The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-09-04

was Shoi1S "iVci Waius sHoWn up
stairs.
1t was close, sultry night. l blew
my candle out, and, seating myself in
chair by the window, began to think
what l should do next. The absorbing
purpose that had guided me thus far
was only intensified by the information
--meagre as it was-that l had already
CLEANED. For aught l knew my land
lord might have a personal motive for
suspccting his guest into which had
no right to inquire; motives of this
kind, as my subsequent experience
taught me, being by no means uncom-
mon where criminals are concerned.
For while / waited and watched
undisturbed. At intervals l dis,in.
guished old Browns voice, talking
cheerfully to his niece, and presently
the noise of the window shutter being
moved, sounded gratingly - then
ceased. Light footsteps pattered up
the stairs, and gradually died away.
The silence that followed was so in.
tense that l could hear the very rust.
ling of the leaves outside as they
stirred in the breeze.
Too hot and restless to think of ly-
ing down, l remained at my post,
moodily doubling whether the trouble
| had taken was likely to be of much
use to me in the end. An hour or
more might have passed thus, when l
was startled by sudden, stealthy
sound below.
l got up, and gliding into the pass.
age, looked over the head of the
stairs.
There, seen dimly by the flickering
CLEAN of the candle which she held in
her hand, / recognized-Janet! On
her head she wore loose hood of the
same color as her dress. Almost at
the same moment the light was extn-
gushed, and l heard the opening and
closing of the house door.
was SO surprised by her unexpected
appearance that for an instant hest.
tated whether to alarm old Brown or
to take the affair into my own hands.
Deciding on the latter course, as by
far the better of the two, l sna,ched
up my hat and hurried after her.
1t was darker than ever, and as |
looked up the road l could just dis
Germ her figure some distance ahead of
me. Then my misgivings vanished
like a dream. The instant before I
had suspected there was something
wrong; now / was certain of it. She
had evidently purpose in this expedi-
ton, of which her uncle knew nothing,
and l determined to discover what that
purpose was.
Mine was no easy task. | dared not
let Der get too far in advance in the
darkness, for fear of losing her alto
gether, and kept so close at her heels,
that had she turned she must have dis
covered me. Fortunately, she never
paused to look back, but kept straight
on, and after following her for some
minutes, l came in sight of the black
tower of the church, set stark against
the night sky.
She stopped at the churchyard gate,
and was presently joined by man
who had evidently been waiting for her
close by. l could not see his face, but
he seemed to be OF powerful build, and
in the very prime of life. Creeping
by the side of the he'd dge that bordered
the road, I approached nearer and
nearer till l was opposite to them, and
could hear every word.
"Well, Janet" said the man, "the
first and most important question, my
dear, is - have you brought the
money ?"
"No."
"No? But you promised me you
would, and this is the third time have
waited for it in order to take YOU to
London, where we can be married with
out any fuss, and without any ones
being bit the wiser. l begin to
think your bodys bigger than your
heart, my girl. Beside, what the
deuce does it matter? The old mans
money will belong to you by,and-by
you know; so, if it comes to that, you
are only helping yourself to your own,
and the sooner the better"
l saw Janet's head droop; she laid
her hand on his arm as if to deprecate
his anger.
81 would have brought it, she fall
tered, "but l could not. Only have
patience and wait till tomorrow
There's stranger staying at uncle's,
and l was afraid he might hear me if l
tried to get it tonight"
| Ah,' he retorted. "What does the
fellow want, / wonder?'
II don't know" answered Janet
"but frem what l have saw of him
think it is likely he's come about the
robbery"
| l had never taken my eyes off the
man, and watched him now as he
pulled out his handkerchief and wiped
his forehead with it. Perhaps the
heat was little too much for him.
sand, oh, George" she continued
earnestly, Il am always troubled and
uneasy when l think about that,
never doubted you, but | know yor
were badly off when you first came tt
our place, indeed you told me so your
self, if you remember. l don't know
how it is, either, but I'm afraid uncle
suspects you, though he says nothing
to me about it. If You would only
trust me, dear, we might manage some
how to send the money back to tn,
rector | know you would never d,
such a thing again. 1t breaks m,
heart even to think of it."
Poor Janet, very much affected, pu
her arms round his neck and fairl
wept aloud. / had not moved a ste
from my covert, but my blood turne,
to fever heat and my hand wandere
involuntarily to the breastpocket of m
coat and felt for the weapon that / ha
hidden there. For it needed not tn
mans quick start, it needed not tn
tears of the miserable girl to tell m
the truth. Here was the churc
where the robbery had been committe
and here, not stones throw away
smiling and unconcerned, was the rol
Der himself
l drew back under tho hedge to r,
v gain my composure, In view of tn
, new revelation, all minor consideration