The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1883-09-20

"'Be cautious advised strange
voice, 'and we may not have to hurt
her
"They carefully retreated, and my
heart struck off the seconds against my
ribs, in a way that was suilocating, for
l knew that their search would soon be
over, and what then?
"In less than five minutes they were
whispering in the room again.
Course herr aspirated Thomas,
she took the money with her.
Then we'll have it if
"The pause meant all that words
could convey.
"The cold sweat was coming out of
every pore of my body. The dust of
the creoSote had penetrated my mouth
and nostrils, and / had to take one
hand from the rope in their absence,
and place finger upon my lips to pre-
vent sneezing.
Come, hurry was the angry
watchword exchanged between them,
and l heard the stairs creaking as
they assembled to my chamber. Thomas
was familiar with all the house.
"Why did l not drop down now and
escape outside?
First, then, they had locked the
outer door and Withdrawn the key, to
prevent surprise from without Sec
ond, there might by d third confederate
outside. But the most important rea-
son of all was, it seemed TO me that L
never could get out of the aperture
that had allowed me entrance into the
Il n IL Is
and death in any case.
"Oh, whycdid not my father and his
companions return? 1t might be hours
first.
"They had found me absent from my
chamber and the adjoining. rooms. They
no longer used extreme caution. They
hurried from one apartment to the other
/ could feel the jar of moving furniture
| and closet doors were opened hastily.
The upper part OF the house was ran
sacked, and then they came down the
stairs upon the run. Time was precious
to them now. With direful oaths they
rummaged the lower floors, and finally
returned to the sitting-room.
81 saw the light here last, said
| Thomas, moving with his lamp across
the room, and here is the lamp on the
table.
"'She must have got out
"'No; watched for her; and every
window Is fastened on the inside Then
he continued: Curse her! she's a
witchp and bahled they stood and
poured volumes of oaths after me- I'd
| like to catch and knife her myself now
How he ground it out between his
| teeth.
"'Shall we search more?'
"It's no use; we've turned over
everything under which mouse could
hide
what, then? Shall we waylay the
old man and fix him?'
"'They haven't the money; it was left
here
1.-the cellar, suggested the voice.
"Once more they dashed out only to
return III hot haste now, for there was
the trot and rumble of horse and car
riage on the bridge between us and the
city.
Stay, urged the stranger, trump
| up some kind of story, and we may
secure the money'yet.'
L would, replied Thomas "but the
girls witch. and / am just as sure that
| she is somewhere near us all the time,
and would hand me over to Justice
There was scamper outside and
the sound of feet running toward the
river came down the wide mouth at the
| top of the chimney. Father and Capt.
Boswell drove in the yard and up to
| ho ,t1Ct bn al str y
"'Thomasp called my father, in his
ringing tones, come and take care of
the horse
Receiving no response from his US
ually-punctual factotum, he sprapg up
the steps and uttered an exclamation of
horror at finding the door open.
Boswell said he, we certainly
saw a light here when we came down
the hill
"'Quick; JASON said the Captain,
there has been foul play here
Foul play? My Cod my poor
little girl"
Father strove to call, but the
first attempts, choked in dust and SCOT,
ended in hysterical hiccough.
Where is that? What is it 2 called
my distracted father, and both men
dashed for the library.
Il now strove to descend, but the
movement brought down bushels of
mortar and broken bricks from all
sides, and closed up the iue. L be-
thought me of the rope, and by sticking
my toes in here and there, / went up
the chimney hand over hand.
Agile as cat, when / reached the
top of the low chimney sprang down
upon the roof and began calling loudly
for father
you should have heard them run
through the hou~e and halloo before
they located my voice. At last the
Captain came ont Of doors.
Will you get me a ladder, please,
said 1, L want to get down from here.
"A ladder, JASON shouted the
Captain, 'the little girl is on the roof
For the love of Heaven, girl, how
came you there?' said my father. as
landed upon the ground and began
shaking the SCOT from my clothes.
Il went up there through the chin
ney, papa. But you had better put w
the horse-you will have to groom him
yourself to-night-and then will tel