Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1883-10-18
/" who was that, Thomasg' inquir-

ed.
{" oh, miss, it was man from the
mills, saying that my brother has had
a bad fall on the dam, and is below
ing for me to come and see him. His
legs are broken entirely
. What will you doT
" 4 told the man | could not come
to see him to-day-butif | went, miss,
| would sure to be back by II OF the
clock, if not earlier.
You may go, Thomas, If your
brother is hurt so bad. Pa viii not be
away long.
But, my young lady
Z" Never mind me in such case as
this. / always was very tender heart
ed. You may 60 and | will run right
back to the house.
"He talked a few minutes more,
was profuse in his thanks for nay kind
ness, and then started down for the
city. ! took up the two baskets, and
went singing to the house.
II sat an hour by the open window,
enjoying intensely this being alone,
and the quiet beauty of this cool aut-
umn evening.
Perhaps you will wonder at this,
and the dimples played about her pref
ty mouth, but little birds were sing,
ing q new song IN my heart, and the
quiet let me hear the sweet echoes.
But directly / chided myself for
being rather careless, as the road was
a thoroughfare, and a chance strag
gler might surprise me. | az ose, closed
my window, and, obeying some
strange impressive power, | walked
through the hall into the library, took
my fathers key from its accustomed
place, unlocked his desk, found the
package of five thousand dollars, and,
placing it in my BOSOM, relocked the
door and returned to the sitting room
| did not light a lamp; ! had no need
Of a fire, as that from the kitchen stove
warmed the sitting room sufficiently
in this mild weather
"The house was old-fashioned, very,
with a fireplace in the sitting room
opening up INTO a chimney of capacity
sufficient for a foundry stack We
had cheerful open fires later on; but
.he house being an ancestral pile, was
getting somewhat dllapidated, and the
separating the ilues i'm the
arge chimney had fallen in. Men had
)een sent out to clear the rubbish and
make repairs, but the work, half done,
vas sus pended on account Of the ar
'iyal OF Capt. Boswell and this inn
Dortant business affair
l would have enjoyed immensely
o kindle a sparkling fire in the huge
vide Greplace, but as affairs were !
ould not. So | unused in the darkness
or hours / really took no heed of
ime, until my quick ear caught the
ound of a football approaching, close
p to the doorstep, i could have taken
ny oath. twas SO light an echo that
sprang to my feet, thinking that my
'ousin Milly, absent when my father
allied and returning later, had come
own to stay with me-
81 sprangup with a smile to answer
Ter knock, albeit ] was a bit jealous
# her pretty face; but no knock came
nd the echoes died out, and altogeth-
r / concluded that had deceived
lyself in regard to them Anyhow |
,ould light the lamp. | did so, and
'as startled to find it past 10 o'clock.
had gotten sufficiently aroused from
ny reverie to want a book from the
brary shelves. | took up my lamp
nd went singing into the room.
~ obtained the desire volume,
topped down from the stool, and
IF ever any one felt themselves
ying, | did at that moment My
ong died ON my lips, while a thous-
nd thoughts seemed to flash into my
mind IN one instant. Involuntarily
gasped, and then with a strong
fort of the viii power for which /
m famous, | took up the song again
nd sang it to the close
Among other things | remember
d that the lock was off the library
DOR for repairs. / remember the
ateness of the hour and the proba-
'ility that all the people were in bed
md asleep, / remember the footsteps
n the dooryard, and-there was
reSh, pungent smell of tobacco smoke
II the room. A scent of smoke that
vas not in the room when / was there
nd placed the package Of money in
ny bosom
DO you wonder that my brain
eeled and my heart stopped beating
or an instant Besides, whoever the
obber was, lie would soon begin
work., not knowing how early my
athor and the Captain might return,
nd | shall be murdered Somewhere
within few yards, or a few feet of
ne the robbcr assassin was concealed
either in the recess behind the cabi-
net, or under the long, draped, paper
trewu table,
"A faint sound outside nearly made
ne drop the lamp still | had mcon-
lously left my first song and was
ipglng
for his bride q soldier won hor
And winning tongue had he
"a knew that temporary salvation
,ower aud liberty to leave that room.
ven depended upon my appearing
of the robbers proximi-
y.
4 got out of the library and found
myself in the sitting room. A hasty
dance at the door showed the key ab