Thomas County cat., 1886-08-19

cleared, we sat by tho Gneae lamp.
and according to our custom, l re-
lated to him all the incidents that had
happened at home during the day. At
last we said goodnight Ny room was
between mothers and Caleb's Kwas
asleep in less than ten minutes. but
Caleb (as he told me afterward) was not
able to sleep Immediately. and without
undressing, sat down to read . paper.
He also told me atterward that the
alarm of which am about to speak
occurred a few minutes before twelve.
and that it was a crash, like the fall of
something in the library. l heard no
alarm of that kind What did hear.
what every body in the house heard.
was the report of pistol. Every
body but poor mother; an opiate had
made her sleep heavy, and she was
mercifully spared any knowledge of
the dreadful occurrence. She had to
know of Caleb's injury-and here am
necessarily getting in advance of my
story. l awOke with a shock. The re-
port, coming in the silence of mid
night. sounded in my ears louder than
thunder. l heard scream from the
room of one of the servants-another-
chorus of them: and without a
thought of danger. l jumped from the
bel and ran down to the library in my
night-drcss.
Caleb was leaning against the sccre-
tary, clasping his left arm above the
elbow with his right hand. The hand
lamp was on the window-seat; the next
window. opening on the piazza, with
its shutters. was swung wide open, and
at Caleb's feet was the little drawer
from the secretary. | looked at his
face, and became speechless with fear;
it was SO wild, SO pallid with anguish,
that it seemed the face of some Other
than Caleb. The sight of scared
women peering over my shoulders, cry
ing and screaming. aroused HIM.
''Be still!' he commanded. fiercely.
There's no danger now. l tell YOU"
There was loud peel of the door
bell, and then a double knock.
I'm the Policeman came from the
outside. whats the matter?"
Caleb went Immediately to the front
door.
There's nothing the matter" he
said. mo trouble at all; women
frightened for nothing"
Thought heard a pistol"
Caleb turned from the door, held
the lamb now; he came few steps
toward me in an unsteady way, and
then fell in a faint on the floor. l kept
my senses, if none of the rest did. l
opened the door, called the policeman
back, got him to help us take Caleb up
stairs, and then despatched him for the
doctor. The latter came, and Caleb,
now conscious and appearing more
like himself, declared that his hurt was
mere scratch. 1t was not serious,
the doctor said, after examination; q
superficial flesh-wound in the arm.
More policemen came, with captain
among them, and inspecting the open
window, they found that a part of the
shutter had been cut away, and large
circular piece removed from the pane
with diamond, so that hand could
be inserted and the catch pushed back.
The drawer on the floor was empty.
The police captain was anxious to learn
the details of the burglary immediate
ly, and as the doctor allowed Caleb to
talk. his story was 1T once told.
He was reading in his room. So
noiseless was the entry of the burglar
into the library that he heard nothing
Of it; he was alarmed by noise, which
it now appeared must have been the
fall of the drawer to the floor, as it was
drawn out too far. He snatchcd
loaded pistol from shelf where he al
ways kept it, and descended the stairs
in his stockings. The burglar was
standing motionless, with the drawer
in his hands, as though waiting to see
if the noise had caused any alarm. He
was masked. He fired pistol at Caleb
and rushed to the window, and that
was about all the latter could tell about
it Any thing in the drawer? the cap
tain wanted to know. Yes; a pocket
book, with one hundred and twenty
five dollars, which was gone. Why
didn't Mr. Maytham shoot, too?
Caleb passed his hand over his face,
as though he wished to shut out the
ugly sight. Caleb did not like to talk
about the affair at all, and abruptly
changed the subject when referred to
it; so it came To be as a sealed book
uctWtel us. Anu lOT Wnllc longer
our old life went on as usual.
For while longer; but the ten years
that are numbered between these two
parts of my history wrought many
changes. Mothers sufferings were
over; she had now been sleeping by
fathers side four years. Nv governess
and maid had long been discharged;
my school-days were over, and-well,
to make long story short, had been
married a few months, and Dick
that's my husband-and l kept house
with Bachelor Caleb. No other ar
rangement than this would my brother
consent to: and as it suited both of the
other parties, l may say that it ar
ranged itself.
On chill evening in October, Dick
and l were waiting for Caleb He was
more than an hour late when we heard
his ring. ran to the door and opened
it-and started back. There was Caleb,
and there were two other men support
ing third between them.
''Regy.' said my brother. "call the
housekeeper, and have her bring a
light You stay in the dining-room. l
will explain presently"
He spoke in the quick, direct way
that I navar tbouUht IF o,,o-,;on;nn