Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1877-09-11

tHC SduIC tI Hlot-IHN occh uuN Stoou hhb
in good stead. aud sho we'd him at d
glance the inulility as refugees OF hnli
a dozen places that would have de uded
one less practised by the specious but too
easily guessed shelter they afforded.
Vainly seeking a safe refuge, he ran
around the apartment like a rat in a
trap He had already heard the brothers
in the dining room picking up the silver
and wondering to find il all there, when,
obeying q sudden inspiration, he clam
bered upon lofty bookcase that ran
across one end OF the room, arohing
above the dining-room door. and reach
ing within q fews feet OF the ceiling. In
cold blood he never could have scaled it
Lying at full length upon the top of the
bookcase, with his back TO the wall. the
bulge of him was still visible from the
farther part of the room, in case II should
occur to his pursuers TO look so high.
The latter now entered the library
and, pcering over the edge of the book
case, Bob recognized with singular SEN
sations the two gentlemen with whom he
h I'd been quietly conversing a little earlier
in the evening. Then they were arrayed
in fnlt'ess eve ming dress, and their man
ner, although supercilious enough. was
ca N and polished. Now he saw them
half dressed with dishevelled hair ohm
carrying a students lamp in his left
hand, and in his right an ugly-looking
cane sword with blade painfully naked,
while George held a revolver at full
cock.
Talking in low tone, AS they called
one another's attention TO various spots
where possibly the burglar might be con-
cealed, they went slowly from corner to
corner. probing every recess with The
sword, and in an attitude OF strained al
ten,ion to every sound. Their faces.
grotesquely lit by the mingled fire and
lamplight, showed fierce hunters look
that made Bob fairly sick.
He did not dare 10 look at them long
lest the magnetism of his gaze should at
tract their involuntary attention. Nay,
he even made frantic effort not TO think
OF them from the fear that some ply sical
current might have the same effect-for
be believed strongly, though vaguely. in
the mysteries of animal magnetism, and
had notion that person sensitive TO
such influences might detect the presence
of his victim by the very terror the latter
had of him.
lie could scarcely believe his fortune.
when d moment later, the two brothers
passed again beneath him back into the
dining-room.
From there they went on through the
rooms beyond, and the sound OF their
footsteps died away entirely.
Perhaps five minutes after. they re-
,r, ued-that is, as far as the dining
roon-and Bob gathered from their con-
vslsalion that they had found one OF the
.sslcnings in the basement in a condition
Indicating that the burglar might have
escaped there.
Mrs Mcl.ane and Angie. having salts
li1L themselves that the coast was clear.
do "tll, TO the dning-room, and a
liy, cussion of all the aspects OF the
probl EN- ensued, which was highly edify-
ing to Bob.
Then the conversation became still
more interesting. as it turned on himself.
He heard Mrs. McLane saying:
.'He must be hard sleeper, for |
knocked several times on his door"
Then one of the brothers grunted some
thing contemptuously. aud he heard An
gie's voice excusing him on the ground
that he must be tired after his long
journey.
"Are you sure that you looked every
where in the library?" was Mrs. Nc
Lanes next question, at which cold
sweat started out on Bob'S face. He had
Just begun to feel quite comfortable.
John and George, however. declared
that they looked everywhere.
Ibid you look under the sofa?"
behind the window curtains ?"
"In that dark corner by the bookcase ?"
asked the ladies in succession.
Ingenious cruelty of fate Even An
sie was racking her brain to guess his
hiding. place. What if it should be she
who hit upon it !
Bob drew a breath OF relief as John
replied, with some asperity, to all these
questions, that he had told them once
that they had looked everywhere.
This silenced them. but Angie said,
moment after:
Just let me ask one more question
Did you look on the top of the book
case ~
1t seemed TO Bob that he died then, and
came to life again to hear John reply,
eontemptuously:
"Oyer the bookcase? There's no room
there, and if there were. nobody but
monkey could get up"
"There's room enough" persisted An
pie. "and I've often noticed, when sitting
in the library. what q nice hiding place it
would be. What if he should be up