The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1881-10-28

/ your preparations and bestow attention upon
! it
/ But" answered the servant, ''shal you
not want me here, as usual
/ ''NO, can do everything myself. Mon
/ sfeur would be dispeased. am sure, if af
| ter his long ride in such weather he should
not find good supper upon his return. "
After some attempts at delay, which re-
doubled in Madame Aubrey an uneasiness
which she was obliged to conceal, the girl
Quilted the chamber. Her footsteps died
away upon the stairs, and her mistress
found herself alone with her child and those
two terrible feet which, half seen in the now
dying light, seemed immovable as the bed
stead itself. She still remained sitting near
the chimney with the baby upon her lap, ad-
dressing to him, almost mechanically, car
rpSsinc words, and soothing him to sleep,
while her eyes never wandered from the
mpnacing feet The little fellow, tired of
his position, began to cry for his cradle and
its soothing motion, but the cradle was close
to the aIcove-cIose to the feet. The young
mother conquered herself by violent effort.
"Comp them my child" said she, and rIs-
ing from her chair, she forced her toitering
steps to be firm, and went toward the aicove.
Behold her close to the OminOus feec! She
placed the baby in the cradle, and with
voice which all her resolutions 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 nv the fire.
III. nr,a f,,rr~ 1F,sa
/ and Madame Aubrey may expect deliver
ance. deep silence reigned in the cham
ber. The infant slept peacefully. His moth
er, her hands convulsively clasping each 9th
/ er, her liDs apart, her eyes fixed upon the
menacing feet remained immovable as a
statue. From time to time, some noise in
the garden would cause the heart OF the
watcher to leap with hope, but it always
proved to be the rain, the wind or the shak-
ing trees. 1t seemed to the unhappy woman
that time had stopped, and thai she was
alone with those haunting feet. Heavens
They move Is the assassin about to com
mence his fearful work But not was
only Slight movement, induced no doubt
by the constrained position. He resumes his
. immubiIity.
man could have almost sworn that it was
two hours since it struck last, but 10, she
knows that the clock is faithful, and there
is still another weary half-hour before she
may expect her deliyerer
Madame Aubrey took a book Of religious
meditatiOns from the chimney piece above
her head, and attempted to read. Vain ef-
fort! Her eyes wandered continually from
the page. Suddenly thought crossed her
mind with the sharpness and suddenness OF
light-if her husband should not return
His parents lived in the village TO which he
had gone what more natural than that, see
ing the severity of the weather, NJ Aubrey
should allow himself, by fond persuaSions
to be detained until morning She could
neither wonder at nor blame him. But then
what would become OF herself and the little
one dearer than herself her brain reeiec
under the thought Eight O'Clock sounded
and nobody came. The suppositiOn ther
was correct the unhappy woman gave her
self up for lost She was about to seize he
cnid and fly from the room when nois'
r,.-,,, .-,,,unded fiom the gravel walk beneath tl'
E window. The eager listener dared not trus
her ears, she had been so often deceived
but now the door rolled upon its hinges anC
then tel. heavily back in its place. well
known step gayly ascended the stairs-th,
chamber door opened and man appeared
man, handsome, strong and vigorous. i
was he At this moment, had NJ. AUBREY
been the ugIest of men-tne worst of hus
bands-he would have assumed, in the eye.
of his wife, all the graces, all the virtues i'm
agnabIe.
He had only paused below to take off hi:
dripping cloak and lay down his pistols
He extended his arms and his wife rushed
into them. But Immediately recovering her
self, she placed one finger on her lips, ant
with the other hand pointed to the feet
NJ. Aubrey would have not been worthy
of such a wife if he had failed in decision ol
sang JrOtd. He gave a glance at his wifi,
which said that he understood, and said
aloud
zone moment. my darling, and will re
turn / have left my pocket book dowr
stairs, ana / must show you my riches"
With these words he left the room. but in
moment he returned holding pistol in hi.
hand. He examined the lick, approached
the bed, stonped down and with his left hand
seized one of the two feet. the fng T of his
right haud resting on the trigger of his pis-
tot
RESIST, and you are dead man 20 he ex
claimed
The owner of the feet did not seem dis
posed to risk the event He suffered bin
self to be dragged by the foot into the mid
die of the room, where he disclosed a mos
vilainnus face as he cruuched before tn,
pistol pointed at his head On being search
ed, dagger was found and newly sharpen
ed. He confessed that the servant was hi
accompiice, and had told him of the boot,
which awaited him
Nothing remained but to deliver both I,
justice. Madame Aubrey indeed begged he,
husband to let them escape, but the publ,
interest demanded the sacrifice of privat,
lenify, and they were delivered up. Durin.
all this time the unconscious child slep
-sOundly. After some little time Madam,
, Aubrey related the events of the evening.
Il did not think you had been so brave
said her husband, embracing her.
But in spite of her bravery, the events o
that night brought on a nervous fever from
which our little heroine did not recover 70
some weeks.
MOTHER, remarked Duluth girl, g
think Harry must he going to propose t.
me- "Why so. my daughter ?" queried tht
old lady, laying down her spectacles, Will,