The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-05-28

my arm and the glass shivered on tho
floor. The old woman Rlared fercely
1T us. and without saying . word got
another glass OF liquor and handed IL
to me, and Is she turned her back /
thrust 1T dexterously into the fire.
Diana had gone out of the room for
q second. and when she came
back and glanced at the empty
goblet shudder of fear seemed to run
over her, which made me certain that
some poisonous drug had been added
to the liquor of which she was cognizant
and at the same time DESTROYS Of avert
ing the effects.
In little time / pretended to be
drowsy, and the old woman conducted
me up through trap-door to an attic
apparently above the room we had
just left. tunbled down all in heap
on the floor and pretended to snore
loudly, while she fastened down to
Diana, and / heard them speaking to-
gether in low tones. / heard the old
wretch whisper:
"You go up and do it, for you are
stronger than /, and he might struggle
in his sleep"
II will not" 1 heard Diana answer,
fiercely. Il am tired of the work, and
intend to quit as soon as chance
Offers"
"You do, do your" heard the old
woman croak, tauntingly. Il will re-
port you tonight to the Captain"
More whispering then ensued, and 1
heard Diana leave the house. 1 was
prepared if any of them had come, but,
being very tired with my journey, I
found myself gradually dropping off to
sleep and then suddenly waking up and
listening, until, finally, stopped listen
ing altogether and went off into nap
as sound as that of any of the Seven
Sleepers.
was suddenly awakened by scream
loud and piercing. All was dark and
silent around me, and at first
L thought it must be a
dream. My heart beat with such
wild, heavy thuds at the sudden awak-
ing as nearly to choke me to suffoca-
ti6h. Then another fainter scream
came, and groans, followed by several
dull, heavy blows, and then all was
silent. 1 CROPPED my way to the little
trap-door entrance and climbed stealth
lily down, and then paused for one in
slant at the door of the room from
whence the sounds had apparently came.
l heard q stealthy movement within,
and, opening the door softly, / stepped
inside, and saw man kneeling by an
open trap-door in the floor. In Sec
ond he had disappeared, and as crept
up to the place and peered down after
him, my head reeled with the sights
that l saw. BY the light of dim can
die that he carried / could see him,
hastily thrusting away treasures in an
old bag that he carried. He would
listen intently every second and then
open some fresh box, and the watches,
and the rings, and the diamonds chat
glittered and flashed in the pale light
were things that in my widest dreams
l had not imagined.
/ incautiously drew deep breath,
and he stopped short and listened in
tently. Then muttering to himself
something about making sure of hav-
ing finished up the old woman" he
slowly assembled the ladder, dragging
his heavy bag up after him.
had drawn back in the darkness,
for he carried the only light
there had been in the room,
and as he stepped out on
the floor 1 dealt him a stunning blow
on the head, and with an execration and
a howl of pain he sank motionless.
The bag that he carried rolled back
down into the cellar, and also the light,
and the trap door noiselessly moved
back into into its place. All was now
Egyptian darkness around me, darkness
breathing with horror. and with beat
ing heart drew out my matches and
struck light, and the first object on
which the light flashed was the old
woman of the previous night, lying
dead on the hearth with cash in her
head.
Doubtless, this man, motionless at
my feet, was one of the band. and had
murdered her, with the intention of
robbing the others, and deserving with
the plumber.
l pushed him with my foot and he
groaned, and tying his hands together
L dragged him to the trap-door, intend
ing to open it, if possible, roll him
down. take out the bag he had put up,
get my horse and gallop for dear life.
"Man proposes, but the good God
disposes," and before 1 had finished
opening the door, the catch of which /
found very difficult, heard gallop-
ing of horses, loud voices and oaths,
and several fierce-looking men burst
into the room, each bearing a large
torch in his hand, and each with bull
bat plume in his hat. / was siezed and
bound, and with curses and vows of
vengeance told to prepare for death, as
in ten minutes would be dead and
buried.
The man whom had stunned here
revived, and related to the fierce crew
how 1 had killed the mother of their
leader, had gathered together bag of
their treasures, which bag he offered to
descend and procure for their inspec-
ton, and, finally, on his arrival had
nearly killed him.
In vain it was that protested; there
were only shouts and curses when en-
deavored tn speak, and cries of take
him away" One grim, dark man adj
vanced from the group, and touching
/ L 4 r. 4