Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-11-14
VOL. 73.-37O9. 40. 3.

o"all HnlSn paying lOr our mousse To-
morrow, dear" he said, in voice that ex-
cessive happiness made trelnulous " drew
the money from the bank to-day-twenty.fv
hundred dollars. All, how / have worked
for this hour"
| should have been harder than mill
stone if ! had not forgotten all my foolish
anger at that moment. If had not melted
rather from my coldness for | was as glad
as he was, and dropped my head on his
shoulder there in the moonlight and cried
happy, happy, remorseess tears.
"Steve," | said. "you shall let me keep
the money till morning ! shall think /
have dreamed if you don't"
Steve laughed, but he let me have nv
way "Ah, what a foolish whim it was
| Few would have dared TO take charge Of
| such sum of money; and fewer men would
have permitted them. But Steve knew it
was as safe, to all common calculation. with
me as with himself"
As we turned toward the house, for sin.
gle instant | thought saw the shadow of
man across our path but, looking back, !
saw nothing but the lilac bushes tossing in
the summer air.
What's the matter ?" said Steve, notic-
ing my backward gaze.
al thought saw the figure of man
Nonsense 7" said he and we were in
doors.
Well, Steve and were the happiest pair
there that night and Mr.. Fordyce saw, and
could not quite keep his eyes from saying
that he hated us both for it, or fancied so.
The party broke up about twelve o'clock;
nat was late for uS, and Mr.. Fordyce having
brought me there, took me home On the
way he told me of another robbery that had
taken place the night before at one of the
hotels. A person had been robbed of five
hundred dollars, which he had Just received
at the bank. Perhaps it was that story
that made me- tired as | was, bestow
some thought on a hiding-place for Steve's
money. lpondered very seriously AS took
down my hair and arranged il for the night
then, with laugh at my own ingenuity, |
tucked dhe roll of notes in my luxuriant
iresses, and drew net over to hold all in
place. | was asleep almost the instant my
head touched the pillow.
ought to have slept soundly, and dreamed
happy dreams; but did not. Some counter
influence seemed to ruffle my sumbers, aud
[ awoke.
Some one was in my room. knew it
Is well as though could see, and the room
vas too dark for that There was no sound
'ither, but for all that knew / was not
llone.
| tried to scream, to raise my voice.
vas frozen with terror. | never thought
nee of the money, or robbers, or anything,
hat know of. | was only frightened so that
could not move hand or foot or make a
loise. don't know but stopped breath
ing. | can remember yet how cold felt
hough the night was warm.
Suddenly, without the warning of a BREATH
| was conscious that hand was creeping
,tealthily about my pillow
did not think of money even then. As
terror had stolen my senses, so now it
brought some of them back. | gave one
cream and sprang from the bed, or tried to.
Two strong hands stopped me; a firm hand
held me, while the other hand vainy sought
70 loose my hair. The net, more obstinate
than nets usually are, would not come off
probably because in his hurry my mysteri
nus assailant was unconscious of its plant
neshes. He pulled my hair in his awk
ward attempts, horribly. The pain was like
Il spur to me, As his arm lay across my
rms, bent my head swiftly, and fastened
ny teeth upon it with vicious snap that
pnly woman in my situation would have
been capable Of
The unexpectedness of the attack dis
solved my bonds. With an audble oath, he
let me go, and | darted away with winged
feet, and met father in the passage. OF
curse | tainted then and there and by the
ime anybody got into my room my robber
had made good his escape.
Alas, however, he should not have allowed
himself to swear, above all, TO woman of
such acute ears as had. | had heard the
voice, and | knew it belonged to Mr.. For
lyce.
Father fairly turned pale when told him.
hut he cautioned me not to betray that sls-
pected any one at present, and he took
Steve's money under his special charge We
all met at breakfast. | should have said
that Mr.. Fordyce had made his appearance
about the same time as the rest of the fam
lily whom my screams had aroused, and i'll
the most natural manner. He came down
TO breakfast now, smiling, and much inter-
rsted in my adventure.
Father went away into town after break
asst, and Mr.. Fordyce sat in the garden and
moked. The officers who came to arrest
him stole upon him from the back way, and
secured him before h. thought of resistance.
1t was a plain case. They found proofs
enough of robberies he had been at the bot
tom of all along, hid away in his trunks, and
he owned them at last, with smiling nonchd-
lance turning back his sleeve actually, when
no one was looking, and showing me the
prints my teeth had made on his right arm,
and kissing them with the old gallant en-
preSSmem
Of course Steve made his payment, and we
were married at an early day.-Seiecied