The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1880-12-18

best men Of the force are on his track,
and l don't think he'll slip through
their fingers 1t is = puzzle to me,
though, where he can be in hiding here.
abouts; the country is so open, l should
think he'd find it hard work to keep
cOver.''
The gentlemen we're still discussing
the matter when we left them. As I
stopped on the upper landing to say
goodnight TO Eleanor-her room was at
the opposite end of . corridor from
mine-s blast OF wind struck the great
staircase window behind US; and one Of
the shutters, partially torn from its fas-
tening, came crashing against the glass
with . noise that reverberated like q
thunderclap through the quiet house. l
threw both arms around Eleanor, with
terrified scream; and the next mo-
ment, realizing my folly, and weak
from the nervous strain OF the evenings
talk, l burst into passion of hysterical
crying.
my dear!" said Eleanor, "my
dear!"-and held me to her, smoothing
my hair with her strong warm hand.
You must not stay alone such night
as this, in that great room Of yours, You
foolish child" she said. "Why, we
should have you in brain fever before
morning, Ellice! What do you say to
my making you visit for the night? l
might be useful in tying up shutters, you
know, or soaring hobgOblins; and you
might find little leisure to sleep. Shall
l Gomez"
l tearfully entreated her to come
/ was not heroic young person,
You may perhaps have remarked
and We were soon established in the
great room I was then occupying. l
had given up my own private and par.
ticular little ''bower''-a cosy, sunny
place opening directly from Aunt Hes.
ter's room-to small cousin, who, be-
ing still young enough to need occa-
sional peepings in upon during the night,
was naturally established as near Auntie
as possible. This being the only room
then vacant, was forced to take pos.
session of it. And what room it was!
Quite large enough, l am sure, for q
small banqueting hall; it had been the
state bedchamber in colonial DAYS. It
had too many doors for one even to be
sure one had counted them correctly /;
and every door, like the windows, was
curtsined with some heavy, somber
drapery; and the floor and wainscotings
were Of dark wood. You can fancy it
was cheerful sleeping.place for a nerv-
Gus person, on a stormy night.
We prepared for bed slowly; and
while I was brushing out my hair by the
fire, Eleanor was ''rummaging" hither
and thither about the room, bringing to
light its many quaintnesses, aud seem.
ing to enjoy herself heartily. Opening a
drawer in q tall old cabinet which stood
near one Of the curtained alcoves, she
CHANGED upon some odd bits of bric.a.
brac that interested her for she fingered
long over them. noticed that one Of
them, as she lifted it, seemed to have, in
the freight, the CLEAN Of steel; and l
was about to ask her what it was, when
the wind, suddenly scurrying down the
wide chimney, sent the Goals flying over
and beyond the hearth; and in the hur-
ny Of gathering them up, I forgot my
curiosity.
Not long after, we blew out our can.
dies; and, comforted and protected BY
the sense Of Eleanor's dear and strong
companionship, it was not long before l
fell asleep.
I woke suddenly, with a sense of sti.
fling and oppression, and became con.
scious that l was struggling with both
hands to free myself from some weight
which was being close pressed against
my face. My eyes once fully open, I
saw, to my amazement, that it was the
coverlid from whose pressure over my
mouth was struggling to free myself,
and that Eleanor's hand held it there.
She was very pale; there was no color
in all her face but the burning gray of
her eyes; and they were looking down
into mine with such q command in them
to be silent and motionless as no spoken
word could have made more forceful.
In the moments pause, after my con.
seriousness fully came, heard the dis.
tant clocks across the river strike one.
Then the storm, which had lulled mo.
ment, broke forth again with a roar as
of loosened demons; and through the
tumult, Eleanor spoke, in q whisper so
low that senses less terror-keeR than
mine could not have caught word:
"Ellice, want you to he perfectly
quiet. l have held this against your
mouth for fear that, waking, You might
cry out. II you will keep quite quiet,
and do q l bid you, you will save both
our lives"
l solemnly believe that If she had said,
instead, III you scream, you will lose
both Our lives" l should have screamed
outright, in the madness of helpless fear.
But those words, "save our lives" held
just hope enough to lift me out Of the
terror Of the moment toward possible
IL will be quiet,"I
tried to whisper, but my dry lips could
only form the words soundlessly.
"Yes, believe you WILL" she said,
and took away tho pressure from my
face. "Listen, there is man in that
closet yonder; l have seen him. He
pushed aside the curtains to come out;
but he heard the servant stirring in the
rooms above, and closed the curtains to
wait till all was quiet. That must have
been half an hour ago. He will try
again, soon."
She paused moment, for the storm
had lutled again, and she feared that
sven her brea&hless whisper might be
heard. As the wind rose again, she
went on: