Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1876-08-31

| eluliu, sue uelernlNGu 10 make tn'
most of it.
/ When bedtime came, therefore, she
had fire lighted in her fathers bed
room, where the treasure Was--for the
aif was as chill as in the late autumn
loaded the pistols Mr.. Dale had giver
her, put them under her pillow, went
to bed. and in spite of certain ridiculous
fancies that fitted through her brain,
|, and in spite of the storm that made the
windows rattle and the shutters creak
presently fell fast asleep.
Outside the night was most dismal.
The rain fell pitless, and an east wind
Eblew in chill, danny gusts, that made
| the very trees shiver. But the man
who fairly CROPPED his way to Stanton's
door did not seem to mind it. He
gained the front steps just as the great
clock in the hall struck two.
From beneath his coat he produced
dark lantern and lit it within the
shelter of the doorway. He thrust a
small iron instrument into the keyhole.
With slight scraping sound, the key
was turned and the door opened. The
light was flashed over every objec. In
the hail, that the bearer might know
the position of each.
The first door on the landing opened
into the sitting room, This the man
passed by, but stopped at the second,
which led into Mr.. Stantons bedroom.
Again the slight scraping sound, and
the door opened.
He started at the sight of fire, but
entered, closed the door softly behind
him, turned the key and put it in his
pocket then crossed the room, stealthrly
yet steadily, to the opposite corner,
where the strong box was built in the
wall, placed his lantern upon chair,
and examined the lock.
His hands were wet and benumbed.
He walked coolly to the fire and bent
his masked face over it,
At this moment Kate awoke, suddenly
and completely she saw the dim out
lines Of a figure bending over the en-
bers, a light shining upon the wall
Luckily she was too much frightened
to cry out. She lay perfectly still,
gazing stonily at the motionless figure
till it moved to the corner farthest
from her,and began work on the strong
box.
This gave her moment to think,
but the more she thought the more her
terror grew. 1t was by a mere spasm
Of fear that her hand was thrust under
the pillow. 1t encountered the cold
barrel Of pistol. There was some-
thing reassuring in the very touch
She drew it forth. The sturdy look #
the little weapon was like a friend s
strong arm to the frightened girl She
half rose, pointed the pistol and drew
the hammer. The sharp click startled
the man from his work. He turned
quickly, but stopped for a moment
itresolute.
For half that moment Hates hand
shook helplessiy, then for a single
instant was quite still. And then the
whole house rang to the deafening re-
port. And with that my heroine be-
came once more a woman, and fell
fainting.
So the reused household found her,
when at length they gained access to
the room. On the floor near the box
now lay the burglar, alike insensible.-
The mask had fallen from his face. 1t
was Mr.. Sidney Dale.
The rest may be briefly told. Dale,
though severely stunned, was not dead,
the ball having, as it were, merely felt
its way along the outer surface of the
skull.
There was a trial, of course, and
people came to see the girl who shot
the robber,' and hear her testify.
1t being first otfense, the prisoner
was let off with FIVE years, but the
night after his sentence he escaped.
But what of Clarence and Kate?
Oh, they made up their little tiff, as
sensible people who love one another
always do, and have been jogging on in
comfortable matrimony these twenty
years.
NJ NJ. Conway is the authority for
the following anecdote connected with
the late Lady Stanley;
'Last year Lady Augusta Augusta
Stanley's parrot escaped, and the Dean
and number of the clergy, including
the Archbishop, who were with him at
the time, went out into the garden to
find the bird. The search was in vain
for time, but presently voice came
from the trees above, saying, Let us
pray!" 1t was familiar voice, and
Lady Stanley laughed, then the Dean
laughed, and finally the whole coolest
asticaI group roared, as the parrot cry
came again with JUNCTION, Let us pray J"