye wandered from the keyhole Of the
dreaded cupboard to that of an adjoining
room. In the latter there was key
Her face flushed. and a smile. as it were.
Of proud inspiration lighted it up. though
only for q second.
Jewels she replied. why every
ono With a grain Of sense mast know that I
should not have them about me as q rule.
They. Of course, are generally safe under
lock aud key at Berlin. 1t is q strange
thing. though, Edi.ha. that to-day is 90
exception. I expected the Countess Won
Wartenstean to cali. aud brought down
all the jewels presented to me at my last
visit to st. Petersburg. to show her.
Your ladyship did Oh! bu. surpos.
ing n thief
We'll. if thief did know it. he might
easily make his fortune" she observed,
intcrruphng her companion.
by numbering US, and running of with
the jewels
Madame Lucca glanced at tho cup
board then raising her voice. she con-
tinucd:
oh there would be no necessity for
murder. The door which leads from that
room to the garden is unlocked; forgot
to lock it. 4 thief would merely have to
wrlk in from the garden. and take my
jewel case from tho table near the window
He mi ght make his escape richer by Co.,
900 or 20 200 thalcrs. and never be de-
tcctcd. That's better than numbering peo-
pie. is it not ?
oh. yes-your ladyship. And he
might get over to England or America.
Nothing easier replied Madame Luc-
ca. However. that reminds me- may
as we'll lock the door leading to the gar
den. Run in the diuing-room. You'll
fni the key on the table. Do not be
long
'Edi.hal Eli,ha " cried Madame Luc.
ca. an instant aftcrward. i have made q
mistake. The key Is 10 the Baron's study.
Pshaw she does not hear me- she con-
tinucd speaking aloud. 4 must 20 and
fetch il myself
With these words she left the room
No sooner had she done so than the door
Of the cupboard cautiously opened. A
man put his head out and glanced around.
Perceiving no one he dar,ed into the ad-
joining chamber The next instant the
door was shut to. and locked behind him
When she left the room she did not pro-
coed two PAGES. she stood outside, listen
ing. As she was in darkness. she could
without being visible herself, sec all that
was passing in her bed chamber. She oe-
held the stranger leave his hiding place
and dart into the adjoining room. She
glided after him with the steadiness Of q
tigress and the courage of heroine. The
readers know what followed.
AT Rappin (caught) she cried
rushing across the room with the key in
her. hand.
i can't find any began Editha. en-
tering the bedchamber But Madame Luc-
ca. pushing her to one side, disappeared.
Editba looked after her in mute astonish-
meut. and remained as though rooted to
the spot till her mistress re-cntered, with
q revolver IN her hihd.
oh! your lad dyship. w-h-a.t-at's that ?
inquired the maid. with strong present.
tnent that all was not right.
The Baron's revolver, thank goodness?'
replied Madame Lucca.
Why thank goodness, your ladyship 7
inquired the maid.
Madame Lucca pointed to tho door
Some one on the other side was turning
the handle. Editha turned deadly pale,
and dropped the lamp she was carrying.
Presently there was q knocking, and q
voice exclaimed
Open this door directly. o.
The rest was inaudible. Editha's screams
drowned aught else. Madame Lucca
waited Until the girls 6rss stock Of breath
was exhausted and her second no, vet ar.
rived; she then said with comic severity,
'Edi,ha. il you are not quiet, I will begin
BY shooting yoa"
| Edi.ha thought apparently. that her
mistress was in earnest. for the poor girl
immediately rammed large portion Of the
nearest towel in her mouth, aud restricted
herself TO sWaying 10 and fro. and sobtins
violently. The Knocking grew more and
more violent. but the door vas massive
oak snd immovable.
MY friend. cried Madame Lucca, in .
loud voice, 'yo1 are Gagged. The garden
door Is as tightly fastened NJ this one. and
the window is secured. Do not a,temp,
to open the latter. for I am going into the
garden. and the instant that see you try
20 escape. you are dead man.
! Flinging open the door which led "a
the veranda she went out. followed by
Edisha. Who in her despair had succeed.
cd in pushing more ef the towel in he,
mouth. The noise Of bolt being drawn