The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-04-27


and / told Thomas that he might go
about that time, as they would soon be
home. and it looked little like rain.
Heavy clouds were gathering in the west,
and the thunder rumbled sullenly. He
took the covered wagon and old gray,
and, before he stepped in, said
Miss Ann, think you had better
fasten the doors, as you may be all alone
for short time if / go so soon. Would
you not rather that should wait until
your father comes?"
"Oh, no, Thomas, / don't mind being
alone in the least, and you ought to go,
lest it should rain hard, for it is more
than two miles to ride, and they may
not wish to leave in q minute. lex
pect father and mother home every mo-
ment. Don't wait"
So Thomas left, and the wagon ratified
merrily up the lane. / bolted the doors,
because he told me to, for 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 to the east parlor,
and looked to the south, but the sudden
ighting-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 rs turned
away to cross the room, and L stopped a
moment with natural vanity, for L was
young, and fair enough to look upon.
let all my hair fall loose, and wound
it in long, shining curls over my fingers.
1t certainly did look handsome, Tor 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 i'll the glass
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 1 kept my body
still, and rolled the long, shining rings
off my cold, white fingers. 1t was an
ugly face, and recognized it. L had
seen it that morning, and knew what
lay before me. Iprayed inwardly brief
prayer for help.
Turning from the glass, went steadily
toward the table that stood near the win
dow, and 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 flashing,
but the face did not come again. L
dropped my candle on the kitchen hearth
and put my foot on the wick. l set down
the pitcher on the dresser, and with soft,
light football fastened through the west
room up the front stairs into my fathers
chamber, and softly closed and bolted
the door at the top of the stairs. | I'M
locked his box, took out the bags of
gold, relocked it, and made my way into
the great chamber.
/ heard voices; / heard the doors
tried below. L knew it was not my
father. 1 dared not tremble nor grow
faint | went through that room and
two others to the garnet stairs / hardly
breathed. heard window pushed up;
more than one person came in at it, L
felt about in the dark. There was
sliding-panel in the inside of the stair
way. l pushed it, and it rolled back
| entered into n long closet under the
stairs, and slid the panel carefully into
its place. l felt cautiously to see if all
was safe, pulled my dress close about
me lest it might be caught, and the door
not closed tightly. Then / waited. l
heard steps coming up the stairs. L
heard search through all the rooms be-
low. My heart beat till l thought that
every bound must be audible heard
voices-one voice, the ravens. | knew
that harsh croak. 1t told me nothing,
The face had revealed all to me. The
l., 1
countable 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 retained and had
brought accomplices. My peril was ter
ribly imminent. Very soon the steps
and voices came my way. L could dis
tinsuish plainly the words that were
spoken
Drat her! she must have seen
you.
"No matter; well split the box open
with this AK"
l 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.
/ heard the steps and voices move
NtNil, tAhShAhSo pOuhes, "iiA piiOh
stifled, angry tones. 1 knew they had
had opened the box, and found nothing
but the papers. knew they would now
search for me. l heard them as they
looked into every room and closet, and
came up the stairs separately. They all
met at the foot of the garrett stairs A
thick board was between us. thanked
God that the panel was close shut. L
knew it; for no ray of light came
through.
"She must be up here" said the ra-
ven, "and we'll soon have her."
"I'u warrant she is here, and I'll
wiring her neck if she makes noise
about il"
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 parley. A spider ran across my
face. A spider puts me in mortal fear.
1t was with great effort that l kept
from screaming.
"Come," croaked the raven, "let us
go and get the silver; that will be some
thing-that will be something"
Course the silver. It's gold I've come