Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1883-01-25

SShiV paoh hsi 2, 1AOAO buS iASio
paid no attention to her. "He might
have left me Hero" said Miss Moore,
as she looked after master and dog as
they disappeared in the bend.
Women are hard to understand.
Marian Moore had just returned from
Plummer, whittier she had gone to
make arrangements for the keeping Of
the silver plate that once belonged to
her grandmother, which was counted
as rare, as fine and valuable as any in
the country. Cabinet officers, learned
Judges and senators without number
had been served from it; its fame was
not confined to one State. When her
father died suddenly, and she awoke
one morning to world of response
bility, that plate had bothered her more
than all other things Time and again
had she started from sound sleep, lit
lamp and gone down into the great
dining-room to see that all was safe.
That very morning she succeeded in
making bargain that relieved her of
further concern. The bank at Plum
mar was now able to laugh at the bold
est burglars. Her plate would be kept
there at small cost and brought to
her when she required it. The bank
also would honor all her checks and
she would nave no money in the house.
And yet, somehow Marian Moore
was not satisfied with herself that af-
ternoon. Sne could not help thinking
of her second cousin, Tom Telford.
He was sort of a second cousin, at
least; near enough to neglect--to over
look. Was thai the reason she
neglected him? Marian Moore dis
missed the subject and busted herself
over her work. Vast as her posses
sions were, she could not live without
doing something.
The afternoon wore around heavily,
slowly. When the servant lit the
lamps her mistress made remark that
required an explanation.
/" Dan is not here, ma'am."
"Not here?"
"Ee went home"
"Without asking my permission" ?"
| told him you were busy with Mr..
Telford.
mo matter; but Dan must not re
peat it: ne must wait my leisure"
Miss Moore was q great reader.
Her evenings, when she was alone,
were the happiest hours Of the twenty
four. She lived with her favorite
authoress. On this night she was I'M
able to enjoy her book. She laid it
down often and at last put it aside al
together and looked out of the
window
at that moment a fash Of lightning
lit up the scene. Immense black
clouds lowered above her; near the
horizon there were others that looked
like frayed banners. while gust Of
wind slammed the shutter nearest her
fast-the first blast of a terrible storm.
The wind five minutes later caused the
clouds to scud like so many frightened
birds. The sheets Of lightning illu-
minating the heavens revealed to Miss
Moore war Of the elements such as
she ad never witnessed before. She
looked out upon the scene with feel
ing of awe until the force Of the storm
was spent. She was still standing
here, tapping the window-sill in an
abssnt-minded way, when she heard a
sound beneath her that caused her
heart to cease its pulsations for brief
period. Turning to the servant, who
was now removing some things from
the room, she said:
"Was there anybody here to-day ?"
Nobody, Miss Moore-nobody be-
side Mr.. Telford.'
"You are sure?'
"Oh, yes there was a poor tramp.
] gave him bowl Of milk and bread
and butter. Yen should have seen
linn. ] don't think he had had bite
for days.
"That was right" The mistress
looked out again. The sound below
her was like the voice Of man. She
could hear it through the sobbing
wind. A man, and at that hour |!
And cnly two women in the house.
Miss Moore's pulse throbbcd. Her
visit to Plmnmer She had been fol-
lowed. Ter plans. were discovered.
Tho moncy-the plate would be taken
that night. That was what the voice
below her meant.
Would she take her girl into her
confidence? No. The girl was inn
pnlsiye, ncryous-a mere child in diff
Guilty
Nancy, you can go to bed"
Nancy needed no second bidding
When she was alone Miss Moore
stepped deliberately into the hall.
What was that? A peculiar sound
like the rubbing Of cloth against the
panels of the door arrested her atten-
ticn. Then there were sounds such as
a mans finger nails might make. Miss
Moore was as courageous, as cool and
self-possessed as any woman in the