Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1880-12-30

ytsiAV SAAp WAubs ~ bub JIhlu WAS Ou bliAlB vi
Goodwin would be punctual 30 the minute
/ knew he would thank me for a cup o.
strong, hot coffee after his ride. / waited
II only wanted ten minutes Of the time
When ne should come, and / was both impa'
tenJ ana nervous. i was listening TO thai
tiresome pattering Of the reservoir fountain
l heard footsteps in the sitting room be.
low; 1t must be Sarah; but why was she
therey There was light in the dining
room, but none in the kitchen, and could
near some one still moving as il lin the hall
below.
Going out into the hall and looking down
from the head Of the stairs, I saw the light
shining out from the sitting-roOm. She
must have left the door open.
ran down to the sitting-rOOm. The door
was open, and going in, the closet door was
also open. My heart was In my mouth, but
stepped quickly to the closet Some one
was in it with lightl
was ready to drop with terror for mo-
ment. Then my hand rested on the key In
the door. Quick as the thought came to me,
l closed the door and locked 1t. The sharp
click OF the lock must have alarmed the per-
son within, for in an instant some one tried
the door. There was a muttered curse in 3
mans voice. .
Mag, you deYil open the door,"
There was great, old lounge or sofa
against the wall Just beyond the door; in a
moment more drew this against the door
and sat down on it. BY this time the trap
ped man in the closet was beating and bang
ing at the door furiOusly. had him Sc
cured for little time fast enough, but what
| If there were more down stairs
That thought nearly took my breath away.
Then my burglar was still for little, and
heard the dining-rOom door open. Some one
was listening, perhaps. Then the door
closed softly. My burglar was still silent.
In secretary drawer close by was fathers
revolver, and had the key. In moment
more l had the pistol in my hand Every
chamber was loaded, and knew well how to
use it. Every Illinois girl does not.
went lightly down the stairs and then
could hear the chinking sound OF the silver
ware which some one was handling in the
dining-roOm.
Good luck favored me again. The key
was in the door and on the outside. locked
the door.
Then hastened back to the burglar in the
closet. He was strangely silent, Then 1
heard the soft cutting sound Of knife in the
door. He was cutting one Of the panels out
of the door. ...
could not bear to shoot him dead, but l
would stop his work on the door. l could
tell from the sounds Of his feet that he was
standing to one side Of the panel he was cut
ting.
sent bullet through that panel, and the
report of the pistol frightened me more than
the burglar had.
There was a perfect torrent of oaths. It'll
put out his light, too, for l could see through
the hole that it was not light inside. He was
moving about.
"Caught again, --In he exclaimed.
sat there with my revolver, cooked watt
ing for what was to come next. II the bur
glar down stairs released himself, could l
defend myself against him, too? What if he
was armed?
Oh if John Goodwin would but come!
And Sarah, where was she?
In less than ten minutes all this had hap.
pened, but it seemed an age.
But there was no alternative but to sit |
there in an agony Of dread, with no other
sound save the horrible, tireless pattering Of
the water falling from the fountain in the
reservoir.
Then suddenly window ratified below as
if in the dining A moment after
ward there was sound as il some person
jumped out. What if he should come in
again? Then let him come; and l opened
the door so that could hear and see every
thing in the hall. / was desperate.
How many dreadful minutes passed so /
can not tell; probably notmany, but the sus-
pense was fairly horrible.
At last there was sound OF carriage
wheels, and they came rapidly nearer. Was
It John Goodwin Yes. Thank Godl AT
asst
The sound stopped before the door.
lew to the window and raised 1t, but for my
ife could not articulate sound. But /
dropped the door key at his feet, and he
ooked up in astonishment. Then my voice
,ame:
"Let yourself in and come up quickW
Then / staggered back to my seat on the
ofa. don't think was quite conscious Of
lis being in the room until he stood over
ne.
"For Heavens sake, Fanny, what has
1 could only point with the revolver to the
loset.
He saw and comprehended all in mo-
"BurglarsI And are they in the closet
etW
+" Yes"
This last in whisper, !
At that moment there was a sound in the
all; looking up we saw Sarah standing in {
be door, her strange eyes flaming.
" All ha, Margaret McAffeel This is your
)b, is it2" he cried.
She darted back, but he was too quick for '
er. He caught her by the wrists and drag G
ed her into the room; she fierce as a tigress.
"Give me the revolver, Fanny" he said, q
nd in an instant Sarah was quiet as a lamb.
"Please go down and ask the driver to
1me up with some straps" '
I did as he directed me.
The driver came up presently with sever v
straps, quite sufficient to secure Sarah. Il
hen the sofa was drawn away, the closet =
oor unlocked and the man inside made to ,
ep out. When he saw his wife secured L
lere in the room he took it coolly, and
niled at her-she was crying bitterly. Q
They've got us dead to rights, Mag; so n
On't make a fuss over it," +
Then he, too, was secured, and the driver =
N out for policeman. 81
While we were there guarding our prison v
8 the bell rang and father came; so that V
hen the officers came there was cOnsid- fl
able gathering. Then they took the pris- il
" And how about the ball, Fan? Good
1873, little girl, how white you are |" said 81
II father. nj
That is all 1 remember of it. Half an hour \
ter the first consciousness revealed the
ct that some one was kissing my forhead, m
ID chatting my hands in a strange, tender cC
Nv. 1t was not father, for he came in a B
oment afterWard, with Mary just behind II,
m, her hands full of restoratiYes. They -,
,re not needed. III
& 1t is too bad to spoil your pleasure, Mr.. "
,odwin, and it is not too late yet for you to
to the BALL" sa
s without your" he asked sharply. n,
'Why, yes; 1 should only have my head - -
j of burglars and pistols. still feel like "