River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-03-20

| the one Win my Inc topaz yeSl
can do well enough for the few days she
will remain"
'sAnd then-well, declare, it has Just
!, come into my mind. How careless in the
! count. He intended to take all the mon
ely with him when he went away, but
must certainly have forgotten it. seven
ty thousand thalers just think of it And
there it is all in that box on the table in
the other room, right beside my Jewels.
If had thought about it sooner, should
not have allowed the servants to go away
tonight, for, certainly, two helpless
woman, and towards at that, are poor
protectors for SO much property. l am
afraid my husband would not feel very
easy regarding its safety if he knew how
we were situated tonight. Nor would l.,
/ if believed any one suspected we had it
in the house. But, pshaw no one would
expect us to bring any money with us to
this lonesome spot; and, even if robber
should come, he would have to come
through my room to get the booty, for
there are no windows in the other apart
ment and no door leading into it save
the one there. However, | am sure his
going through my chamber would make
little difference, for | am very sound
sleeper. And even if did wake and
found him near, | should be little in the
way of his accomplishing his object and
making away with his stealings, tor
know should be too frightened to stop
him. Besides, what could | do in that
direction if had weapon even, for
am too weak and cowardly to use one;
and then, too there is none in the house,
if wanted such thing. And as for
screaming, why | might scream myself
dead, and what good would it do9 No
one lives near here, and few pass this way
| Taking ali in all, think the things are
not very safe if any one comes to get
them; but | apprehend no danger from a
visitor of that kind.
Now, what am to wear for dresses9
| I'm sure cannot think of a thing. When
| came here had no idea OF seeing any
body but the peasantry hereabouts, anC
now I'm thinking Of having a real lady of
the court on hand, to pry into my things
and severely criticise them when she gets
back among my friends. | must go
right away and overhaul my trunk of
dresses. Who knows but the mice have
been making nests out OF my satin oneg
or, perhaps, they have chosen that abom-
Unable silk which never could bear to
put on. But then, as those are all that |
have ut hand, | must use one or the other
this time; So I'll consume the next half
hour in ext mining into their condition,
after which / will retire"
There were but two doors leading out
of the apartment which she occupied.
and through one of these she now passed.
The other opened into large closet-for
it deserved no other name, though equal
in size to the room where the bed stood.
As she had remarked, no ray of sunshine
ever found an entrance there, for it had
no windows. Why, no one except the
builder could tell, as the outer wall
| formed part of the house, and openings
could have been left there as easy as not.
No sooner was the countess feirly out
of sight, end the door partly closed be-
| hind her, than bury form wormed it
self out from under the bed and slipped
stealthily into the closet. Fatal move
The room which he had entered, as the
countess we'll known, contained not a
single thaler or article of iewelry, though
the yalueless boxes, which she had stated
held treasures unspeakable, were really
there. His eager hand was already
clutching one of them when the door be-
hind him suddenly closed with bang.
The next moment heavy bolt slipped
into its socket on the other side, and he
was prisoner.
'Attrappiti dttrdppirti attrGpptrt!"
exclaimed his jailer. as she finished lock-
ing the door. ("Caught! caught
caught!)
Indeed it was so. He was Gagged, i'm
cunning overmatched. He few to the
entrance of his strange cell, and dashed
the empty box furiouslY against that i'm
portant door. Then his huge fists began
to rain blows, fast and heavy, upon the
timbers
"Now, Hans" coolly remarked the
countess in tone of firm determination,
II know you for villain, and / propose
turning you over to the police. You may
as well submit to your fate without any
resistance"
She ok chair, seated herself near
the door, with her revolver in easy reach,
and recommended the inditing of her in
terrupted epistle. But suddenly the COM
paratlvely silence was interrupted by the
crash of some heavy body against the
stout panels of the door. The william had
found table, and was now desperately
trying to burst his way out with that in
strument. Bang went the pistol in my
laGys hand. The bullet splintered the
oiled panels as it plowed its way through
the wood, and the next instant growl,
either of rage or pain, announced that her
mandate would be needed.
81 have more of the same kind off
messages for you, if you do not keep
quiet" shouted the countess, and she
coolly turned again to her work, laying
her revolver on the desk for future use, if
needed.
The maid, thoroughly frightened at
the noise of the shot, now rushed into
the room and frantically asked for an ex-
PLANTATION. This was promptly given,
and for a moment there seemed to be
imminent danger of her going into a reg
ular fit of Mysteries. But it subsidized
after little while, and the two seated
themselves to act as sentinels through the
few remaining hours of the night.
Day dawn brought home the coach
man and cook, and the former was i'm
mediately dispatched TO the nearest
poEisej bureau for aid. 1t arrived, the
crestfallen desperate was quietly taken
into custody, and thus ended the adven-
;ure in which the countess acted such
noble part