Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1886-07-13


forced. While her lips uttered pleasant
words her eyes gave them the lie. We
had q fair supper. during which she
bore the burden OF conversation. and Il
W. then seen that mus, remain
through the night. While the thunder
he'd passed away. the rain fell in steady
POUR, and the nigh, was +. black s tar.
She said the storm would delay her son.
bu, tha, he va, certain TO be home be-
fore midnish,. She cleared away the
table, sI down with some se-ins. and
asked me 80 many things about the out
side world that knew she had some
time lived ia better eifcum'tances aud
had been fairly well educated. She
gradually led the eon,era,ion back to
my vocation. and e.relss'ly remarked /"
she ben, over her s,sing:
"'One in your business should 20 well
armed
".P,rhap, some Of them DO | re-
Piled. though | have never seen occasion
fo' wesp)n. OF any sott.'
"'lf yoi-you wan,edio part with
yoaf revolver psrh,p, my soa would bay
il. lie !. very anx Gus to ''enre such
weapon
"Shs did no, dare look me in the face.
aud her hand. shook as she waited f1r
me TO reply.
"'My rvolser-hA! ha. I'm afraid
no one would Aee.p, the walking stick
in the corner over there for shooting
iron
"'Ba, You have knife. she persist.
ed, making . great efor, 10 raise her
eyes.
",Ye., this, I answered. H eS'
hibi,sd q poke, knife.
"rha, ended the converA,ion IN that
direction. From ,ha, momen, the wo'
man seemed very busy with her thoughts,
and Conversation Jagged. On tao or
three occasion. when addressed her she
started up in nervous way. aud asked
me 10 repea, the interrogation. A, ten
o'clock I ,ignifsd my desire to retire for
the night. She took candle and as
cended TO the loft. aud heard her pull
ing the bed.,esi about aud ,rsmpins
around The floor was Of undres'ed aud
unmatched boards. and the light OF her
candle could be pl.inly made out. When
.hs came dosn she handed me the can
die. anil hoped would sleep soaadly'
A, va, my inv,hAble custom. took my
pack along with me. And elimtsd the
ladder TO find myself in a long, low roon'
lighted by window a, either end Toe
bed va. a, the further end. aud The lossr
sash OF the wiado. VAS up It's full height
From the window 20 the bed ~a' dis
,anee Of abou, four feet. No,-iih','nd
ing ,h. rain. the chamber ~ss elo'e and
.uluy, and fof ,hi, reason the son.n
had raised the windo-. aud bf ,hi'
reason | lsf, It up. placed my pack
on m. ~, OF the bed. blew oii ihe
l,h,. and 49, down % ,hink The ~
os hal acted in q s4splci1us manttf,
and ye, there va. no'hing ~hen ! cane
TO ihink IL all oser. which really eon'
demned her. won't ADM, iha, ~a'
q biz alarmed, but found myself uenbl'
in, a, some unseen and undeaned dan.
ger. I, va. q curious popi,ion TO be
placed in-,o feel no fear. and ye, be
shaking a. II some terror was upon you.
| looked ou, Of the window. but the
nigh, was % black tha, made oai moth.
ins. I lighted match and looked
under the bed. which had q valance
around Il. bu, there wr no, even box
OF b..ke, hidden away.
"I think | sl, by the window full
hour before deciding to 20 TO bed. and
then simply pulled Oft my coat and
boots and lay down on the outside, fully
determined to lay awake for couple OF
hour. a, least. | had trusiy revolver
with me, and I fel, certain 10 my own
mind ,ha, any one who attacked me IN
an open manner would fnd me tough
customer. There WI. no movement
Whatever from below. The elo:k struck
eleven soon after 20, into bed. was
vide awake when il struck twelve. !
never Eel, les. inclined to sleep. but | had
certainly dozed off when noise al the
omen window aroused me. listened
until sure tha, some one or some thing
wa. there, and then | swung my legs oil
the bed to face around. As my feet
touched the door there was q flash OF fire
and loud report. and by the momeniary
ligh. | saw the head aud shoulders OF
man outside Of tbs window. had my
revolver in my hand and the flash OF his
we.pon had scarcely passed away when
gave him a bullet. | heard fall out.
side. aud as spfang to the ~indo"
fel, the ends OF ladder which had been
raised. /, wa, only then ,ha, kne~
hi. bulle, had hit me in the calf OF the
leg. though the exei,emen, kept the pain
.lmo,, .ubdued. gave the ladder
heave and heard /, 20 crashing down aud
then drew away from the window Tor
fear Of being fred on. Just then the
clock struck one.
There had been an attempt to muir
der me. Was the would.be-murderer
the widows .on' II not. the hnng
mus, have aroused her. and she should
have called oat. II 50. had l killed
him, Would II be safe for me to 20 down
stairs, Wouldn't the mother secure The
weapon and fire upon me as descended
the ladder, There Was no le,-uP to the
rain, nor did the darkness break away:
| decided to remain where ] Was until
daylight. providing I wa. lsit undi',ure.
ed. From ,ha, time until day broke
heard no sound to alarm me. sat In q
chair, revolver in hand. and the pain
from my wound making me erin9e; and
| II ever mortal man was glad to see the
darkness fade away !. was the person be-
fore you. The rain cel'ed about hall.
pas, two, but | made no a,,emp. to get
10 the window and look out until day
ligh, Was strong enough to enable me to
1.I sx \ .