The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1883-10-27

the library door at the far end of the
long hall.
"oHe swift, dispairing glance around
me, one wild idea of escape, and l ex-
tinquished the light upon the table, and,
crouching in the fireplace, rested one
foot on the iron, swung out the iron
crane, stepped the other foot upon the
strong support, and rose up inte the flue.
Something touched my head. Thank
God it was the rope with which the
:. dislodged bricks had been hoisted out.
Grasping this carefully with my hands,
l held myself like a wedge in the open.
ing. Before l had enyied large, noble
looking women before, now had to be
thankful for my diminutive form
and ninety odd pounds of ayoirdu-
pois.
| ~ had little time, however, to con-
slider anything excepting the imminent
danger Of dislodging fragment Of
brick or mortar, and thus disclosing
my hiding-place, for the clock began
with sonorous peals to strike IL. Under
cover Of its echoes there were swift,
soft steps in the hall, and the bolt of
the outer door was withdrawn. The
huge fiue must have acted like tele-
pIone, for l heard every sound with
fearful distinctness. First, there was
a pause by the door of the sitting
room, then breathing in it, then whisper
ing.
81 heard Thomas distinctly when he
said
"'She isn't here she's gone to bed ;
but the money is in the library
"'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 way that was suffocating,
for knew that their search would
soon be over, and what then
III ieSS .nan n'e minutes 'hey
"eie Whispering III Ine room again.
Damn ner aspiraOeo Ihomas' sne
'ooh .ne inoney Win nor.
Aneh We IL na'e IL IL
"The pause meant all that words
could convey. The cold sweat was
I coming out Of every ppre of my body
The dust of the craosota had penetrated
my mouth and nostrils, Spd l had to
take one hand from the rope in their alb
sence and place a finger upon nv Ii6v
to prevent sneezipg.
"'Come, hurry was the angry
watchword exchanged between them
and heard the stairs creakisy
as they assembled to NV chamber
Thomas was familiar with ALI The
house.
"Why did 7 NOT drop down now and
sscape eutsidep
sFirst. then. thew had locked th.
outer door and Withdrawn the kew IN
prevent A surprise from without Sc
cond there might be n third confada-
rate outside. But, the most import.
ant reason of all was, 1t seemed to
me, that 1 never could get out of
the aperture that had allowed me
entrance into the chimney. 1 ran
the risk of discovery and death in any
case.
"Oh, why did not my father and his
companion returnp 1t might be hours
yet.
"They had found me absent from my
chamber, and the adjoining rooms.
They no longer used the extreme eau
tion. They hurried from one apartment
to the other. l could feel the jar of
moving furniture, and closet doors
were opened hastily. The upper part
of the house was ransacked, 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 sit
tlng'room.
"'I saw the light here last" said
Thomas, moving with his lamp across
the room, sand here is the lamp on the
table,
"'She must have got out
"No, 1 watched for her and every