The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1886-12-25

Ohe stormy night, about week after
that, John went off TO his work as usual.
felt kind of nervous some way, though |
couldn't tell why Tfelt so. I've wondered,
good many times since then, If didn't
have sort of presentiment of what was
going 10 happen. But made up my mind
that II was the storm and the wird that
kept bowling round the house that made
me feel so, and didn't say word to John
about II.
The child, there, was about two years
old then. l told her stories for an hour or
two, and then when she begun to feel
sleepy, sung to her,an It wasn't long be-
tore she was tucked up In bed, fast asleep
Then got my knitting and sat down by
the fire, and worked until the clock struck
nine. By that time was sleepy and con-
cluded I'd go to bed, too.
must have slept about three hours, for
when woke up the big clock on the city
hall was striking midnight.
As lay there. listening to the clock. I
heard step in the hall. The first thought
that came to me was that something had
happened at the factory aud that John had
come home. But as the steps came near
the door knew they were not Johns.
was wide awake in minute, and the won
der is that | didn't get up at once. At
first thought would, and then thought
perhaps it would be better to keep still and
see what was going to happen, Getting
up and rushing out into the other room
wouldn't help matters any, and il might
make them good deal worse.
The steps came to the kitchen door and
then paused. Then heard the door open
softly,and some one came into the kitchen.
The door between the kitchen and bed
room was open trife, and as | looked out
l saw man with lantern in his hand.
He stood there listening.
You can well believe l was frightened.
didn't dare to stir or scream. | Just lay
still and looked out of the least little bit of
crack in my eyelids. / knew the man as
soon as l got good look at his face. He
was great, burly fellow, who had been
hand IN the factory some time back. /
had heard John say that lie had been dis
charged because the proprietors thought he
stole.
He stood there less than a minute,
suppose, but it seemed to me that it was
more than an hour. Then he came toward
the bedroom. He pushed the door open
softly and looked in, holding up his lam
tern that he might see through the OPEN
ing. shut my eyes tight then. He stood
there and watched me for time, with the
light shining full in my face. 1t was terri
bic, terrible. / didn't dare to move
muscle, l was in agony for fear the baby
would wake up. felt sure then, and do
now, tht he would have killed me if lie had
thought was awake. You can't have any
idea what l suffered as lay there. 1t
seemed to me that lite just depended on
my keeping still, and to keep still under
such circumstances was pretty hard thing
to do. l don't pretend to say that L m
more courageous than lots of other women,
but | don't believe you can find many who
would brave it out in that kind of danger
better than did
BY and by he seemed satisfied that was
asleep, and turned away from the bedroom
door, leaving it wide open. l saw him go
over to the old blue chest, and knew then
what he was after.
l breathed easier when his back was
l didn't dare to stir, though, but
just lay there with my eyes open and
watched him. l saw him take big bunch |
of keys ont of his pocket and try several
before he found one that fitted the lock of |
the chest. Pretty soon he found one that |
would open ii. He turned the cover back !
against the wall, and went to rummaging
about in the till for the money that was
covered up with some old cloth and papers.
1t wasn't long before he fund it, and after
making sure it was what he was after, he
put it in his pocket and shut up the chest.
You can't imagine how l felt when
knew that poor Ben Green was likely to
ose his money. He had worked so hard
'or it, and depended so much on it to help
MIN get home, that losing it would be
ike death to him. wouldn't have felt SO
BAD If 1t had been our own, Pm sure.
When he had closed the chest he took
Up his lantern and came back to the bed
'oom door and looked at me again, to
make sure, | suppose, that was asleep. |
hut my eyes again, and deceived him as /
lad before. Then he went into the hall,
'ut instead of going toward the front door,
lie went the other way, and heard him
'pen the door into the cellarway. Like
lash ii came to ME that l could trap him
was quick enough. | never stopped to
hink about what might happen-all
hought about was saving poor Ben's mon
". got out of bed, slipped into the hall,
nd was close behind him, as he stood
ooking down into the darkness. In less
ime than ittakes to tell it'll sprang against I
lin with every bit Of the strength there .
vas in me, and he went tumblng headlong
lown the stairs. Then l swung the door
hut, slipped the bolt into its place, and he
vas my prisoner. l knew he couldn't get
'ut of the cellar unless he came through
he door, for il was walled up with stone.
nd felt pretty sure of that door, for if
QUILL look at it, you'll see that it's thick
md heavy.
Dear me! How the man did rave and
wear. 1t made my blood run cold TO hear
lin. But l didn't stop 10 listen long. /
Tipped on my Dress took the baby and
wrapped her up in shawl, and started for
he nearest neighbours for help. got a boy
o go TO the factory fof John, and the
leighbor and ] went back TO the house.
The man was trying to beat the door down
With something he had found in the cellar,