The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1874-06-24

T.
of the timesn
Mrs. Furgusson, remembering her hus-
bands injunction, took the bags of money
from the desk, and carried them to the room
he had described, there locking them in 8
small closet or safe.
This done, she went and stole heryoungesi
born, Ruth, from her little cot, and carried
her off to her own bed. "a lingering good
night oycrlier darling Rosie, the six year old
daughter, whose sweet young face looked
wonderfully like her mothers, and soon Kate
g Furgusson was sleeping BY her child, with hel
husbands likeness under her pillow, and a
prayer for his quick return filling even her
sleeping thoughts.
1T seems to the mistress of the house that
she had slcpt.so long that morning must be
near, when she awoke with an inexplicable
feeling of fright--a feeling of something, or
some zone, near her.
: 4sWlmt isit?" she'cHed, starting up in the
bed, instinctively catching the sleeping child
No answer Only distant sound of breath
ing, and then movement like hand feeling
along tile wall=-towards her.
She. began toNtremble violently; nothing
but thepresences Of the child on her bosom
saved her from fainting.
" Who is it?" she CRIED her voice so shak-
ing and hollow that it awakened Ruth, who
chung to her, crying.
:. This time she had answer.
- % We,willd do you no harm, voice spoke
OUT Of the darkness, "if you will give up
that money You've got - and then, before
MRS. Furgusson could muster courage and
breath to speak, another voice, out, of the
room apparently added in a rough undertone,
"And tell her to look sharp about it, too !"
lh~Two of them 0 God, help me " she
whispered to herself, and Ru til began to break
into screams and sobs.
"Keep that brat quiet" angrily muttercd
the voice onithe landing, "sld don't keep us
here all night"
Now surely il ever woman was in mis-
cradle plight, Mrs. Furgusson was that wo-
man. Not q house nearer than the Hollands,
a full quarter of mile off; no soul near to
help her, for Jane, who had worked hard by
day, slept hard by night and slept moreover,
in a quiet little room at the very top of the
house, all alone--worso than alone, utterly
helpless, and a woman who confessed TO the
usual feminine share of cowardce.
Still, she drew her breath, and there flashed
from her heart cry for help and then for q
few brief moments, she thought thought
with all her mind and soul--was there any
way for her out of this? And her reason told
her there was none.
'sCome," said the voice in her own ROOM
"I'm good tempered chap enough, but my
mates in n hurry don't provoke him. Look
alive, and tell us where to find the swag-
money
She groaned and shook, and all her limbs
turned cold as the voice drew nearer and near
er and at the last words heavy hand was
laid upon the bed. .a
"I'll find way to make her speak," growl-
ed the second voice /" here's another kind in
this roon.p Then in one instant a thin streak
of light shot across tile landing, and the
next
Mother, Mother, Mother = shrieked
Roses voice and the unhappy mother sprang
up clasping one child, mad to protect the
other. isa - esa
"Silence, you fool !" said the man by her.
speaking for the first time "You'll drive
that fellow yonder to do the child mischief
if you don't do as / tell you. Keep down,
won't you P" For she was struggling wildly
to pass him, to get across tie room to Rosie
Rosie, whose cries were sounding strangely
stifed. ''Look here if you don't give up this
game, by the Lord, he'll knock you on the
head, if DON'T z'ssi
And clasping one wrist like vice, the man
held her fast, while with the other hand he
turned on the light from small lantern
slung at hissidea yryv n ww
/" Hush, hush - she murmured to Ruth
+" Mother will send them away don't look at
him.. Rosie, my darling, your mother is COM
ing!" But Rosie did not answer her. b o
my God !" she painted, and looked up wildly
"Now," said the man, "you're plucky
enough for woman, but ] can't waste all the
night talking to YOU and then lie gave her
a look that made her SILVER from head to foot
anew. Bundle those two brats of yours in
to one bed and come and get us what we
want. ''aq aids II
No choice but to obey; two passionate kiss
es and a low God keep you," and between
the two men she was marched from the room,
followed by the children's pitiful cries, their
wild, frightened sobs.
She led them down the FIRST short fight of
stairs to the door which, as we have already
said, was partly overhung with curtain
This door opened into room which had been
used by Mr.. Furgusson's predecessor as an
oratory. The rectory had been built sin the
time of the late rector, and built consequent
ly very much to suit his taste and fances.
One more popularity of the room to note !:
the doors for there were two---fastened with
spring on being pushed to, and could only
be re-opened by hand accustomed to the
task, and they also were furnished with heavy
bolts on the outside one door opened on the
landing the other, smaller one, in one side
of the recess at the farther end, led into bed
room which had been Mr.. Furgusson's pre-
decessor' s and whence.he could go in, andsouti