The Press., 1884-06-12

Do you wonder that my brain reeled, and my heart stopped beating for an in- stant? Besides, whoever the robber was,
 he would soon begin work, not knowing how early my father and the captain would return. And should be murdered. Some where, within few yards or few feet of me, the robber assassin was concealed-l either in the recess behind the cabinet, or
 under the long, draped, paper-strewn ta-
 ble. A faint sound outside nearly made
 me set down the lamp. knew that tenn
 porary salvation-power and liberty to leave that room even-depended upon my |
 appearing unconscious of the robbers
 proximity.
 I got out of the library, and found my
 self in the sitting groom. A nasty glance at the door showed the key absent from the lock- wonder that this new revela-
 ton did not suffocate me. The man on
 the highway-the injured brother-Thom-
 as had betrayed us. He had overheard
 about the money. A robber was ill 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 was sure that heard faint
 creak of the library door at the far end of
 the long hall.
 One swift, despairing glance around me,
 one wild idea of escape, and l extinguished the light upon the table, and crouchlng in the fireplace, rested one foot upon the audiron, swung out the iron crane,
 stepped the other foot upon the strong
 support and rose up into the fiue. Some
 thing touched my head Thank God It
 was the rope with which the dislodged bricks had been hoisted out Grasping this carefully with my hands, held my self like wedge in the opening. If had
 envied large, noble looking woman before,
 I now had reason to be thankful for my diminutive form, and ninety odd pounds of avoirdupois.
 I had little time, however, to think of anything except the imminent danger of l knocking dwwn a fragment of brick or 7 mortar, and thus discovering my hiding place, for the clock began with sonorous l peals to strike eleven. Under cover of its
 echoes there were quick, soft steps in the
 hall, and the bolt of the outer door was 9 withdrawn. The huge fue must have act
 ed like telephone, for heard every sound 3 with fearful distinctness. First there was
 pause by the door of the sitting-room, 7 then breathing in it, then whispering.
 | I heard Thomas distinctly, when he u said : s ''She isn't here she's gone to bed; but
 the money is in the library" ] ''Be cautious," advised 8 strange voice, e 'sand we may not have to hurt her."
 They carefully retreated. and my heart
 struck off the seconds against my ribs ill 8 p way that was suffocating, for I kaew that i, their search would soon be over, and what 3 then? In less than five minutes they ) were whispering in the room again. 3 "Confeund her p aspirated Thomas : ssshe took the money with her." t ssThen we'll have it'' -- l The pause meant all that words could = convey The cold sweat was coming out
 of every pore of my body. The dust had l penetrated my m outh and nostrils, and 3 had to take one hand from the rope, and place finger upon my lips, to prevent 5 sneezing
 "Come, hurry" was the angry watch 5 word exchanged between them, and l 3 heard the stairs creaking as they ascended $ to my chamber. Thomas was familiar 7 with all the house.
 l Why did I not drop down and escape outside First, then, they had locked the 3 outer door and withdrawn the key, to pre- , vent surprise from without. Second, l there there might be third confederate D outside. But the most important reason e of all was, 1t seemed to me, that I never l could get out of the aperture that had al-
 uDWGu uO 0uUfauC0 lnUO GIlC Cu1u1u0ye l
 ran the risk of discovery and death in any !, case. Oh, why did not my father and his l companion return It might be hours 0 first.
 a They had found me absent from my
 chamber and adjoining rooms. They no
 longer used extreme caution. They hur- 6 ried from one apartment to the other. l l could feel the jar of moving furniture, and t closet doors were opened hastily. The
 upper part of the house was ransacked, r and they came down stairs upon the run. y Time was precious to them now. With
 direful oaths they rummaged the lower
 floors, and finally returned to the sitting I room.
 !, T saw the girl here last," said Thomas,
 moving with his lamp across the room, J. land here is the lamp on the table, ] ''She must have got out.'' D "No; watched for her, and every win e dow is fastened on the inside. Curse her
 she's witch P and baf1ied, they stood - and poured oaths after me. ''Id like to e catch her now" ..., ''Shall we search more ?" ? ssIts no use we've turned over every : thing under which mouse could hide. y : "What, then? Shall we waylay the old man and fix him ?"
 ''They haven't the money; it was left here.'
 l ''The cellar" suggested the voice. : Once more they dashed out, only to re- turn in hot haste now, for there was the 3 trot and rumble of horse and carriage on I the bridge between us and the city. g Stay" urged the stranger; ''trump up , up some kind of story, and we may secure
 the money yet.
 l 'sI would,' returned Thomas, 'but the } girls witch, and I am just as sure that r she IS somewhere near us all the time, and l would hand me over to justice 2 There was scamper outside, and the 5 sound of feet running toward the river l came down the wide mouth at the top of 3 the chimney. Father and Captain Bos- we'll drove into the yard and ran up to the f door just as the clock struck twelve. s ssThomas," called my father, in his ring ing tones, s'come and take care of the 3 horse.
 [ Receiving no response from his usual r punctual factotum, he sprang up the steps, : and uttered an exclamation of horror at l finding the door open.
 [ Boswell" !" said he, s'we certainly saw a ) light here when we came down the hill. /" "Quick, Jason,'' said the captain ]; t 'sthere has been foul play here" "Foul play? My poor little girl P 41 I,,% 41,o no4