Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-08-22

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attention. Then he stirred and rouset
HIMSELF emerging reluctantly from TIN
warm, voluputous atmosphere of imagi
nation, as one leaves IN enervating bath
lie had been lying thus full hour, and i
was high time to return to bed. lie lef
the library and started across the dining
room with hasty step.
Perhaps long gazing at the fire had daz
zled his eyes, or perhaps his haste, together
with an undue confidence in his skill in
navigation by dead reckoning, rendered
him less careful than when he came down.
However that may be- u lighL-stand which
he had easily avoided then, he now blum.
dered fully upon.
Everybody knows that when one stubs
the toe in the dark, instead of delivering
the blow when the foot is moving slowest
ut the beginning or the end OF the step, it
always happens so that the toe strikes the
maximum momentum. So it was this time
If Bob had been kicking football he could
not have made nicer calculation of force
and the shock sent the stand completely
over.
1t would have made noise enough any,
how, but it must happen that on this stand
the family silver was laid out for break.
fast, and the clangor was similar 10 that OF
ApOllos silver bow, what time he let fly
at the Grecian host before Troy.
Bob stood paralyzed with horror. Even
the anguish Of q terribly stubbed toe was
forgotten in an overpowering sense of the
awful mess he had made, and the unim.
agnable consequences that would at once
ensuc. AS the hidcous clangor and cIattel
rang through the house, shattering lis sa
cred silence, he shrank together and made
himself small, rs if he could impart u sym
pathetic shrinkage to the noise. The racke
in his own ears was splitting enough, but
he felt, in addition, us if he heard it with
the ears of all the family, and he wilteC
before The conception of the feelings thai
were at that moment starting up in theiI
minds toward the unknown cause ofit
Ills first rational idea Was to bolt for his
room, and gain it before any one was fair
ly roused And the shock had so scattered
his wits that he could not at once recollect
his bearings, and he realized, with indie.
scribable sensations that he was lost. HI
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himself all about the room before he lounl
the right door.
As he reached the foot of the staircase
voices were audible above, and lights werC
cleaning down. His retreat was cut off
he could not get back to his room wilhou
being discovered. lie now distinguished
the voice Of Mrs. McIane in an agitatet
tone entreating somebody to be careful ant
not get shot, the gruff voices of the broth
crs responding, and then their steps rapid
ly descending the stairs. Should he 60 VI
and take his risk ola vollcy while announc
ing himself? 1t would make u pretty tab
leau. Presenting himself in such guist
and under such circumstances, what sol
of u reception could he expect from john
who treated him with undsguiSed con
tempt in the draWing-ro0m, and who's
study it was to place him at disadvan
tage? lie might have hesitated longer
but at this moment the voice of Angie
crying uown to her brothers 10 b,
careful, decided him. lie could not fac,
her under such terribly false circumstance
and without his wig.
All this took place far quicker than cal
write it. The glmmer of the descendin!
lamp already shone dimly in the hall, ant
Bob frantically looked about him for
hiding-pace. But all the furniture stoot
up too high from the floor, and the corners
were distrcssingIy bare. He sprang into
the dining-room, but in the dark he coult
not see how the land lay, and hurried OF
into the library.
The dying lire still shed u dim ligh
around, and he eagerly canyassed the va
rious possibilities of concealment whicl
the room offered. Youthful experience il
the game of hide-and-seek now stood hin
in good stead, and showed him at Il glanc,
the inutility as refugees of half II dozeI
places that would have deluded one les.
practiced by the spacious but too easily
guessed shelter they afforded.
Vainly seeking II safe refuge, he raj
round the apartment like u rat in Il trap
lie already heard the brothers in the din
ing-room picking up the silver and won
dering to find it all there, when, obeying
sudden inspiration, he clambered upon ;
lofty bookcase that ran across one end o
the room, archng above the dining g-roon
door, and reaching within few feet of tn,
ceiling In cold blood he never could hav,
scaled it. Lying at full length upon tn,
top of the bookcase with his back to tn,
wall, the bulge of him was still visible
from the farther part Of the room, in cast
it should occur to his pursuers to look 81
high
The latter now entered the library and
peering over the edge of the bookcase, Bol
recognized with singular sensations tin
two gentlemen with whom he had beer
quietly conversing IL little earlier in tn,
evening. hen they were arrayed in fault
less evening dress, and their manner, Ill
though supercilious enough, was calm ant
polished. Now he saw them half dressed
with disheveled hair-John carrying stu
dents lamp in his left hand. and in hi
right an ugly looking cane sword with
blade plainly naked, while George had I
revolver at tull cork.
Talking in II low tone us they called on
another's attention to various spots wher
possibly the burglar might be concealed
they went slowly from corner to corner
probing every recess with the sword, ant
IN an attitude of strained attention TO ever
sound. Their faces, grotesquely lit by til
mingled fire and lamp light, showed
fierce hunters look that made Bob airl
sick.
He did not dare to look ut them lon
lest the magnetism of his gaze should III
tract their involuntary attention. Nay. Ii
even made frantic effort no, to think 4
them, from the fear that some physica
current might have the same ellcct-fOr h
believed strongly, though vaguely, in the
mysteries of animal magnetism, and had
notion that II person sensitive to such infu
ences might detect the presence of his vic
tim by the very terror the latter had q
him.
lie could scarcely believe his fortune
, when, II moment later, the two brother
passed again beneath him back into TIN
dining-roOm
From here they went on through til
rooms beyond, and the sound of their foot
steps died away entirely.
Perhaps five minutes after, they return
ed-that is, as far as the dinng-roonl-an
Bob gathered from their conversation tha
they had found one of the fastenings in til
basement in condition indicating tn
burglar might have escaped there.
Mrs. McLane and Angie, having satilie
themselves that the coast was clear, dc
scended to the dining-room, and II live
discussion of all aspects Of the problem
ensued, which was highly edifying to Bob
Then the conversation became still NOR
interesting, as it turned on himself. IL
heard Mrs. McLanc saying;
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