The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-11-18

! going out into the kitchen, and stamping
her little foot. 81 aoon't work for a
| house-keeper p
| That night Paul harnessed the bays to
| the spring wagon, and went off to Mum
F! roe. And when he had gone, Ellie sat
down in the library and cried. But at
ten o'clock Paul came home alone.
''No success, Ellie I'll go to River
vile tomorrow night and see what can
| be done there
The next night he was unusually tired.
Ellie had laid out his dressing gown and
slippers and his easy chair, and the
newspapers, still in their mail wrappers,
looked unusually tempting; but he resist
ed these silent allurements and started
for Riverville, distance of five miles.
| In about half an hour he returned
but there was woman's figure in the
wagon-a large, tall woman. Ellie
watched her getting out of the wagon.
The Eew conner had on brown nerino
dress ard plaid shawl She had a cot
ton bandage tied about her face. Her
hands were covered with cotton gloves,
and she carried carpet bag. PaulLacy
! brought her into the library.
! 81 have found some help, Ellie. This
woman was coming on foot to offer her
services when met her. What did you
say your name was ?" to the stranger
"Ellen Duroc," answered she in a
coarse voice.
Poor Ellie instantly conceived the ut
most repugnanee to her.
''Take her to her room, Ellie" said
Paul, ''she will not be needed tonight,
and she says she is suffering from tooth
ache. Give her a glass of cordial it
will help her teeth and make her rest
WELL" he added, in the kind tone which
had long ago won Ellie Cary's heart.
With a heavy heart, Ellie showed the
| woman to her bedroom. The latter sat
down in a chair, but showed no dispo-
sition to remove any of her clothing be-
fore Ellie retired. She did not even
| drink the cordial, but said /:
eff you'll set it on the table, Til take
! it in minute"
Ellie came away, thinking there was
something strange in the tall, sAawied,
hooded figure sitting in the rocking
chair. The woman's eyes looked disa-
greeably black and sharp above the white
bandage.
81 would work myself to death rather
| than have her here" said Ellie, going
about the house, fastening doors and
windows, after learning that Paul had
retired.
When she went to her chamber she
found the mastiff Sultan lay ON the rug
beside her bed. The dog was fond of
her, but he had never come to her room
before. Being tired she made no at
| tempt to send him out, but let him be
there. And after while, finding that
she could not sleep, she was rather glad
to have him there.
In spite of all efforts she could not
sleep. More than she at first knew, the
appearance of the stranger had excited
her. She could not cease to think of
her. II the darkness she saw those
fierce black eyes. that bandaged face, that
mysteriously enveloped figure. Why
had Paul Lacy detected nothing unusuall
the appearance of this woman seemed to
her most repugnant and suspicious.
Eilie's cheeks burned feverishly in the
| darkness. She heard the clock strike
twelve A moment afterward she heard
a step, q slow creeping step, in the hall.
Her head STAR from its pillow to listen;
the sound ceased. But her heart beat
so furiously that any inconsiderable noise
would have been drowned. But now the
house seemed quite still the darkness
was intense. Ellie strained eyes and
ears, but saw nothing, heard nothing.
cit is just nervousness, she said, after
a while, lying down again. eff anything
was wrong, Sultan would bark"
Sultan did not stir, and she could not
see his bright half-opened eyes.
But sleep would not come, and Ellie
continued to hear faint unusual sounds.
Something seemed to whisper in her ear,
s'There is danger" Her heart beat
heavily.
Suddenly she heard most distinctly
cautious step upon the stair. 1t was no
dream, no nervous fancy.
"Robbers !" gasped Ellie. She start
ed up.
One entrance of her room opened upon
municating with distant staircase,
whereby she could reach Paul's room.
The step was coming steadily up as she
leaped to the floor and flew to the op
| posite entrance.
AS she groped for the door handle she
heard the step enter the room. The
door she was trying would not open 1t
1O0s locked atl1On the other side. Sick
with horror, she looked over her shoul-
der and saw in the gloom, a tall figure
noiselessly entering the apartment. 1t
turned toward her. Shrek after shrek
burst from her lips.
There was growl, leap, bulky
form flying through the darkness, a fall,
and then horrible silent struggle. The
floor shook, the windows shivered in
their panels. i hollow groan. Then
| ell was still. Ellie, in her terror, SEEM
ed to have lost her senses, when she