Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-09-28

cheerful open fires later on; but the
house being an ancestral pile, was get
ting somewhat dilapidated, and the par
titiOn separating the flues in the large
chimney had fallen in. Men had been
set TO clear out the rubbish and make
repairs, but the work, half done. was
suspended on account Of the arrival of
Captain Boswell and this important BUSH
ness affair.
would have enjoyed immensely 70
kindle n sparkling fire in the huge,
wide fireplace, but rs affairs were /
could not. 80 / unused in darkness for
hours. really took no heed Of time.
until my quick ears caught the sound Of
n football approaching. close up to the
doorstep. could have taken my oath.
IL was so light an echo that sprang to
my feet, thinking my cousin Milly, alb
sent when nv father called. returning
later had come down To say with me.
-prang up with n smile 10 answer
her knock. albeit was bit Jealous Of
her pretty face: but no knock came.
and the echcS died ont. and altogether
I concluded that / had deceived myself
I'm regard To them. Anyhow. / would
light the lamp. / did SO. and was
startled 10 lind it past ten O'Clock. /
had gotten sufficiently aroused from my
revert now TO want n book from the
library shelves. took mp nv lamp and
wcntIsinging into the room.
II obtained the desired volume,
stepped down from the stool. and
iii any one ever felt themselves dying.
did NJ that moment. Nv song died on
my lips. while thousand thoughts
seemed to flash into my mind in one in
slant. Involuntarily gasped. and then
with strong effort of the will power,
for which | am famous. took up the
song again and sang il 10 the close.
-" Among other things. remembered
that the lock was of the library door
for Tcpa r.. remembers the lateness
of the hour and the probability that all
the people were in bed and asleep. /
remembered the footsteps in the door
yard, and there was n 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 pack
/ age If money in my bosom.
81 DO you wonder that my brain reeled
and my heart stopped beating for an
| instant? Besides, whoever the robber
was. nc would soon begin work, not
knowing how early my father and the
Captain might return. And / should
be murdered. Somewhere within few
yards. or few feet of me, the robber
assassin was concealed either in the
recess behind the cabinet, or under the
long. draped, paper-strewn table.
" A faint sound outside nearly made
me drop the lamp from my hand; still
had unconsciously left my first song and
was singing:
For his bride n soldier won her,
And winning tongue had he
Il knew that temporary salvation
/ power and liberty to leave that room
cvcn--depended upon my appearing
uncOnsc Gus of the robbers proximity.
Il got out Of the library and found
myself i'm the si,ting-room. A hasty
J glance at the door showed the key alb
/ sent from the lock.
"Trcacheryl
81 wonder that this new revelation
| did not su1ocate me. The man on the
highway--the injured brother-Thomas
had betrayed us. He had overheard
/ about the money. A robber was in the
house and another was outside. Nv
retreat would be cut of. How thought,
ran riot through my mind. How would
they Kill ms? Would | suffer lono2 Al
| that instant was sure that / heard 2
faint creak of the library door ut the far
end Of the long hall
lone swift, dcspairing glance
around me. one wild idea of escape.
and | cxtinguished the light upon the
table, and, crouching in the fire pla g,
rested one foot upon the andiron.
swung out the iron crane, stepped the
other foot upon the strong support and
rose up into the fue. Sometime
touched my head. Thank Cod il was
The rope with which the dislodred
bricks had been Eoisted out. CRASH
/ ing this carefully with nv hands, / held
myself like wedge in the opening. II
had envied large. noble-lookinp
women before, | now had reason To be
/ thankful for my diminutive form and
ninety odd pounds Of avoirdupois.
i" had little time, however. to con.
slider anything excepting the imminent
! danger of dislOdg ny n fragment OF
brick or mortar. and thus discovering
my hiding-place, for the clio k began
with sOnOrOus pcals to strike eleven.
/ Under cover of its echoes there wer,
swift. soft steps in the hall. and the
bolt of the outer door was withdrawn.
| Tire huge flue must have acted like a
telephone. for j heard every sound with
fearful distinctness. First, there was =
\ pause by the door of the sitting-room.
then breathing in il, then whispering.
Z" heard Thomas distinctly when
he said:
"'She isn't here; she's gone TO bed,
but the money is in the library
" he cautious, advised a strange
voice, 'and we may not have to hurt
/ her.
"They carefully retreated. and nv
heart struck of the seconds against nv
/ ribs, in way that was sufiocatin0, 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.
" Curse herr aspiratcd Thomas. she
took the money with her
"'Then wen have il if
" The pause meant all that words
could convey.
"Ihe cold sweat was coming out OF
every pore of my body. The dust OF
the crcosote had penetrated my mouth
and nostrils, and l 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 watch
word exchanged between them. and !
heard the stars creaking as they ascend.
ed to my chamber Thomas was IA.
miliar with all the house.
why did l not drop down now and
escape outside?'
First, then, they had locked tho
outer door and withdrawn the key, &c
prevent n surprise from without. Sec
ond, there might be a third confederate
outside. But the most important rea-
son of all was. il seemed TO me that
never could get out of the aperture that
had allowed me entrance into the chin
ney.. ran the risk of discovery and
death in my oooa