The Northern Pacific farmer., 1883-10-18
stI knew that temporary. saliva ION

myself in the sitting, room: A hasty
glance at the door showed the key abb
sent from The lock. 81
So /" Treachery! Il
81 wonder that this new revelation
did not suffocate me. The man on the
highway-the injurel brother-Thomas
had betrayed US. He mad overheard
about the money. A robber was in the
house and another was outside. My re-
treat would be- cut off. How thoughts
ran riot through my mind! How would
they kill me? Would suffer long? At
this instant I was sure that heard a
faint creak of the library door at the tar
end of the long hall,
One swift despalring glance around
me, one wild idea of escape, and ex-
tinguished the lamp on the table, and.
crouching in the fire place, I rested one
foot upon the andlron, swung out the
iron crane, stepped the other foot upon
the strong support and rose into the
f1ue. Something touched my head
Thank God! 1t was the rope with which
the dislodged bricks had been holsted
out. Grasping this carefully with my
hands held myself like a wedge in the
opening. If l had envied large, noble
looking women before, I now had rea-
son to be thankful for my diminutlve
form and ninety-odd pounds Of avolrdu-
pois.
81 had little time, however to think
of knocking Gown fragment of brick
or mortar, and thus discovering my hid
ing place, for the clock begun with sono
rous peals to strike IL. Under cover
of its echoes there were quick, soft steps
in the hall, anu tie built of the outer
door was withdrawn. The huge tiu,
must have acted like telephone, for
heard everv sound with fearful dis
tlnctness. First there was PAUSE. by
he door Of the sitting-room, then
breathing in it, then whispering.
II 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 a strange voice,
land 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?
"In less than five minutes they were
whispering in the room again."
"Confound her!' aspirated Thomas,
she took the money with her."
"Tnen We'll have it f.
''The pause meantall that words could
convey.
"The COLI sweat was coming out of
| every pore of my body. The dust of the
| creosote had penetrated my mouth and
! nostrlls, and had to take one hand from
| the rope in their absence and place q
| finger upon my lips to prevent sneezing.
Come, hurry" was the angry watch
word exchanged between them, and l
heard the stairs creakins as they ascend
| ed to my chamuer. Thom as was IA
! miliar with all the house.
"Why did l not drop down and es-
cape outside?
"First, then, they had locked the out.
er door and Withdrawn the key to pre-.
vent surprise from without. Second
there might be a third confederate out
side. But the most important reason O.
all was, it seemed to me. that never
could get out of the aperture that had
allowed me entrance into the chimney
ran the risk Of discovery and death in
"Oh, why did not my father and his
companion 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 9th
er. I could feel the jar of m owing furni
ture, and closet doors w:re opened has
tily. The upper part of the house wa
ransacked, and then they came dow
stairs upon the run. Time was preciou
to them now. With direful oaths the
r1mmaged the lower floors, and fnall
| ro&rrpn6 fn tho Sifti
"I saw the light here last," sait
Thomas, moving with his lamp acros
the room, land here is the lamp on tn
table,"
"She must have got out"
mo; l watched for her, and ever
window is fastened on the inside.
Then he continued: "curse her! she's
witch!' and baf1led they stood an
poured oaths alter me. SID like t
catch her now" How he ground it on
between his teeth.
''Shall we search more?
"It's no use: we've turned over every
thing under which a mouse could hide
"What, then? Shall we waylay the ol
man and fix hlm?"
'Tney haven't the money; it was lei
here"
""he cellar" suggested the voice.
"Once more they dashed out only t
return in hot haste now: tor there we
the trot and rumble OF horse and Cal
riage on the bridge betw cen US and th
'Stay," urged the stranger, ''trum
'.p some kind of story, and we may Sc
:ure the money yet"
II would" return Thomas, but tn
.irl's witch, and am just as sure tina
she is some where near US all the time
and would hand me over to Justice
w..
"There was a scamper outside, and tn
sound of feet running toward the rive
came down the wide mou'h h at the toI
Of the chimney. Father and Capt. Bos
we'll drove into the yard and up to th'
,loor just as the clock struck IL.
'Thomas," called my father, in hi
ringing tones, "come and take care o
the horse"
"Receiving no response from his us
ual punctual factotum, he sprang up TIN
steps, and uttered an exclamation 0
horror at finding the door open.
Boswell" said he, 1--WE certainly say
alight here when We came down th
"Quick, JASON" said >ne captain
there has been foul pls., here"
"Trip
Father" strove to call, but tn
first attempt, choked in dust and SCOT
'nded in hystercal cough.
"Where is that? What is it?" calle,
my distracted father, and both me-
dashed tor the library.
II now strove to descend, but tn
movement brought down bushels Q
mortar and broken bricks from all sides
and closed up the fue. bethought M
Of the rope, aud. by sticking my toes il
here ana there, went up the Gimme.
hand over b md.
"Agile as cat, when I reached tn
top of the low chimney sprang dow
upon the roof and began calling ]oudl,
for father.
"You should have heard them rul
through the house and halloo befor,
they located my voice. At last the cap
tain came out of doors.
will You get me a ladder, please?'
sBid l. I want to get down from here.
"A ladder, JASON shouted the cap
tain; the little girl is on the roof
"'For the love of heaven, girl, hov
come you there said my father, as
laoied upon the ground and bega,
shaking the SCOT from my clothes.
"I went up there through the chin
ney, papa. But you had better put "
the h,rse-you will have to groom hin
Yourself to-night-and then 1 will tell
you all about it,
"The captain led me into the house,
for was trembling violently.
/ , c>tb ol> ~ I,