The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-03-16

1 y.
Deg your pardon, Miss. I'm sure ddn'
know locked it." she said
Inc Woman's manner was quite calm, ant
d nasty glance around revealed nothing to ex
cite attention.
When the lamp was lit the servant brouph
up some soup, OF which Mrs. Armytage par
TOOK, and then helped Nellie to put her t.
| bed. ~ NO. W
DO take q drop o that soup, Miss" sh,
said, when this was DONE 'sIt's beautiful
made 1t a purpose for you, and you We hardly
touched bit o anything to-day. I'm SUR
you must be quite faint
Thank you, Martha, I'll have some pres
emily" replied Nelly.
NOW do, Miss; let me see YOU eat some
SAID the woman earnestly.
You can leave 1t. | shall take some pres
| emily" f'''
Had she been observing her at the time
Nelly must have remarked the look of cha
grin upon her face as she reluctantly quilted
the room.
She descended the stairs, and sought a small
room which Sampson called his study, where
he and his precious son smoked and drank oil
q night, while Rebecea sat alone, engaged
upon needlework, In the great, gloomy din.
ing-reom
Both were there, blowing from two short
black pipes clouds that half concealed them
and slipping cold whisky.
II have loOsened the screws of the staple &c
that good push will send it out, and here's
the key OF the door," she said, placing the
latter upon the table.
That's good girl. Molly said Jabez
Here, have drink OF whisky"
And he poured her out wine-glassful oil
raw spirit, which she drained off with great
sangtroad.
son.
"The old woman did, but she said she would
drink it presently.
Zone OF EN-, then, will sleep soundly
enou.<h," said Jabez, with laugh. But /
wish you'd seen the girl take it.
ooh, think she take it all right; but II I'd
put too much stress upon it, it would have
looked suspicious"
mind, not q word of this to mother"
Give me the sovereign you promised me,
them
Chem as gets the best Of you, Molly, will
have to get up early" said Jabez tossing her
over the coin she demanded.
'Short credit makes long friends" replied
the woman, with q grim smile, as she pock-
eted the money and quilted the room.
This issa desperate business, Jabez," said
his father, uneasily; 81 don't half like it. If
1t should be found out, it's penal servitude,
you know"
you can't get eco, 0OO without some risk"
retorted Jabez; land it's very small one.
after all. These women are completely In our
power, and will be glad enough by and by to
hush up any irregularity."
Sampson made no reply, but took a deep
draught from his glass to keep up his cour-
age, which was fast oOzing away.
When the servant was gone Nelly took up
book, and forgot all about the soup until it
was quite cold, and so unpalatable that she
could not swallow spoonful
She looked at her watch; 1t was past 10
O'Clock. She loosened her hair to prepare for
bed, then went to lock the door
The key icas gone.
Much alarmed, she shot the bolt at the bot
tom. So far, at least she was safe. She per-
fectly remembered seeing the key just before
the servant came up to make the bed. She
must have removed it. For what purpose? A
sinister one, most certainly.
All, the key OF the other door! Perhaps
that would fit this lock.
1t did. The conspirators had overlooked
that.
stout oaken door, locked and bolted, was
pretty trustworthy barrier, and that
thought dulled her sharpest fears but there
was sense OF unknown danger very horrible
beside.
She ran to the window and looked out.
ghostly moon was lighting up sea OF mists
with silver gray; but dark clouds were how
ering about the horizon, threatening rain.
There were no shutters but there were strong
iron bars outside that promised security in
that direction.
The silence was ghostly In It's intensity.
She felt she must cry out, II only to break the
spell. She wento over to the bed. Her mother
was sunk In deep, lethargic Sleep She
Ionged to rouse her but she had not the heart.
Then she sat down and listened, until hear
ing ached for lack of sound.
She had let the fire out, and began to feel
cold. At IL o'clock, all being still silent. she
begun to be q little treasured as to any imme-
date danger, undressed and went to bed
She had not drawn the curtain across the
window, and there was a square patch OF
upon the floor crossed by the
black bars that guarded the windows, which
now faded, now frightened now died away
as the clouds darkened and OBJ
secured the face of the moon, and fascinated
her gaze until her eyes SO ached that she was
obliged TO close them.
Then she must have fallen into a light
for there was blank between that
time and when she found herself sitting up
right in the bed, listening for some sound that
had aroused her.
steathy, muf1ied footstep was creeping
outside the door.
She grasped her bed-fellow's shoulder and
shook her, and endeavored to artlculate the
word mother" but it died In her throat; and
she may as well have tried to shake the Dill
low into life as the woman who slumbered at
her side.
old deep silence, and then hand laid softly
upon the handle without, and heavy body
crushing against the door and straining to
force it.
With that strange impulse which, when we
are overwrought, draws us toward the dam
bed, and with clasped hands and face all
rigid with horror, knelt down close to the
floor and watched it with strained eye-balls;
heard whispered curse, then something fall
upon the floor within.
1t was the staple of the bolt, which had
evidently been tempered with. Only the lock
now stood between ner and the midnight in
truder; 1t was strong one, but would it en-
dare the strain?
There were pieces Of furniture that with the
strength OF desperation she might drag
against the door, and which even might drive
the ruffian away. But every function of her
body seemed paralyzed. Motionless az statue
she remained in the same position.
The tough oaken door resisted WELL and she
could hear the heavy breathing Of the man
without, as with gasps and strains he ex-
erted his strength to the utmost. At last
there was cracking as though something
had given way.
Suddenly there was louder gasp. The
panels seemed to culver, then dull heavy
thud, as though something had fallen, scrap
Ing heavily against the door in its decent.
Then all was still.
A darkness now gathered before Nelly's