The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-06-09

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that her mother was not wrong She took
the old wonan's shaking hand and led her
back TO her own room
I'VE must try my bell, mamma: we must
ring that The noiss win frighfen them
Try il, try itF7 the mother answered Sha
could hardly ariiculate, and the words cam.
from between her rnotionlss bps as II she had
not uttered them
But when Sophia tried her own bell the re
suit was simply that the wires pulled lightly
and no sound was made These, too, hal
been puS out of order
Il knew it,4 the old woman gsSr,ei ssThs
servants are in it, We shau both he muir
dered here, in this room.
And in truth the position was frishtful
enough. Their windows overlooked the
garden. and to open th,-Sse ami cry for helr
would have been not only vain. but NroukI
have added danger 10 danger. Mrs TenlpIe
had sunk upon the bed. and in the. PARALYSIS
of terror seemed to be losing Consciousness
and Sophia, although she tried 20 keep her
senses. fell as If she herself would swoor1
away.
There is nothing to he done,1 the old
woman sid we must wait till they come
and kill Us o, Sophia, Sophia can't YOU
do anything 20 save me-
1t was surprising to see how utterly pros
trated with fear the active energetic woman
had become III few moments And Sophia,
the quiet and delicate girl. was even now
growing more collected She remembered
that the former owner of the house had
erected in one wing a kind of belfrv. with a
bell c. souorous tongue hanging in it: for he
was nervous householder dwelling in fear
of thieves. The girls knew this belfry-So
they called it-well, and had more than once
runS the bell in the daytime in sport: and
now Sophia thought that il she were only
there, she might easily raise such an alarm
would effectually frighten away the rob
beFs. But how to reach the belfrv. The only
way was across the very han where the rob
bors were now at work. Sophia could not
make up her mind to go even step down the
stairs; and as 10 consulting her mother in her
present paralyzed state. that was altogether
useless Sheetood irresolute herself alruoS;
losing her senses with fear, but neither NOV
ing nor speaking until the oid woman called
out again:
sophia, Sophia can't YOU do anything to
save me-
This appeal had wholesome effect Nerv-
ing herself 10y an almost superhuman effort.
the brave girl replied,
Il win try, mamma; but YOU must stay
here.
Not alone, Sophia, she answered Il dare
not stay alone You shall not leave me ="
Il must. mamma she replied Il must
leave YOU. You can lock your door behind
me. ! don't think they viii come upstairs.
Quick follow me and lock the door
She stole out and her mother rose up and
went after her. just as Sue was going out
the old woman caught her hand again
sophia, you must not leave me; I shall
die before YOU come back
Lock the door Sophia whispered again.
And her mother heard her; for. as she stole
into thu dark passage, the door was softly
shut upon her and the key was turned
1t was a truly frightful position for the
girl. Nearly mad as she was with fear, she
Yet gathered up courage-how she knew not
to steal few steps down stairs. And now
the noises in the hall were quite audible. aud
again she was Just about to fly back and
take her chance in her own room with her
mother. just at this iuncture little bit of
courage seemed TO kindle in her breast. and
she waited a moment, and then stole three
steps down stairs. Here, at the turning. she
taw plainly that there was light in the hall
and somehow the sense that she was in the
darkness and the robbers in the light gave
her sensation Of returning security. She
listened, trembled, and then with shaking
flight She could distinctly hear the burglars
talking, and as one OF them gave a low,
brutal laugh she shuddered TO think what
wretches were near. Sophia always declared
that the next few steps she took unconsciously,
and that she only knew herself when she
found she was peering from the dark angle
of the stairs into the hall.
Three men were there. II was evident that
hey had mistaken an old oak chest which stood
against the wall for depository of valuables,
and this they We're now trying to force open.
They We're quite occupied for the moment,
and from her dark angle Sophia could plainly
observe their movements. II curious
that now when fear might altogether have
overcome her, she began to feel a renewal of
courage. She looked across the dark hall to
he passage on the other side which she
wished TO reach and she resolved while the
robbers We're still engaged upon the chest t.
make dart across. Several seconds sh ,
waited until she saw AN opportunity, and
while the men were trying to force the oakei
i'd she flew across the hall, and was in tht
passage on the other side, hidden from view,
But now, as she slowly groped her way
along the passage a new terror arose. What
if the belfry door should be lockedl The
room was never used, and it might well be
that the key had been taken away. The bare
idea so terrified her that she scarce dared to
creep TO the door, lest her fear should be veri-
fed. But there was no returning, and the
next moment She felt the door, and finding
the handle she turned it slowly, and to her un-
speakable joy the door opened at her touch
o, what a rush of relief she felt Her po-
sition might still be perilous; but the greatest
danger was past She crept round the wall,
feeling her way until her hands touched the
bell rope; and then, drawing a breath for the
effort, she pulled hard and fast, and immedi-
ately the iron tongue outside began TO answer
her back in tones that seemed to tell that she
was once again in communication with the
honest world outside, and need fear no more.
Stroke after stroke the bell sent its resonant
alarm out upon the midnight; and at each
note Sophia tugged with fresh energy, and
the faithful bell above seemed to grow more
vehement as she with gathering strength APP
Piled to it for help