The Penn's Grove record., 1886-01-30

by Inc Turn, anu, SllpplDp out
through a very small apeSure-for !
was afraid the door might creek If
opened widely | got safely to where
Charley stood. He had not heard me
move. and he started when he saw me.
what a splendid ghost you make,
Babl You really half scared mel' he
said.
"Oh, Charley" l whispered anxious
ly, did you hear what the wretches
said about the diamonds2 What can
we doP Do let me call Markham"
TITS no good now, dear-lt's too
late. Never fear though. They shall
not pass me, even if they try, which l
doubt if they will when they see me-.
AT any rate, l can defend myself-look
heIe;" and he drew a pistol from some
part of his clothing.
"Oh, Charley, don't kill them-pray
don't''
mot l, dear. Even if fire, l shall
take care only to disable them. Don
stay if you are frightened, pet. .
can easily get away now. Hark how
merry those fellows arei'-as bursts of
smothered laughter came from the
pantry.
AS if l would leave him to face the
danger alOnel But that vas Charley all
over. He never thought of himself.
"Of course l shall not leave you,
Charley" 1 answered.
Every well; then go back to your
post. You will judge what IS the
proper time to show yourself.
l obeyed, and had only just reached
my hiding place when the pantry door
was once more opened, and out came a
most misunderstanding man, followed by
Jane. She looked back to say
''Put out the gas; we don't want it
now, anil it will be safer"
The man was a step or two in advance
of Jane beyond the door ofmy staircase
What attracted her attention will never
be known, but she glanced at the stair
case of the western wing, and through
the partially opened door caught sight
of me, as | stood with a faint light
shining upon me from the lamp which
was on the stairs behind me in the place
where l put it when / went to Charley.
With a s~lnothered shrek she staggered
back against the wall. Her companion
turned upon her with a savage oath.
"Come on there" he growled, "or
it Will be worse for you! What are you
stopping for2"
tits the ghostl" she moaned.
"GhostP Gammonl Ghost or no ghost
you'll take me to find them di'monds.
Come, look aliyel'
And, roughly Selling her arm, he be
gan to drag her to the other staircase,
without looking in my direction But
somehow just then the keys | held in
conformity with my ghostly character
jingled, probably because | was tIembl'
ing with cold and fright combined. The
sound arrested the mans attention.
Dropping James arm, he turned towards
the western staircase, and at the same
moment the other two came to the pam
try door which faced me.
With the courage born of despair,
came gliding down the staircase with
out making a sound, thanks to my
woollen boots. For n second the
men glared at me as though paralysed,
while Jane, in a hOarSe voice, said
tits the ghost of the west wingl'
81 hain't afraid of ghosts!'' said
James tyrant, with a terrible oath.
dead men tell no tales" he added
significantly; and there was murder in
his face.
l felt as if l should die; but a sound
from the other staircase caused all eyes
to turn towards it as l reached the
bottom stair. There was a yell or hor-
ror. and, dropping everything they
carried, away the men flew, helter-
SHELTER, with Charley after them in full
chase.
Away they went, through one cellar
into the other, which opened into 1.-THE
wilderness" A rush of cold air told
me that one at any rate, had reached
the door. Jane, apparently paralysed
by fear. could not get away so fast as
the men. With a piteous cry, tom,
help mel" she seized the coat of the
man who had been so rough to her.
But the ruiian shook her of, and she
fell to the ground with a wild scream
as Charley rushed past her. Then came
the report of a pistol, followed by a
groan, as the last man disappeared in
the darkness outside.
l had Joined Charley in the cellar by
this time.
"I've winged one OF the wretches, :
he said, $50 1 dare say he will be caught
But l don't care much how it is, as the
booty Is saved. We have got this wc'
man too. | dare say she will turn
Queens evidence. l must get these
toys off-they are so hot"
AS he spoke he slung of part OF his
hideous disguise. appearing in a cool
costume of shirt sleeves. Then he
looked about for some rope, saying he
would tie the woman's arms and legs
lest she should escape.
The wretched creature lay as she fel
neither speaking nor moving Thought
she was probably too frightened t
speak which was hardly TO be wondered
at. She must by this time have dis.
covered that We were flesh and blood
but she was in al awkward position
Charley found some rope, and bound
James wrists and ankles. She made
no resistance, but kept quite still.
"Don't leave her here, Charley"
urged; sit is so fearfully cold. She viii
be safe in the kitchen"
"All right; l don't wish to be cruel
though she does not deserve any mercy
he said; and he lifted her and carried
her along the passage to the kitchen.
There we found the gas alight, and
there was a blazing fire, with kettles
singing merrily. On the table wert
preparations for a sumptuous repa5t.
SWELL" CALCULATED Charley, "t eyel
heard of anything SO cool as this.
How baked the fellows must feel, hav'
ing lost their support"
. At this idea we laughed merrily. Bu'
our laughter died away when we glanc-
ed at Jane's face. She was positively
CHASTITY, with a livld look had never
seen before, aud evidently insensible.
''Good heavens Charley cried, a.
he looked first at me, and then at Jane
whom he had lad upon the hearth-rug
in front of the fire.
"What is it, Charley Tell mel"
urged.
II think she's deadl" he said hus
k ly.
"Oh, C~harleyI" I waited a moment,
then asked. "Did you shoot her2"
"No, no; l did not fire till l had
passed her. l hit one of the men in the
leg, but that was all"