The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-11-01

anu Cnen SCarCe0 down fOr the city. L
took up the two baskets, and went sing
ing to the house.
81 sat an hour by the open window,
enjoying intensely this being alone, and
the quiet beauty Of this cool autumn
evening.
'Perhaps you will wonder at this"
and tho dimples played about her pretty
mouth, "but little birds were singing
new song in my heart, and the quiet
let me hear the sweet echoes"
but directly l chided myself for be-
ing rather careless, as the road was a
thoroughfare, and chance straggler
might surprise me. arose, closed my
window, and, obeying some strange,
impressive power, l walked through
the hall into the library, took my faith
er's key from it's accustomed place, un-
locked his desk, found the package OF
five thousand dollars, and, placing it in
my bosom, relocked the door, and re-
turned to the sitting room. l did not
light lamp; had no need of Il fire, as
that from the kitchen stove warmed
the sitting room sufficiently in this mid
weather.
"The house was old fashioned, very,
with a fireplace in the sitting room
opening up into chimney Of capacity
sufficient for foundry stack. We had
cheerful open fires later on; but the
house being an ancestral pile, WAS get
ting somewhat dilapitlated, and the
partition separating the tlues in the
large chimney had fallen in. Men had
been sent out to clear the rubbish and
make repairs, but the work, half done,
was suspended on account of the arri
val Of Captain Boswell and this import.
ant business affair.
II would have enjoyed immensely to
kindle sparkling tire in the huge wide
fireplace, but as affairs were | could
not. SO unused in darkness for hours.
l really took no heed of time, until my
quick ear caught the sound Of IL foot.
fall approaching, close up to the door.
step, l could have taken my oath. 1t
was 50 light an ecnO that [ sprang to
my feet, thinking that my Cousin Milly,
absent when my father called, and re-
turning later had come down TO STAY
with me.
~ sprang up with smile to answer
her knock, albeit was bit jealous of
her pretty face, but no knock came,
and the echoes died out, and altogether
l concluded that had deceived myself
i'll regard to them. Anyhow I would
light the lamp. I did So, and was star
tied to find it past 10 o'clock. 1 had
gotten sufficiently aroused from my re-
verie to want a book from the library
shelves. L took up my lamp and went
singing into the room.
IL obtained the desired volume,
stepped down from the stool, and
Fol I,nr Il,
ing, / did at that moment. My song
died on my lips, while IL thousand
thoughts seemed to flash into my mind
in one instant. InvoluntaliIy | gasped,
and then with Il strong effort of the
will power, for which 1 am famous, |
took up the song again and sang it to
the close.
"Among other things 1 remembered
that the lock was off the library door
for repairs. 1 remembered the late
ness of the hour and the probability
that all the people were in bed and
asleep. L remembered the footsteps in
the dooryard, and-there was Il fresh,
pungent smell of tobacco smoke in the
room. A scent of smoke that was not
in the room when was there and
placed the package of money in my
bosom.
"Do you wonder that my brain eeled
and my heart stopped beating for an
instant? Besides, whoever the robber
was, he would soon begin work, not
knowing how early my father and the
captain might return. And l should
be murdered. Somewhere within Il few
yards, or a few feet of me, the robber
assassin was cOnccaled-either in the
recess behind the cabinet, or under the
long, draped, paper-strewn table.
IA faint sound outside nearly made
me drop the lamp; still 1 had uncon.
sciously left my first song and WAS sing
ing:
For his brlde q soldier won her,
And winning tongue had he.'
II knew that temporary salvation
power and liberty to leave that room,
upon my appearing un-
conscious of the robbers proximity.
81 got out of the library and found
myself in the sitting-room. A hasty
glance at the door showed the key ab-
sent from the lock.
'"Treachery2"
81 wonder that this new revelation
did not slnocate me. The man on the
injured brother-Th0mas
had betrayed US. lie had overheard
about the money. A robber was in the
house and another was outside. Ny
retreat would be cut off. How thoughts
ran riot through my mind. How would
they kill me? Would / suffer long? At
that instant was sure that I heard
faint creak of the library door at the
far end of the long hall.
"One swift, despalring glance around
mo, one wild idea of escape, and L OK.
tinguislled the light upon the table, and
crouching in the fireplace 1 rested one
foot upon the andiron, swung out the
iron crane, stepped the other foot upon
the strong support, and rose up into
the fiue. Something touched my head.
Thank Godl 1t was the rope with which
the dislodged bricks had been hoisted
out. Grasping this carefully with my
hands =! held myself like u wedge in the
opening. II had envied large, noble
looking women before, L now had rea-
son to be thankful for my diminutiye
form and ninety odd pounds OF avoir-
dupols.
81 had little time, however, to con-
slider anything except tho imminent
danger Of dislQdging a fragment of
brick or mortar, and thus discovering
my hiding-place, for the clock began
with sonorous peals to strike eleven.
Under cover Of its echoes there were