St. Landry democrat., 1878-05-11
In few minutes Mrs. Martin found !

There was no bolt inside. She looked
around for something to barricade it
with, and perceived chest of drawers
Fear gave her strength. She half lifted,
half pushed it against the door. Not
content with this, she seized a table, to
increase the strength of her defense. The
leg was broken, and when she touched it
it fell with crash to the floor. A long
echo went sounding through the house,
and she felt her heart sink within her.
But the echo died away, and no one
came; so she piled the fragments of the
table upon the chest of drawers. Toler~
ably satisfied in this direction, che pro-
ceeded to examine the windows. They
were all well protected with iron bars.
The walls were papered, and, after care
full examination, seemed to contain no
signs of secret door.
| Mrs. Martin now sank down into a
chair to reflect upon her position. AS
| was natural, after having taken these
precautions, the idea presented itself
that they might be superauous, and she
smiled at the thought of what her friends
would say when she related to them
the terror of the night. Her child was
sleeping TRANQUILITY, the rosy cheeks half
buried in the pillow. The fire had
blazed up into a fame. whilst the I'M
snufed candle burned dimly. The room
was full of pale, trembling shadows, but
she had no superstitious fears. Some
thing positive could alone raise her
alarm. She listened attentively, but
she could hear nothing but the bowling
of the wind over the roof, and the pat
tering of the rain against the window
panes. As her excitement diminished,
the fatigue (Which had been torgotten)
began again to make itself felt, and she
resolved to undress and go to bed.
Her heart leaped into her throat. For
moment she seemed perfectly paralyzed.
She had undressed and put out the cam
die, when che accidently dropped her
watch. Shopping to pick it up, her eyes
involuntarily glanced towards the bed.
A great mass of red-hair, hand, and a
cleaning knife, were revealed by the
light of the ere. After the FIRST moment
of terrified alarm, her presence of mind
returned. She felt that she had herself
cut off all means Of escape by the door,
and WAS left entirely To her own re-
sources. Without u,,erjuy a cry, but
trembling in every limb, the poor woman
got into bed by TIE side of her child. An
idea-a plan had suggested itself. It
had flashed through her brain like light
ming. 1t was the only chance left.
Her bed was SO disposed thst the rob-
Der could only get out from under it by
a narrow aperture at tie head without
making noise; and it was probable
that he would choose, from prudence
this means of exit. There were no cur
tains in the way. SO Mrs. Martin, with
terrible decision and noiseless energy,
made running knot in Der silk scarf,
and held it poised over the aperture by
which her enemy was to make his ap~
pearance. She had resolved to strangle
him in defense of her life and that of her
child.
The position was an awful one: and
probably had she been able to direct her
attention to the surrounding circum-
stances, che might have given way to her
fears and endeavored to raise the house
by screams. The fire on the hearth,
unattended to-had fallen abroad, and
now gave only dull, sullen light, with
an occasional bright CLEAN. Every OBJ
ject in the vast apartment showed dimly
and uncertainty, and seemed to be ell
dowed with q restless motion. Now ana
then mouse advanced stealthily along
the feor, but, startled by some move
ment under the bed, went securing back
in terror to its hole. The child breathed
steadily in its unconscious repose; the
mother endeavored also to initiate sIum-
Der, but the man under the bed, uneasy
in his position, could not avoid OCCASION
ally making slight noise.
Mrs. Martin was occupied only with
two ideas. First, she reflected on the
extraordinary delusion by which she had
been led to see enemies in the people OF
The house and friend in this red. haired |
man ; secondly, it struck her that as he
could fear no resistance from woman,
ne might push aside the chairs that were
in the way, regardless of the noise. and
,hus avoid the snare that was laid for
him. Once even she thought, while her
attention was strongly directed to one
pot, he had made his exit, and was
Gaming over her but she was deceived
~ a Pickering shadow on the opposite
vail In reality there was no danger
hat he would compromise the success of
lis sanguinary enterprise the shrieks Of
victim, put on his guard, might alarm
he house.
Have you ever stood, hour after hour,
With your fishing rod in hand, waiting
With the ferocious patience of an angler
Or nibble? If you have, you have
ONE faint idea of the state of mind in
7hich Mrs. Martin, with far other inter-