Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-01-02

N1OSSo AAN ttCSll " pCstt lEESNulSIlN-
The sensation was this-I felt that
was not alone.
OF course it was fancy, and what had
l to do with fancy2
determined to Danish this uncom-
Portable feeling from my mind. aud
stirring the fire 70 cheerful blaze, l
drew one of the black oak chairs near
it and sat down.
Warden had looked SO pale and fright
ened before she left me that. out of con-
sideration for her feelings, / had al
lowed her to leave the jewels which l
had worn that evening on the dressing
table.
There they lay = set Of very valuable
brllliantS. There was an old-faSaioned
mirror over the mantel-piece. and as |
sat by the fire | saw the reelection Of
my diamonds in the glass. As l no.
ticed their sparkle, again that strange
sensation returned; this time more
strongly, this time with 4 cod Shiver.
was not alone.
Who WAS in the tapestry chamber2
Was il the ghost? Was that story true,
after all7 OF course l did not believe
it. laughed aloud As the idea came
to me. lfelt that | was getting quite
silly and nervous. There was nothing
for me but TO get into bed Is quickly rs
possible.
was about to rise from my easy
chair and go over TO the old-fashioned
four-poSter, when again my attention
was attracted to the glass over my head.
1t was hung in such way as to reveal
Il large portion of the room, and now |
saw. not the diamonds, something
else.
In the folds Of the dim and old-world
tapestry | saw something move and
glitter. looked again; there was no
installing tit was an Eye, human
eye, looking tiNedly Mt me through y
hole in the canvas. Now | knew why
| felt that was not alone.
There was some one hidden between
the tapestry hangings and the wall Of
the chamber. Some one-not ghost.
That eye was human, or | had never
looked on human eve before. | was
alone with thief, perhaps with worse,
and gems of immense value lay within
his reach. | was absolutely alone. not
soul could hear the most agouized cry
Now | knew--if had ever doubted il
betore-that was a very brave woman.
The imminencc of the peril steadied
the nerves which few minutes before
We're beginning strangely to CULVER
neither started nor exclaimed. | felt
that | had in no way BETRAYED my
knowledge to my terrible guest. | sat
perfectly still. thinking out the situa-
ton and my chances of escape,
Nothing but consummate eooincss
could win the victory. resolved to be
very cool. With a fcrvent and passion
ate cry TO One above for succor, rose
from my chair. and going TO the dress
ing-table, l slipped several costly rings
OF my fingers. | left them scattered
carelessly about. | dcnudtu myself OF
all but my wedding ring.
Then | put the eNtinguiShcrS on the
candles-they were wax and stood in
massive silver candeStickS. The room,
however, was still brilliant with the
light of the fire on the hearth
rot into bed. laid my head ON the
pillow, and closed my eyes.
1t may have been ten minutes ii
seemed more like an hour to my strained
senses-before | heard the faintest
movement. Then discovered little
rustic behind the tapestry. and mau
got out. When he did SO | opened my
eyes wide; at that instant he could not
possibly see whether they were open OF
shut. He was powerful man of great
height and breadth. H had y black
beard and quantity of thick black
I. IL,
We're tolerably regular,
| also noticed another peculiarly
among his raven locks was one perfect
" white. One rather thick white locb
was flung back off his forehead Sc
white was it that the freight Instant,
revealed it to me.
The man did not glance toward tho
bed; he went straight, with no particu
larly quiet step, TO the dressing-table.
closed my eyes now, but | heard him
taking up my trinkets and drop ping
them again. Then he approached tho
bed side. / felt him come close; felt
his breath as he bent over me. wa,
/ lying on my side; my eyes were shut;
was breathing gently.
He went away again; he returned tC
the dressing table. | heard him rather
noisily strike q match then with ;
lighted candle in his hand he once
more approached the bed. This time
he bent very low indeed and felt the
heat of the flame as he passed it softly
before my closed eyes. ! lay still
however; not q movement, not hur-
ried breath, betrayed me-
/ heard him give short, satisfied
sigh. Again, candle in hand, he re
turned to the dressing-table. Once more
heard the clinking sound Of my trink.
cts as they fell through his fingers.
There was pause, and then for nc
reason that | could ever eXplain-hc
left the trinkets untouched on the table,
and went to the door.
He opened the door and went out.
did not know what he went for-per-
haps to fetch a companion, certainly TO
return-but [ did know that my OPP
portunity had come.
In an instant, quicker than thought
| had started from my feigned slum,
bers; was at the door. | had bolted
and locked it. There were several bolts
TO the oId-fashioned door, there were
even chains.
drew every bolt, | made every rusty
chain secure. | was not an instant too
soon. had scarcely fastened the last
chain, with fingers that trembled, be.
fore the thief returned.
He saw that he had been outwitted
and his savage anger knew no bounds
He kicked at the door, he called OH m'
wildly to open it; he assured me that
he had accomplices outside, that they
would soon burst the old door from it.
hinges, and my life would be the forfeit
To my terror / perceived that hi
words were no idle boast. The old
door, secured by its many fastenings on
the one side, was weak on the other
| its hinges were nearly eaten through
with rust; they needed but some yigor
Gus kicks 10 burst them from Their rest
ing places in the wood.
| knew that | was only protected FOL
few minutes; that even if the thief was
alone he had but to continue 10 assai
the door as vigorously as he was nov
doing for little longer TO gain fresl
entrance into my chamber.
| rushed to the window, | threw ur
the sash and bent half out. Into the
clear, calm air of the night ] sent my
strong young voice.
Help, help.-thieves. = iire,-dan.
gerl-help, help!'i
| shouted these words over and over,
but there was no response except an
Il = L.. s.,N< afgfa nj