Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1875-05-11

hand of that child's mouth if you ar'ni
in hurry TO be strung up" The strange
mullled sounds upon this broke out into
the wild cry.
"Ohi mother mother"
Now" said the man, lone gOod turn
deserves another. Your plucky enough
for woman, but | can't waste all the
night talking to you" and then he gave
her look that,made her shiverl from
head TO loot anew. Bundle these
two brats of yours. into one bed, and
como and get us what we want"
She seemed powerless now, and her
very soul tainted within her as she crept
after the tall dark figure over the landing
into Rosie's room.
on, my childr cried the poor woman.
and essayed 10 turn 10 the little bed
where lay the small figure, pinioned
by lhe heavy grasp of taller, darker
man than her own ciptor.
"IIands of. u.issus." growled the
jailer.
"IIauds OF, now just put that other
one in here along of this one. and I'll
take aud turn the key on 'em both. while
you take US up yonder TO what were
ookin' alter.
No choice again 5u' to obey; two pas
sionate kisses low God keep you;
and between the two men she was
marched from The room. followed by the
children's pitiful cries, their wild piiiiul
! sobs.
She led them down the first Short
flight Of stairs to the door which, as We
have already said. was patty overhung
with a curtain. This do)r opened into n
room which had been used by Mr.. Fer
cusson's predecessor rs an ora,ory. Inc
rectory had been built in the time oi the
late rector, and consequently very much
10 suit his taste and lancies.
One moro peculiarly oil the room to
note the dools-ior there were two
fastened with q spring on being pushed
to, and could only be reopened 10y hand
accustomed TO the task, aud they also
were furnished with heavy bolts on the
outside one door opened on the landing
the other, a smaller one, in one side oil
the reces sat lhej further end led into
bed room which had been Mr. Fergus
sons predecessors and whence be
could go in and out OF his favorite orato'
ry at any hour of the day or night. - 1t
pleased him,
Here. as the Kitchen clock below struck
the hour of three, stood the strange. THO
the muifled, disguised men, The lreni-
bling, white faced woman.
But one oil them carried light, the
other had left his lantern outside.
Now" said the darker OF the men,
"here's the room you say: We can hni'h
this business pretty quick"
The small sale. let into the wall, was
directly before them; below it iour
drawers reached down 10 the iloor; IN
the lowest of these at the back OF it, MIR.
Ferguson had laid the Key.
She pointed silently TO the drawer,
which they at once dragged ont, with too
much strength. Tor they jerked it quite
out on the floor. One OF them suddenly
turned particular about making q noise.
and bade their unwilling helper shut
the door" As she lelt the spring catch
securely beneath her hand there suddenly
flashed npon her a thought hope-a
way Of saving the fatal money.
From The look the men had cast
around the room Mrs. Ferguson was
sure they knew nothing of their where.
abouls.
shut the door," the man had said, and
never so much as cast look towards
where was the other door. completely
concealed 10 the shadow Of the recess.
Every pulse beating wildly. she
glanced iurlively across the room;
through the tall narrow, church.like win
dow yonder she could seesa faint thread
OF light on one side which told her that
the further door stood Unmatched,
"Oh, Heaven help me give me time !"
she prayed; but her hand shook 50 that
It could scarcely obey her quick thought.
Another moment and she took her exact
position the men STOPPING over the keys,
the lamp on the floor, and she had flung
her shawl over the lamp, darted across
the floor, out into the room beyond, and
flung to the door with force.
Yet more 10 be done. She drew the
bolts with frenzied speed, above. below
that way was safe; then with the pas.
sionate strength oil The moment. she
sped through the room. out ON the land
ing TO the eurtained door, and made that
fast from without, while the iul ious
captives beat at it from within, ah. then
poor thing, her lortitude forsook her, and
a thousand fears she had not counted on
most cruelty beset her. She slid down a
few stairs, clinging to the rail; then los.
ing her hold, fell heavily on The stone
floor of The hall below.
LII.
Mr.. Ferguson had reached his nearest
station in safety, had sent back the wraps