Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1882-12-29

''St!' he iercely Kissed. eff you raise
q single scream. I'll strike ye as senseless
as yer mother is up stairs"
These last words changed for the mo-
ment the nature of my fear and gave me
str myth TO speak.
"Wh hat have you done to my mother?"
demanded, excitedly. "Do you N can
have you killed her?''
He uttered sort of low laugh.
No. my dear: she was wakin' up, so
we had ter use the chloroform. An you
must keep still or you'll be served the same
wav. Yer see, it's jest here
He drew a step nearer and seemed dis
posed to explain matters.
wv hat we want is some money that yer
father brought down from Palmer yister
day. Maybe yer don't know about it; but
we do. ard we know he left it in Their
bousa when he went off tonight. NY
fri8ns Is upstairs looEin' for it this min
ute. Ali we want is the money. We
dent mean harm to nobody. Ye shan'5
be touched if ye behave yerself an keep
quiet"
Somewhat treasured by this, aDd having
had tina while he was speaking to collect
myself, I was now able to assume an ap-
pearance at least of caImness.
l took up nv embroidery and went on
working-or pretending to work-at the
pattern | was embroidering, 1 think the
action helped me too; for l presently
found myself really quite calm, and with
GOODNESS and resolution that can hard
ly telieve in now, as l recall it, turning
over in my mind what ought to do.
What would these men do when they
found. as they very soon would find, that
the money was not upstairs? They would
be disappointed and esperate-capable
perhaps of deeds that they had not at first
! intended.
| Perhaps had better give up the money
at once and so get rid of them. And yet.
father had confded it to my care; and it
did belong to him but to the company.
ought not to let these men have it if l
could help it. Oh, why could not give
an alarm somehow? What if I could open
\
make Joseph hear, away out in the wing
If the house as he Was? Alas, knew that
| could not, even had not this man been
sitting there by the door-he had taken a
chair now-eyeing me fiercely, as though
he read my very thoughts. An, if I had
only done as father wished and telegraph
ed tor Harry Randall to come up! And
then with this last thought another
thought came to me. Why could 1 not
summon Harry even now, if perchance he
was still at the office?
Ialose from my chair, mechanically
graspng my work in my hand. My guard
cot up also, evidently suspicious of my
slightest movement,
I'll have to ask yer to keep quiet
Miss, said he, with a harsh, determined
voice.
turLed upon him Indignantly. II sup.
pose l may change my seat if hke,' -
said |.
| And without waiting for his permission
1 walked deliberately over to the desk and
sat down in the revolving chair that stood
| before it.. At the same time threw my
work down on the desk IN such way as
to cover completely the battery, which in
| strument my companion had PROBABLY not
noticed at all. Perhaps he would not have
Known what it was if he had.
sat there moment, listlessly twisting
the chair back and forth. and trying to
make up my mind what was best to do.
Just then there was slight noise Or the
hall stairs and the man became uneasy,
stood up and looked at the library door, as
if he was about to go toward it. Then he
turned again to me, and with threatening
gestu said:
You just set there, while step inter
the hall bit. And if ye stir or make
noise 1t will be the worse for ye. Do ye
mind thati'
He went softly into the hall.
Feeling that now was my opportunity,
with d trembling hand put my finger on
the knob, and as silently as possible sent
my signal out ovt the wire into the night
down to the mills and to Harry Randall.
Hairy, are you there?n
In another instant was leaning back
ia my chair and moving an inkstand on
he table to make noise. How my heart
was bea ing, and my ear was strained to
catch the sound that--if might in Gods
goodness hope it-might presently come
back to me!
Almost minute-it seemed an age-I
listened; md my heart sank as no answer
my signal was Heard. Then-Cliek! Click!
Click! came tie sounds. sweeter to my
ears t. an the sweetest music; and knew
that Harry was there. These sounds were
to some extent covered by the drumming
~Df my thimble, and were to me as plain as
spoken words.
Yes"
Instantly l sent back nv answer, Two
excited words, run all together:
Robbers! Help!"
The total silence that followed assured
me- after a minutes anxious waiting. that
Harry had comprehended my messaye.
and that doubtless he would at once come
co the house. Fortune had v0rel me,
for had heard the man creepin. up the
hall stairs. and thus l had escaped he re-
suits of any suspicion he might have had
had he heard the clicking of the instru-
ment.
did not look at the clock, and cannot
say exactly how long | sat there in silence
1t seemed to me that it was hours.
Then there was the sound of whisperin