The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-04-28

tasten the doors, as you may be all alone
Tor short time if l should go soon
Would you not rather that should wal
until your father ccmes?"
80 no, Thomas, l don't mind being
alone in the least, and you ought to 90
lest 1t should rain hard, for it is more
than two miles to ride, and they may moi
wish to leave in a minute. | expect
father and mother every moment. DOM
wait"
So Thomas left, and the wagon rat.
tied merrily up the lane. l bolted the
doors, because he had told me to, fol
otherwise would not have thought of it.
1t grew dark rapidly, and the thunder
began TO peal heavily, while the wind
rose, and the flashes of lightning grew
more vivid and frequent. | went out to
the east parlor, and looked to the south,
but the sudden lighting,up of the sky
and the falling darkness did not interest
me long. | could not see out very well,
either, as the honeysuckles covered the
windows. The large mirror reflected me
as turned away to cross the room, and
stopped a moment, with natural vanity,
for l was young and fair enough to look
upon.
let all my hair fall loose, and wound
1t IN long, shining curls over my fingers.
1t certainly did look handsome, for it was
very thick and fell below my waist, and
curled almost Of itself as it fell. There
came great flash of lightning, and
saw distinctly reflected in the glass a
face looking in at the window. 1t was
an instant of terror, but l neither
screamed nor moved. The face could
not see my face, and l kept my body
Stlll, and rolled the long, shining rings
OIL my cold, white fingers. 1t was an
ugly face, and recognized it. | had
seen it that morning, and | knew what
lay before me. / prayed inwardly brief
prayer for help.
Turning from the glass l went steadily
toward the table that stood near the
window, on which had left my candle.
L moved steadily as usual, and took up
the water-pitcher and looked in, and
then took my candle and went toward
the kitchen. The lightning kept flash
ing, but the face did not come again. |
dropped my candle on the kitchen
hearth, and put my foot on the wick. |
set down the pitcher on the dresser, and
with soft, light football hasteRed through
the west room, up the front stairs, into
my fathers chamber, and softly closed
and boted the door at the top of the
stairs. unlocked his box, took out the
bags of gold, relocked it and made my
way into the great chamber.
l heard voices; l heard the doors tried
below. knew it was 0ot my father. |
dared not tremble grow faint Il
went through that room and two Others
to the garnet stairs. | hardly breathed.
l heard window pushed up; more than
one person came in at it. felt about in
the dark. There was a sliding panel in
the inside of the stairway. l pushed it,
and it rolled back. | entered into a long
closet under the stairs, and slid the panel
carefully into its place. | felt cautious
ly to see if all was safe. pulled my
dress close about me lest it might be
caught, and the door not closed tightly. !
Then l waited. | heard steps coming up
the stairs. heard search through all |
the rooms below. My heart beat till |
thought that every bound must be audi
Bile; heard voices-one voice, the
told me nothing. The face had revealed |
all to me. The man must have learned |
in some unaccountable way of the bag
of gold, and learned, too, when here in
the morning, that l was to be alone. 1t
was all plain to me now. He had re-
turned, and had brought aCcomplCes,
My peril was terribly imminent. Very
soon the steps and voices came my way.
l could distinguish plainly the words
that were spoken:
Drat her! she must have seen you"
&C No matter; We'll split the box open
with this AK"
| knew the ak was IN the little porch.
Thomas had set it in when he had done
chopping the brush, as it looked like
rain.
Iheard the steps and voices move away,
a dull, crashing sound, and then stitied,
angry tones. l knew that they had
opened the box, and found nothing but
the papers. l knew they would now
search for me. / heard them as they
looked into every room and closet, and
came up the stairs separately. They all
met at the foot of the garnet stairs. A
thick board was between us. l thanked
God that the panel was close shut.
knew it; for no ray of light came
through.
''She must be up here, " said the Raven,
" and we'll soon have her"
"Tll warrant she is here, and I'll wiring
her neck if she makes a noise about it."
But the thorough search was ended,
and the voices grew very angry and full
of frightful oaths and threatenings. They
sat down on the garnet stairs to hold a
parley. A spider ran across my face. 1t
was with great effort that l kept from
screaming,
d" Come" croaked the Raven, " let us
go and get the silver; that will be some
thing--that will be something"
Curse the silver, It's the gold I've
come for, and I'll burn the house if don't
find the girl! So let her look out"
A cold perspiration. Would they per
form their threat?
Good! then the rats will squeak
Down drop the money bags, and We'll
choke the girl to make her dumb"
Hold your noise. The old man will
be coming home. Wen be caught here