The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-01-08

TAKE .ne Vine. If the train was on time Mr.
GooumIn would be punctual to the minute.
l me" ne would thank me for cup OF
s'i1e ,,i ~. coffee after his ride. / waited.
...har ~ wanted ten minutes of the time
WIEN ne should come, and was both impa-
tient ana nervous. I was listening to that
tlIe1 h pattering Of the reservoir fountain.
-. e "a footsteps in the sitting room be-
iv", must be Sarah; but why was she
tne mere was a light in the dining
I loOn' put none in the kitchen, and could
neN soine one still moving as if in the hall
Going out into the hall and looking down
from the head of the stairs, / saw the light
snln.ns out from the sitting groom. She
must nave left the door open.
ran uown 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 light!
was ready to drop with terror for mo-
mehs. Then my hand rested on the key in
the uoor. Quick as the thought came to me,
closee tne door and locked it. The sharp
CLICK oi the lock must have alarmed the per-
son mitnln, Tor in an instant some one tried
the uoor. There was muttered curse in
mans voice.
-, Mag, you devil! open the door,"
IneIe was a great, old lounge or sofa
moment more drew this against the door
ana SAT down on it. By this time the trap
pea man In the closet was beating and bang
ing az the door furiously. / had him Sc
cured Tor little time fast enough, but what
II tnere were more down stairs
mat thought nearly took my breath away.
Then my burglar was still for little, and /
heard ia inc dining-room door open. Some one
was listening, perhaps. Then the door
SsFlea softly. My burglar was still silent.
INA tecretary drawer close by was fathers
revolver, and had the key. In moment
more Lhad the pistol in my hand. Every
chambr was loaded, and knew well how to
use it. Every Illinois girl does not.
wen lightly down the stairs and then
could hear the chinking sound of the silver
ware Which some one was handling in the
dining-rom.
Good Iuck favored me again. The key
was in The door and on the outside. locked
the door,
Then Ihastened back to the burglar in the
closet. He was strangely silent. Then 1
heard thesoft 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 I
would stop his work on the door. l could
tell from the sounds of his feet that he was
standing toone side of the panel he was cut
ting.
l sent bullet through that panel, and the
report of the pistol frightened me more than
the burglar had.
There was perfect torrent of oaths. II
put out his light, too, for could see through
the hole thatit was not light inside. He was
moving about
"Caught again, --W 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
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 ar age.
But there was no alternative but to sill
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-room. A moment after
ward there was sound as if 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 not'many, but the sus-
pense was fairly horrible.
At last there was a sound of carriage
wheels, and they came rapidly nearer. was
it John Goodwin? Yes. Thank God! Al
last!
The sound stopped before the door.
few to the window and raised it, but for my
.lifeI could not articulate sound. But
cropped the door key at his feet, and ht
looked up in establishment. Then my voice
came:
"Let yourself in and come up quick!"
Then / staggered back to my seat on the
sofa. don't think was quite conscious Of
his being in the room until he stood ovel
me.
"For Heavens sake, Fanny, what ha:
1 could only point with the revolver to the
closet.
He saw and comprehended all in mo-
ment.
"Burglars! And are they in the closet
yet?'
Yes"
This last in whisper.
At that moment there was sound in the
hall: looking up we saw Sarah standing il
the door, her strange eyes flaming.
All ha, Margaret McAffeel This is youl
lob, is itp he cried.
She darted back, but he was too quick fol-
her. He caught her by the wrists and drag
ged her into the room; she fierce as tigress
"Give me the revolver, Fanny" he said
and in an instant Sarah was quiet as lamb.
"Please go down and ask the driver tC
come up with some straps"
| did us he directed me.
The driver came up presently with sever
al straps, quite sufficient to secure Sarah
Then the sofa was drawn away, the closet
door unlocked and the man inside made tc
step out. When he saw his wife secured
there in the room he took it coolly, and
smiled at her-she was crying bitterly.
"They've got us dead to rights, Mag; sc
don't make q fuss over it,"
Then he, too, was secured, and the driver
ran out for policeman.
While we were there guarding our prison
ers the bell rang and father came; so that
when the officers came there was consid.
cradle gathering. Then they took the pris-
oners away.
!" And how about the ball, Fan? Good
ness, little girl, how white you areW sale
her father.
That is all I remember of it. Half an houl
later the first consciousness revealed the
fact that some one was kissing my forhead
and chatting my hands in strange, tender
Way, 1t was not father, for he came in q
moment afterward, with Mary just behind
him, her hands full Of restoratives. They
were not needed.
g 1t is too bad to spoil your pleasure, Mr.
Goodwin, and it is not too late yet for you tc
go to the ball."
"Without you~ he asked sharply.
"Why, yes; should only have my head
full of burglars and pistols. still feel like
shooting"
pointed them to the bullet-hole in the
closet door, and there was little surprise.
~ didn't think any of my girls had SC
much grit" said father.
"If YOU feel able to go, and will go, shall
be SO much gratitied at having your com.
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