Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-08-19

| She took a candle from the table. sa
lected one Of a bunch Of keys from bas-
ket hanging from the wall, and babe him
follow her.
She led him upstairs to the door of the
oak closet, applied the key, and, opening
the door, pointed to the black box in tie
| farther corner Of the closet.
You will find what you seek there"
She stepped back for him to enter bat
he seized her by the wrist and pulled her
along with him.
Il know your game" said he; you
would get me into that cussed close hole
and then lock the door upon me. Take
out that key and fling it downstairs and
then come in with me shant eat you"
She obeyed him literally, and, as they
stood together in the sitting place-which
was scarcely large enough to contain them
-Margaret with the hand which the man
| had left free, seized on the door and pulled
| it to.
1t shut with a sharp click-shut and
| locked at the same time
A fierce oath burst from the lips of the
burglar
What do you mean ?" he cried :" He'll
and furies! | shall suffocate here! Open
the door, or I'll shoot you
Do as you please" said Margaret, de-
! family; 1.-The door has a spring lock and
can be opened only from the outside And
unless some one comes to our release we
shall remain here until we die, which will
be only few hours at the mostr'
You she-devil! Why did you do this ?"
| he demanded, hoarse with rage. Don't
you know that you will die, too?"
Certainly; but | prefer death to the
ruin of my best friends. If we die here
and we shall, without doubt-the money
will be saved''
The oaths and threats and curses of the
man were fearful, but Margaret felt no
fear. Something above and beyond her
self sustained her, and she was happy in
the consciousness that her life would pur-
chase the old home for her kind benefac-
tors.
The close, torpid air weighed upon her
like lead-already had the wretch who
| was her companion sunk stupefied to the
| floor. All her past life came up before
her-she remembered things long forgot
ten, she saw faces dead and buried, she
heard voices long mute beneath the grave
clods, and then life and sense faded out
| and she knew no more
Judge Wallace found his sister better,
but the storm coming on it was deemed
better to remain all night, and early the
next morning set out for his home, accom-
| panied by his wife.
Arrived in sight Of the house he was
surprised to see the shutters still closed
and the chimney giving out no smoke of
welcome.
At the gate young man was tying a
horse, and the Judge exclaimed to his
| wife:
Bless my life, Annie, that's Alger-
non! There's no mistaking him. He's
home month earlier than we expected
him! But greatly fear something is
amiss with Mag! She is an early riser,
| and the shutters are yet closed"
He whipped up his horse and soon had
his long-absent son by the hand. The first
warm greetings over, the Judge raped at
the fastened door, but, eliciting no re-
Spouse, his alarm increased, and, after
shouting for Margaret at the top of his
| voice and receiving no reply, with Alger-
mons help he burst open the door and en-
tered the kitchen.
All was as she had left it the night be-
fore, and black brands covered the hearth !;
the chamber door stood suggestively open.
Father and son assembled the stairs, and
half way up the Judge stumbled over the
key Of the oak closet
Good heavens!" he exclaimed, " the
key of the closet where | left that money
[ greatly fear that something has befallen
Margaret!'
He found the closet-door locked, and to
their repeated knockings there came no re-
spouse from within.
Algernon applied the key, and the opened
door revealed a fearful sight
With frightfully distorted, purple face
the robber lay on the floor stone dead, and
a little removed from him, pale and quiet,
lay Margaret
Algernon bore her downs stairs and into
the open air, but it was very long before
she gave any sign or token of life And it
was week before she was able to give a
! detailed account Of what happened during
that night of horror in the oak closet.
But she had saved the money, and the
son undertook to pay the debt of gratitude
owed by the father. And before the win
ter was over Algernon married Margaret,
and together they lived on the old home
stead, and on stormy nights they tell the
children the story of the oak closet.
A Tornado Experience.