The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1884-11-21

Bessie has told me since that sh,
thought l had taken leave of my senses
Just as my toilet was completed, and a
1 turned and advanced toward her, an
other long quivering flash lighted uI
the room. A low shrek burst involun,
tarily from my sisters lips, and she
shrank away from me as though l was
something altogether uncanny.
so Barbara, dear, what is the mat
ter?" she cried. why do you frighten
me SOP"
at is not you 1 want to frighten, but
the men down stairs" 1 replied. Then
in a few hurried words, l told her my
plan.
She would have tried to dissuade me;
but there was no time to listen. Leav-
ing her there watching by the window,
ready to raise an alarm in case the
mounted constable should pass on his
round, l stole swiftly and noiselessly
down the carpeted staircase, and only
paused when l reached the corridor
below. / could hear a subdued muir
muir of voices, and a moment later l
was startled by the sound of falling
glass. The burglars had succeeded in
effecting an antrance. They and 1
were separated only by the drawing
room door, which, although locked,
was IN obstacle that very few minutes
would suffice to overcome. With an
i%ndrawing of my breath I sped quickly
past the door along the length of the
corridor until / reached the opposite
end, where there were two more doors,
one of them being that of my brothers.
office, which also vas locked, and from
the lock of which l now withdrew the
key. Ihave omitted to state that the
window of Johns Office was secured by
two stout bars, which was probably one
reason why the thieves had chosen to
effect an entrance at a point more read
lily adapted for their purpose. The Sc
cond door at the end of the corridor
shut off a short passage leading to the
kitchen. This door / succeeded in
opening without noise. 1 had decided
to take my stand a little way on the in
ner side of it, and there await the course
of events. By this time the men were
busily at work forcing the lock of the
drawing-room door. A thin thread of
light which shone from under, showed
that although the lightning was still as
frequent as before. they did not find it
sufficient for their purpose.
Scarcely breathing, l waited. l was
too excited. too wrought up, the ten
sion of my nerves was o extreme to
allow of any personal fear. 1t was all
terribly real, yet with a strange vague
sense of unreality underlying it. 1 felt
as if l should not have been surprised
had / woke up and found the whole af-
fair resolve itself into q dream, while
yet fully assured in my mind that
it was nothing of the kind.
Suddenly the noise at the door
ceased; the lock had been forced.
The thread of light disappeared; for a
few moments all vas silence, and the
most profound. Then arose a faint
creaking, which at any other time would
have been inaudible, that told me that
the drawing-room door was being
opened and that the crucial moment |
had come. / pressed one hand over
my heart, and for a few brief seconds
an almost overpowering longing seized
me to get back to my room at any cost
and lock myself within. But it was too
late; by this time the men were in the
corridor. 1 knew it, although l could
not see them.
Where's the door we want?" l heard
one whisper to the other.
"On the right-the first door we come
to-"
As they advanced a step, 1 did the
same.
what noise was thatp" asked one of
them quickly.
Don't be a fool; there was no noise"
81 tell you there was. Where's the
But the lightning was quicker than
the bulls eye. 1t came, smiling the
darkness and flooding the corridor with
The binding intensity Of its glare, Then
[ saw the men and the men saw me,
out the darkness had hidden us from
each other again before they had time
make sure that their eyes had not
deceived them.
One of them gave q gasp and whis-
oered to his master: "What was that
white thing at the end of the pas
iagep Seemed to me like a ghost"
"Ghost be dashed There amt no
iuch t~hings-here's the gGm. Wen
Don see what it is" AS he spoke, the
light of his bulls eye was turned full
lpon me.
1 advanced a couple of PAGES, and
he men fell back in speechless surprise
md terror. l have often tried since
picture to myself the appearance l
must have presented when seen at such
/ moment and by that uncertain light,
With my CHASTITY death Ike face, my
lilated eyes, my black, snake-like locks,
ny tall figure all in white, and with
me extended arm and finger pointed
at the men. cannot wonder at
heir fright.
At this ju%ncture came another flash,
md a terrible peal of thunder startled
he air and shook the house. At the
'ery instant, impelled thereto by some
hing within me that / was powerless
o control, / burst into a wild peal of
naniacal, bl~ood-curdling laughter. One
tep nearer 1 advanced; but that was
With a loud yell of terror,
he men turned and fled by the way
hey had come. / heard a crash of
battered glass; and after that l re-
rendered nothing more till | came to
ny senses to find Bessie supporting my