Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1884-10-16

Gong INTO her room, | sat down on
the side of the bed, and told her every
thing in rs few words rs possible. She
was of somewhat timid and nervous
disposition, and my news vsibly affect
ed her, She sat up in bed, trembling
and clinging to my arm.
Perhaps" she whispered, "if we
lock our bedroom doors and keep very
quiet, they will go away without ccm-
ing near us
"Why, you goose, it's not US
they have come after, but Mr.. Shillito's
900" | answered.
"And there's poor mammals silver
tea service downstairs; | hope they
won't find that said Bessie.
hoped so too; but there is no iudg-
ing how much Dcthel had contrived to
ascertain respecting us and our affairs,
went to the corridor window again
and listened. The noise made by the
men was now plainly distinguishable.
1t seemed as if they were trying to file
or cut their way through some obstruc-
ton. After listening for few mo-
mcnts, went back to my room and
began almost mechanically to put on
4 few articles of clothing, asking my
self again and again rs did so whether
was not possible to do something
though what that something ought to
be knew no more than the man in
the moon. The nearest house was Il
quarter of mile away; and even if
could have stolen out uDnoticcd by
way of the front door, before | could
have reached the farm and brought
back help the burglars would have
effected their purpose and dccampcd.
Our pecuniary means at that time were
very Strengthened. For some time
back John had been paying of some
old family debts; and the loss Of the
600 which, as matter Of course he
would feel bound to make good
would be Il great blow to him. If
could only have got at the money, and
have hidden it where the burglars
would not he likely to lind it, l felt
that should have accomplished some
thing. But the bag WAS locked up in
Johns strong mahogany desk, and
was as utterly beyond my reach as if
it had been in the Golfers Of the Bank
of England while yet it could hardly
have been placed more conveniently
ready to the hands OF the thieves. To
them the strong mahogany desk would
seem a trIling obstacle indeed.
All this time, mctaphorically speak
ing, was wringing my hands, know
ing full well how precious were the
fast llccting moments, but only feeling
my helplcSsncSs the more | strOvc to
discern some loopholc of escape. Oh.
| the wretchCdncSs of such feeling! |
hope never to experience it again in
the same degree us | experienced it
that night.
The lightning, if not quite so vivid
as it had been a little while previously,
still came in as frequent flashes, and
by its light my sister and made a
hurried toilet. Our house stood lit
tie way back from the high road, from
which it was divided by Il tiny lawn
and a low screen of cyrrgrecns. Once
or twice in the course of the night one
of the mounted constabulary would
Iluo oloNly plSl "N Ht NtHl MS IouhuS'
but was without any knowledge as
to the particular time when he might
be expected, or whether, in fact, the
time at which he might be looked for
at any Specified point did not vary
from night TO night. Still there was
just a possibility that he might put in
IN appearance at any moment; so |
stationed BESSIE ut the window to keep
Il sharp lookout for him, and be in
readiness to raise an alarm the mo-
mcnt she heard the tramp of his
horses hoots. For once, in IL way,
the lightning was something to be
thankful for; each flash lighted up the
high road for a considerable distance
on both sides of the house.
When this was done, il seemed as if
everything had been done; and yet it
was next to nothing. With both hands
pressed to my eyes, | stood thinking,
as seemed never to have thought be-
fore. Then it was that-as sudden,
swift and startling rs one of those
flashes which were momentarily illum-
ining the outer world-an idea shot
through my brain for an instant or two
seemed to cause my heart to stand
still; and yet at the first blush it was
an idea that had about it something so