The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1881-06-09


marry him.
After his own dark and terrible
fashion Gabriel loved the yonug girl,
but il she felt for him any sentiment
at all it was one Of quiet disgust
Still she married him, aud from
that time forth she was his slave.
He bad only to command her aud
she obeyod.
But shortly after marriage ho sold
bis com mission, aud his wife learned
with horror that be had lost all his
estate by gambling.
However he managed to get q
Government position.
II was not very important situ-
ton, but it yielded him decent in-
come, aud IL placed in his hands at
times large sums of the public mon
ey. ...
One night late in the winter he
brought home five thousand pounds,
aud deposited the pocket in the iron
chest.
As he turned the key in the pom
derous lock, he remarked to his
wife /:
"Tbere are FIVE thousand pounds
and deposited tho packet in the iron
chest.
As he turned the key in the pond
erous lock, he remarked to his
wife
"There ore five thousand pounds
Of the country's money. I have to
go away tomorrow, and I shall ride
as far as G-to-nigbt. l must
leave the money here till I come
back. 1t will be safe for nobody
knows anything about it,"
"Ch !" cried his wife, "do not 60
until you have disposed Of it where
it belongs"
Nonsense I" exclaimed her hus-
band impatiently. It'll be all right,
and / shall be back in three days"
His patient, faded wife said no
more, and at about 0 o'clock in the
evening he rode off in the direction OF
G..
Marion was too nervous to 60 to
bed.
And she and her one servant sat
up in the kitchen.
Nettie was soon fast asleep in her
chair, but Marian's eyes were
bright aud feverish, aud her cheeks
burned with vivid crimson, which
brought back some OF the old beauty
to her face,
Her eyes seem fascinated to res
on the brass key which hung ovel
the fire place-the key which fitted
the iron chest.
She was strictly conscientious
woman, and she felt it her duty to
guard this money entrusted to her
keeping as she would have guarded
her life.
It.was past one o'clock, when tho
listening :woman heard the tramp o
horses on the gravel road before the
door, and peeping through the cur
tains she saw three mounted men.
They raped loudly at the door
asking for admittance, but Marial
denied their request.
They beat the door from III
hinges.
They were three stalwart fellow
with masks over their faces.
Marian was brave. but she ha,
nothing with which to defend her.
self.
The leader OF the band dema ndet
the money which her husband hat
: left in the house.
She kept an indigant silence.
They told her they would shoe
both herself and servant and burr
the house over their dead bodies i
she persisted in her obstinacy.
The cold muzzle Of pistol press.
> ed against her temple did not daunt
her, for she Indignantly refused TO
show them where the money they
sought was hidden.
1t was only q moment before they
pounced upon the key above the fire
place, and directly the iron ches
was unlocked and the money stowet
;. about the persons OF the robbers.
Then they ordered her to prepar,
, them some supper.
She went about II with des
psrate scheme rushing in her brain.
A day or two before her husband
: had brought homo large quantit,
~ .krvnhu;ca fo- ,~o..1u:.-. kt,o -.