Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-02-20

''Oh! yeS-yOur ladysnlp. Anu ny =,
might get over to England or America. "
Nothing easier" replied Madame
Lucca. "However, that reminds me: l
may as well lock the door leading INTO
the garden Run into the dining-room:
You'll find the key on the table. 10 not
be long"
Iucca. an instant afterward. II have
made a mistake. The key is in the Bar
on's study. Pshaw she does not hear
me-" she continued, speaking aloud. Il
must 90 and fetch it 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 darted into the ad-
Joining chamber. The next instant the
door was shut to and locked behind himl
But not by him! By Madame Lucca
When she left the room she did not pro-
coed two spaces; she stood outside, lis
tening. AS she was in darkness, she
could, without being visible herself, see
all that was passing in her bed-chamber,
She beheld the stranger leave his hiding
place and dart into the adjoining room.
She glided after him with the steadlness
of tigress and the courage of heroine,
The reader knows what followed.
"Au rapgirt" (Caught she cried, rush
ing across the room with the key in her
hand.
81 can't find any" began Editha, en-
tering the bed chamber. But Madame
Lucca, pushing her on one side, disap-
peared. Editha looked after her in mute
establishment, and remained as though
rooted to the spot till her mistress re-en-
tered, with a revolver in her hand.
ooh! your ladyship! Wh-a-t-at's that?"
inquired the maid, with a strong present
iment that all was not right.
"The Baron's revolver, thank good
ness!" replied Madame Lucca.
"Why thank goodness, your ladyship?'
inquired the maid.
Madame Lucca pointed to the door.
Some one Oh the other side was turning
the handle. Editha turned deadly pale,
and dropped the lamp she was carrying.
| Presently there was knocking, and a
voice exclaimed:
"Open this door directly, or"
| The rest was inaudible. Editha's
screams drowned aught else. Madame
Lucca waited until the girls first stock of
breath was exhausted and her second not
yet arrived; she then said, with comic Sc
| verify. Eultild! IL you are HOG L
will begin by shooting you"
Editha thought, apparently, that her
mistress was in earnest, for the poor girl
Immediately rammed large portion of
| the nearest tewel in her mouth, and re-
sobbing violently The knocking grew
more and more violent, but the door was
massive oak and immOvabe.
| kNu fr;a - cria1 No Ioroa I ,Tooo in
a loud voice, "you are Gagged The gar
den door is as tightly fastened as this one,
and the window is secured. Do not at
tempt to open the latter, for l am going
into the garden, and the instant that | see
you try to escape, you are dead man.
Flinging open the door which led to
the veranda she went out, followed by
| Editha, who in her despair had succeeded
in pushing more of the towel in heI
mouth. The noise of a bolt being drawn
was heard.
"Stand aside, my friend.' said Madame
| Lucca, cor you are dead man, A sharp
report followed, accompanied by the
| sound of crashing wood and splintered
| glass.
There! that is one barrel out of six.
That is merely to show that | am armed
You had better remain quiet"
The visitor also was seemingly Of the
same opinion, for he did not renew the
attempt. When the servants returned
next morning, they found Madame Lucca
| quietly reading under the veranda before
the window. They were rather surpris.
cd, however, at perceiving she had six
| barreled' revolver in her hand, and
Editha what appeared to be the end Of a
| towel sticking out of her mouth. A few
words explained the whole affair, and,
in about an hour afterward, the would-be
thief, who, as it was proved, would have
| been ready to turn assassin as well, was
safe at the nearest P0lizeibureau.
Talk of generalship," said my friend
as he concluded his story, was not the
stratagem of thejewels, by which Madame
| Lucca lured the thief into the room des
| tined to be his dungeon, magnificent
| idea? MOltke himself never did any thing
| to beat itn'-L0ndOn Cor Home J0lrnal