The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1879-10-10
The Pair OF Boots.


band large old house in the village Of
Daine. The house stood entirely alone,
at the foot of an immense garden, far |
from neighbors, and had no other occu-
pants than Monsieur and Madame Au-
brey, their son, an infant of twelve |
and domestic, recently admit
ted into their service.
One evening in the month of Novem-
Der, Madame Aubrey was waiting with
some anxiety the return of her husband,
who had been gone since morning to a
town distant few miles from Dame.
His business was to collect debt, and he
expected to bring home large sum of
money, and his wife now remembered,
with feeling of uneasiness, that she had
seen him arm himself with pair OF pls-
tolls.
It was about six o'clock, and Madame
Aubrey went to her chamber accompa-
MED by the domestic, with the intention
of putting the little boy to bed. This
apartment, large and high, was situated
on the second floor, looking into the gar
den.
The night was a true November night
black and gloomy, with torrents OF
windows.
Madame Aubrey sat upon low chair
in the corner of the fireplace, holding
upon her knees the little boy whom she
was undressing, while the servant at the
other end of the room, executed certain
orders for her mistress.
The baby had ceased his laughing play
and had already closed his drOwsy eyes.
The mother threw her eyes toward the
cradle to assure herself that all was pre-
pared, at this moment the fire blazed
up suddenly and threw strong light
upon the bed exposed by the little cur
tain. AS Madame Aubrey looked, she
| nearly fell from her chair; under the
bed, close to the cradle in which she had
been about to deposit her little child, she
now beheld two great feet, shod in coarse
| brogans.
In an instant the sense of her situation
flashed across the mind of the young wo-
man as if shown by lightning. The hid
den man no doubt was thief, perhaps an
assassin-she was alone, without present
help or soon to be expected, for her hus-
band was not to return until eight or
nine o'clock, and now it was but little
should she defend herself /?
| Madame Aubrey had uttered no cry
she had not even moved, but the servant
making the same discovery, might not
show the same prudence.
| The thief probably intended to remain
in his present position until the middle
of the night, then to issue forth and pos
sess himself of the sum brought home by
Monsieur Aubrey. But if prematurely
discovered, and having no opponents
but two women, would probably make
| his escape, first securing their silence by
death. Then, who knows but the SER
want herself was an accomplice; sus-
picious circumstances, hitherto disre-
garded, returned with renewed violence
to the mind of Madame Aubrey.
ALI these thoughts passed through the
mind of<the young mother in less time
than have occupied in telling. Before
many minutes had entirely passed, she
had decided upon her part in the terri
BILE drama. But she must get rid of the
servant.
''You know" said she, without the
least faltering in her voice, "the dishes
which my husband prefers, and I think
he will be pleased to find good supper
ready against his return. I had forgot
ten to tell you about it before, but &c
now and begin your preparations, and
bestow attention upon it.
After some attempts at delay, which
doubled in Madame Aubrey an uneasi-
ness which she was obliged to conceal,
the girl quilted the chamber. Her foot
steps died away upon the stairs, and
her mistress found herself alone with he1
child, and those two terrible feet, which,
half seen in the now dying light, seemed
as immovable as the bedstead itself
She still remained sitting near the
chimney, with the baby upon her lap,
addressing to him almost mechanically
caressing words, and soothing him to
sleep, while her eyes never wandered
from the menacing feet. The little fell
low, tired of his position, began to cry
for the cradle and it's soothing motion,
but the cradle was close to the alcove,
close to the feet. The young mother
conquered herself by violent effort.
stCone, then my little child" she said,
1 and rising from her chair, she forced her
tottering steps to be firm, and went to-
ward the alcove. Behold her close to the
ominous feet! She placed the baby in
the cradle, and with voice which all
her resolution could hardly keep from
trembling, she commenced to sing her
| usual lullaby to the unconscious child,
and as she sang, the idea was ever in her
mind that each word might be her last.
At last the boy slept soundly, and the
mother returned to her seat by the fire.
| The clock strikes seven. One hour
more and Madame Aubrey may expect
deliverance. A deep silence reigned in
in the chamber. The infant slept peace
| fully.
The half-hour strikes. The anxious
watcher could have almost sworn that it
was two hours since it struck last, but
no; she knows that the clock is faithful.
| and still there is another weary half hour
before she may expect her deliverer.
Madame Aubrey took book of relig-
ious meditations from the chimney-place
above her head, and attempted to read
Vain effort! Her eyes wandered contin-
ually from the page.
Eight o'clock sounded, and nobody
had come. The supposition was then
correct; the unhappy woman gave herself
up as lost. She was about to seize her
child and fly from the room, when, O
noise resounded from the gravel walk
beneath the window. The eager listener
did not dare to trust her ears, she had
been SO often deceived; but now the door
rolled upon its hinges and then fell
heavily back in its place. A well known
step gaily assembled the Stairs-the cham-