The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1882-03-09

necessary that Harry Randall should be
there also When the clock struck ten,
mother arose, declaring it was time to
go to bed. She went into all the lower
rooms to see that the windows and doors
were fastened. and then. came back to
the library for me. But / did not feel
sleepy, and wanted very much to get on
with my work; 50 begged her to go up
stairs without me, promising to come up
IN the course of an hour.
The clock struck eleven almost before
[ knew the time had passed. l laid
down my work and counted the strokes
without looking at the clock itself.
was sitting at the comfortable, near the
lamp. AT my left, little way off
against the wall, was fathers desk, with
books and papers scattered upon it, and
the battery at one end. Opposite me
were two long windows that opened
upon the side piazza. Over these were
thick curtains, closely drawn, which did
not shut out the sound of the peIting
storm outside. Directly behind me was
the hall-door standing, as usual, wide
open just then l heard. or fancied /
heard, low sigh or breath out in the
hall. turned my head instantly, but
did not see any person; and. listening in
tently, heard no farther sound. l felt a
little uneasy and smiled to myself at my
NERVOUSNESS; then took up my work
again. / had not quite finished what L
had set myself to do. / had not taken
three stitches when laid the work down
again. There was no use denying it. or
laughing at myself For some reason
there had suddenly come over me a
strong feeling of nervousness and dread.
It seemed as if l realized, as [ had not
before that evening, the fact that 1 was
sitting all alone down stairs in the house,
at eleven o'clock at night, with large
sum of money in my pocket. l glanced
at the desk. Possibly Harry was still at
work at the office. If he was, a single
sentence over the wire would call him.
| was just getting up to go. to the desk
to signal and see if be was at the mill,
when something occurred that seemed
to turn me cold and motionless as stone
in an instant.
Behind me, so close that knew it
must have come from the threshold of
the hall-door, a low, hoarse voice, that
l knew, without seeing the speaker,
must be that ola desperate and wicked
man, broke the stiffness and babe me
F" Good-eveningr -.---
For moment, as I say, L felt as
the voice, speaking again, seemed at
least to restore the life in me, and to set
my heart to beating violently. The
language that the man used was not
even As good English as, in attempting
to reproduce it, find myself writing.
a. Don't be frightened, miss. / beg of
we not ter be frightened. All we've got
ter do is ter keep still, an not a hair of
yer pretty head shall be harmed" ~
Then 1 turned my head, half-wheeling
my chair at the sanB time, and saw,
standing in the doorway, a. large,
brutal-lOoking man, altogether as ugly.
and ili-conditioned, and fearful-looking
a person rs had ever seen. q Et
Naturally enough opened my lips to
utter a cry, but ne stopped me by a single.
threatening motionOf 3 club he carried
in his hand.
ISL" he fiercely Kissed. eff you
raise a single scream, I'll strike We as
senseless as yer notheris up stairs. =
These last words changed for the mo-
ment the nature of my fear, and gave
me strength to speak. sEr
"What have you done to my mother?'
demanded, exeitedly. Z" DOyOu mean
have you killed her9'
He uttered a sort of low laugh.
- No, my dear; but She was wal<in'
up, so we had ter use the chloroform.
An you must keep still, or yOu'n be
served the same way. Yer see, it's jest
here''--
He drew step nearer and seemed
disposed to explain matters. y l
q What we want is some money that
yer father brought down from Palmer
Yesterday. Maybe yer don't know a. bout
it; but zoe do, an we know ne left it
in Their house when ne went off to-
night. My friend is up stairs lookin' for
it this minute. All we want is the mon
ey. We don't mean harm 10 nobody. Ye
sha'n't be touched if we behave yerself
an keep quiet" MN
Somewhat treasured by this, and hav-
ing had time, while he had Been speak
ing, to collect myself, L was now able to
assume an appearance at least of calm
ness. / took up my embroidery and
went on working-Or pretending to
work--at the pattern / was enibrOider-
ing. / think the action helped me, too;
for ITpresently found myself really quite
calm, and, with GOODNESS and resOlu-
ton that | can hardly believe 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 up stairs? They would be disap-
pointed and eSperate-capables per-
haps, of deeds that they had nOtat first
intended. Perhaps L had, better give
up the money at once, and so get rid
of them And vet, father had cOnfided
it to my care; and it did not belong to
him, but to the company. l ought not
to let these men have it if could help
it. Oh, why could not give an alarm
somehow? What if should open my
mouth and cry out at any risk? Could
l make Joseph hear, away out in the
wing of the house as he vase Alas,
knew that 1 could not, even had not this
man been sitting there by the door
he had taken chair nOw-eyeing me
fiercely, as though he read my very
thoughts. All, if had only done as
father wished, and telegraphed for Har-
rY Randall to come upl And then, with
this last tn ought, another Thought came
to me. Why couldE not summon Harry
even now, if perchance he was still at
the office? / arose from my chair,
mechanically grasping my work in my
hand. My guard got up, also, evil
IDENTIFY suspicious of my slightest move
ment
I'm have to ask yer to keep quiet,
miss" said he, with a harsh, determined
voice.
turned upon him indignantly. 81
suppose l may change my seat if
Ike said L
And without waiting for his permis-
sion, walked deliberately over to the
desk and sat down in the revolving
chair that stood before it. AT the same
time l threw my work down on the
desk in such a way as to cover COM
pletely the battery, which INSTRUMENT
my companion had probably not no
ticed at all. Perhaps he would not