The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-09-24

, arrangement, the two men servants would mes
Ter miss him from the house.
The night passed peacefully and quIeil
enough. am competent to make the stat,
ment, tor don't think closed my eyes, q
lost my consciousness IN sleep from midnigh
an'll long after morning dawned fear
nervous dread-au indetina6le sense of DANCE
threatening me alert and awake.
The first consequence OF which was that
was intolcrably sleepy all next day. and in tn
early hours Of the afternoon stole away to N,
own room to take nap; just rs reached M
own door who should see upon the staircase
the upper staircase, ~ it coming down from
the top Of the house, but Jake, the gardener
boy, carrying an open knife.
! | stopped in sheer surprise. Certainly h,
had no business in the house tina, could TAX,
him beyond the kitchens. What arc you do
ing here," l demanded promptly. lie gave
me furtive glance out of his round, black
eyes, as he shufled past, slipping the knife int
his pocket, but no word of answer
| watched him down the stairs and out OF
sight and then went into my room, full of a
strange uneasines. Falling asleep at last, as
lay wondering what could have been his err
rand there, the second of my two dreams came
10 me.
A horrible, terrifying dream. II was night,
and there were robbers in the room-men with
lanterns and long knives, and Grape masks up.
on their faces, through which their fierce ewes
glared hideously II seemed TO me that look
ing from my bed saw mother ON her knees
before them. and heard her beseeching them,
IN low tones Of terror, to work their wick ed
will as quietly as might be for poor Mima's
sake. Nina was still sleeping, thought, IN
an inner room, and chill of horror crept
through me as | realized how fatal, in her
weak and nervous state, the shock of tins mid
night alarm might prove to my poor, invalid
sister
At The same instant realized something
else namely, that no one seemed to take note
OF me, or be aware of my presence. Taking
advantage of this, slipped from the bed and
the room unseen, and away, swiftly and silent
ly, upstairs.
| was gong to the beiltower to ring the bell
and summon help. In this vivid dream
seemed To fly up the dark staircase on the
wings Of fear; and lol was In the bell tower.
| stretched forth my hand to grasp the rope,
hut grasped hand instead-a hand piM a
Knife in IL!
With wild shrek of terror / sprang from
the bed to the floor, and awoke. Almost nv
first waking thought WAS of Jake, az l had
seen him coming down the upper stairs Just
now, carrying an open knife.
| stood quite still for a few minutes, trem
bling, but with a certain resolution growing
In my mind. | had never been up IN the bel
tower, and had, indeed, q nervous prejudice |
against the place; but was going there nov, |
and alone, to see ii the rope WAS in proper !
order
looked out of my window first. The after. I
noon had wore away while | slept, to Judge
rom the sun on the lawn. If help were need
ID from the five miles distant town, 1t could
not reach us before nghtfall, thought, and
who was to summon it! Out on the lawn
stood Jake and his father, talking together an
lasting side glances toward the house. 1 felt
m instructive dislrust of them yet now, while
could be sure they were not spying on me,
low was the time TO investigate the condition
II the bell.
Away went, up the seldom-used stairs, al. |
most ~ swiftly as IN my dream. Being after.
loon, the little belfry was, of course, from Its
,pen sides, better lighted than my own room
There was no need to do more than look in
me rope wds ne,oIy cut-one short end hang
ng high above my reach the rest lying in q
,reat useless coil on the floor underneath the
llent bell
Even mother was not disposed to laugh at
ny dreams when told her that She was a
rave and sensible woman, fortunately-I do
ave been-and w. took counsel together uui-
ty, without letting Nina hear word of the
conversation
had to go and bring help from the village,
here was no other way, and 1t was SIX o'clock
ghen we had finished our consultations; and
must walk half mile or more through the s
woods to the highway, and then take my Il
nance Of conveyance to town, in order that ;
he men might not even suspect my departure
rom the house.
Mother called them both to the back of the
ouse while slipped away through the gar h
en-. We found tina, Jake had said something ,
, the girls about sleeping inside the house e,
nat night tor their protection. Fortunately,
,other was quite equal to the task of fruslra. {
ng that design, when once she knew that he |
al formed il.
She did 1t admirably Walking into the {
itchen at ten O'Clock and finding him seated |
nth the girls, she pretended to hear my faith Il
r calling ut the gate, and sent Jake out to see
soon as he was fairly out of doors she kept
i'm there, by locking the doors against HIM.
That very act, however showed her suspic.
ms and aroused theirs, so that they commenc.
1 operations earlier than they had at first 8
robably intended When | and the police I,
rived at little after twelve o'clock, the :,
Ouse was IN a state of siege. There were five .
iiiianly fellows, inclusive of our gardener, f
nd they had the masks, knives and lanterns .
my dream. AS the police came upon them =
ON behind, without their even suspecting q
lat help had been sent for, they were cap,ur. 0
with scarcely blow. Il
While found myself quite suddenly he i,
zine. | had walked almost oil the way to
wn, when q gentleman came along IN a dog :"
'rt and to him appealed for help. 1t hap. "
ened to be Fred Lston, a rich neighbor Of I
Irs, as we afterwards learned, and together II
c set about and accomplished the rescue.
We accomplished more than that together, IL
18th success too. We dated from that night a n
utual affection and courtship which cu. D
mated in wedding u year later, when was n
Icet seventeen.
Nina went ahead Of me, though. Papa q
ought home the blue locket with the golden d
lchor, exactly rs had seen it in my dream, s,
ID ct course he brought home Walter, too, q,
hO had not been drowned after all, though "