The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-03-07

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as they appear to have since become.
"But the money will be quite safe in
your desk, won't it, John ?" asked Bessie.
"Safe enough without doubt, seeing
that no one but ourselves knows of tspres-
ence there Only, as matter of business,
| should prefer to have had it in the Golfers
of the bank" Presently he added: "The
old fellow was halfseas over, as he gener-
ally is; and | have no doubt, with so many
houses of call by the way, that he will be
soaked through and through before he
reaches home. | wonder whether he goes
to bed sober night in his life?"
A few minutes later John kissed us and
bade us good night Bessie and went to
the window to see him start; but by this
time it was nearly dark He waved his
whip at us as soon as he had settled in his
seat, then he gave the reins little shake.
Black Beryls heels struck fire from the
stones as she sprang forward, the gravel
scruuched beneath the wheels, and mo-
ment later the shadows of evening had
swallowed up horses and gig and driver.
My sister and | pulled down the blinds and
drew the curtains and rang for Kitty to
bring In the lamp
The evening passed after our usual quiet
fashion We worked little and read a
little, and played some half dozen duets,
and chatted between times, till the clock
pointed to 1890, at which hour we gener-
ally retired for the night. My last duty
every evening was to go the round Of the
house myself and satisfy that all the lights
were out, that the fires were safe, and that all
the doors and windows were properly Sc
cured. When this duty had been accom-
plished tonight the drawing room lamp was
extinguished, and then Bessie and | took
our bed candles and marched up stairs,
leaving darkness and solitude behind us.
Mary Gibbs and Kitty had retired long
ago.
My sisters room and mine adjoined each
other, with door of communication be-
tween, which generally stood partly open
at night for the sake of companionship.
The windows of both rooms looked into the
garden, which ran in wide strip along
that side of the house, and was shut in by
wall some seven or eight feet high, be-
yond which there were three or four mea-
dows, and then the boundary wall of Dor
rington Park.
It was close on l oclock-as | found
out afterward- / awoke suddenly
from a sound sleep. The instant l opened
nv eyes the room was illumined by vivid
flash of lightning, and it was in all proba-
bility peal of thunder that had broken my
slumbers. Another fash followed after a
brief interval succeeded again by the deaf
ening accompaniment. My sleep was eff
fectually broken I arose, flung shawl
hover nv shoulders, and, crossing to the
4 window, drew back the blind and peered
Tout. As long ago as | can remember
lightning has always had a singular fasci-
nation for me. As child | loved to gaze
upon its vivid splendors, and in this respect
4 at least years have left me unchanged. A
board creaked as [ crossed the floor.
eIs that you, Barbara p asked my sister
from the other room.
eyes, dear. am going to look out for
a few minutes. Is not the lightning beau
tiful ?"
+ every beautiful; only | wish it were
anywhere rather than here, answered Bes-
sic, who at such times was just as nervous
as | was the reverse.
The flashes followed each other at inter-
of about minute. | had witnessed three
or four when suddenly | gave start, and
an exclamation broke inyoluntarily from
nv lips The last fash had revealed to
me the figures of two men in the act OF
climbing over the garden wall. One of the
men was stranger to me; but in the other,
instantaneous as was the revelation, re-
cognized the somewhat peculiar face and
figure of man named Dethel, whom my
brother had employed temporarily during
the last week or two in the garden, our
regular man being laid up at the time with
rheumatism. There was something in the
looks of the man in question which had
set me against him from the first; but if we
were all to be judged by our looks alone
what would become of us? For aught
know to the contrary Dethel might be an
honest. Woodworking fellow, with wife
and children dependent on him; but for all
that on the days he was working for US
carefully refrained from going into the
garden.
And now, here was this man, and another
with him, efFcctiag surreptitious entry OF
the premises at l o'clock in the morning
Such procedure could have but one end
in view. Two questions at once put them
selves to me- Firstly, were these men
aware that my brother was from home fol
the night and that only three helpless wo.
men and girl were left in the house
Secondly, had they by some means become
cognizant of the fact that a few hours pre-
viously Mr.. Shillito had paid my brother q
considerable sum of money, which must
necessarily still be somewhere on the prem.
ises? In my mind there was little doubt
that both these facts were fully known tc
the men. Ny brothers movements were
as open as the day, and Dethel had doubt
less ascertained from Reuben, the groom
that his master would be from home on
this particular night; while as for Mr.
Shillito, everybody knew how he talked In
his loud-voiced way about his most private
affairs when he had taken more to drink
IMAM was SOOu l0S hiu. <AV ehO O"h VI
more than one tavern that evening, every
one who might chance to be within hear
ing would not fail to be informed that Mr.
Shillito had just paid John Waldron his
fyear's rent.
T These thoughts flashed through my
l,mind almost as quickly as that fash which
i revealed so much Breathlessly | waited
for the next flash. 1t came, shattering the
darkness for an instant, and then it, too
was swallowed up The men were nc
longer visible. Between the two flashes
they had had time to drop on the innel
side Of the WALL where the thick clumps OF
evergreens which clothed that part of the
grounds would effectually screen them from
view. At that very moment they were
doubtless making their way stealthily to-
ward the house What was to be done
Never had | realized so fully as at that
moment how helpless a creature woman
is. Drawing my shawl more closely around
me, and putting On pair of list slipper,
which [ wore about the house in cold
weather, crept noiselessly out of the room
At the top of the stairs | halted and lis
tened, but all was silence the most pro
found. The corridor out of which the
bed room opened was lighted at the oppo
ihsita and hy hioh narrow window. which