West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-01-11

that you COuld count the pulses, / fOTgO .
my caution. l brought out cold meat
and bread, drew a mug Of cider, and
spread them on the table. The negro
ate, and left him to find Anthony, to
whom ! intended 10 give directions for
his lodging throughout the night.
Tony surprise, Anthony was nowhere
about the house or garden.
Hannah must have taken him with
her across the lonely road to Mapleton.
twas natural, but was angry.
Yet | longed for Hannah's return. and
listened very auxiously until the clock
struck nine. Then, instead of her foot.
steps, heard the patter Of raindrops
and the rumoling of thunder, and look
ing out saw that a heavy storm was
coming on.
Now, certainly, grandpa and grandma
would not come, and Hannah, waiting
Tor the storm 20 pass, would not he here
Tor hours. However, my fear of the
negro was quite gone, and felt GER
tain pride In conducting myself bravely
under these trying circumstances.
Accordingly went upstairs, found
in the attic sundry pillows and holsters.
and carried them kitchenward.
Here, " | said, make Yourself a bed
on the settee yonder, and he easy for
the night. No cne will follow you i'm
such a terrible storm as thI.. and, no
doubt, grandpa will assist ya4 when he
returns home. Good night
" Good night, and God bless YOU,
'ilSs, still speaking in very husky
whisper And 50 / left him.
But did not 20 up stairs To my bed
room. | intended for that night to re-
main dressed, and sit up in grandpa )
rn-chair, with candles and book for
company. Therefore / locked the door.
took the most comfortable position, and
opening volume, composed myself TO
read
Reading, | fell asleep. How long |
slept | cannot tell. was awakened by
low sound like the prying of a chisel..
AT first II mixed with my dream 50
completely that ! took no heed of it, but
al last | understood that some one was
at work upon the lock Of the door.
sat perfectly motionle.s, the blood
curdling in my veins, and still chip,
chip chip, went the terrible little in
strument until at last ] knew whence
the sound came
Back of thesitting-room was grandpa's
study. There, in great old-iashioned
chair, were stored the family plate,
grandma's jewelry, and sundry sums of
money and valuable papers. The safe
itself stood in a closet recess, and at the
closet the thief was now at work.
The thief-ah, without doubt, the
negro had fed and sheltered
Perhaps the next act would be To muir
der me if ! listened. The storm was
still raging, but though the road was
lonely, better than this house with such
horrible company. ] couldn't save my
grandfather's property, but | could my
own life
] crept across the room and into the
hall and TO the door. There, softly as /
could, | unlastened the bars and bolts.
but, alas one was above my reach.
waited and listened. Then / moved n
hall chair TO the spot and climbed upon
it. In doing 80 ! struck my shoulder
against the door frame
1t was a slight noise but at that mo-
ment the chip Of The chisel stopped /
heard a gliding foot and, horror of hor-
rors, man came in from the study,
sprung toward me, and clutched me with
both hands, holding my arms as in a
vice, while he hisSedin my ear: You'd
tell would your You'd call help? You
might better have slept, you had for,
you see, you've got to pay for waking,
I'd rather hev let a chick like you off
but you know me now, and can't let
you live"
pleaded with him klndIy.
Anthony, ] never did you any harm;
/ am young; ] am a girl. Don't Kill
me, Anthony. Take the money; don't
I kill me, for poor grandmas sake"
| You'll tell on me-" said Anthony,
doggedly; likely I'd be caught No,
/ have got to kill you"
AS he spoke he took his hands from my
shoulders and clutched my throat
/ fercely.
| had time to utter one su1Ocating
| shrek, then ! was struggling, dying,
/ with sparks in my eyes, and then-what
! had sprung upon my assassin, with the
| swift silence Of a leopard2 What had
/ clutched me from behind, and stood
/ over him with something glittering
/ above his heart2 The mist cleared
| away-the blurred mist that had
/ gathered over my eyes, as sight returned
! saw the negro with his foot upon An.
thongs breast.
The fugitive whom had housed and
fed had saved my life.
Then ten minutes after ten minutes
in which but for that poor slave prcs-
ence ] would have been hurried out OF
life-the rattle Of wheels and the tardy
feet Of old Ajax we're heard without, and
my grandparents we're with me.
IT was needless to say that we were
not ungrateful to our pre-crver need
less, also, to tell Anthony punishment
IL came out during his trial that he
had long contemplated the robbery
that, the absence Of my grandparents ap-
pearing 10 afford an opportunity, he had
decoyed Hannah away with a lie. and
hid i'm the study. He knew nothing of
the negrO's presence in the house. and.
being naturally superstitous, had ac-
tually fancied my protector creature
from the other world, and submitted
without a struggle.
A kEOKUK man who took q notion