Western Kansas world., 1886-04-17


Miss Joyce was writing letters till late
hour and did not retire till after mid
night. It was some time after this be-
fore she dozed off into slumber. She
was always light sleeper. The least
noise seemed instantly to arose her, IN
into that drowsy, semi-consciousness
which usually precedes full awakening,
but at once into alert cognizance. And
on this particular night, when her nerves
were tensely strung by the rigor of the
storm, all her bodily senses seemed pre-
ternaturally acute.
How long she slept, whether minutes
or hours, she did not know, but she was
suddenly awakened by the sound of
something falling. And the impression
received by her in that second of time, as
the mind leaped from slumber to con-
sciousness, was so distinct and real. that
she could have taken oath on the Bible
that the sound she heard was that of
some metallic substance, dropping with
sharp ring IIpon hard floor. The
sound would have been dulled had it
fallen on the thick carpets of the rooms
Immediately adjacent. In the more re-
mote parts of the house distance would
also have deadeped the sound.
Her thought instantly flew to the wide
hall, covered with oil-clotb, into which
mothers room opened. The door of the
room had been left purposely ajar that
she might more readily hear if any one
called What metallic substance would
be likely to fall but the hall door key ?.
And she remembered distinctly, when
she locked the door during the evening,
to have turned the key to prevent that.
1t must therefore, have been returned
and pushed inward from the outside.
How swiftly the mind leaps from link to
link in the chain of cause and effect.
She threw on woolen wrapper and in
her stockinged feet glided noiselessly in
to the hall and laid her hand softly on
the lock; the key was gone! At the
same instant key was inserted from
without. Her heart stood still. Had
she forgotten the bolt9 Swiftly her hand
sought it. No, thank God ! The bolt
was drawn, and was both stout and
strong. But-Great Heavens they
were not to be foiled. Hist With brace
and bit they were boring perpendicular
holes parallel with and close to the lock,
through which the light from a dark
lantern made ghostly lines upon the
floor.
She took in the meaning of it all at once
and realized that they were working
with the rapidity and skill of experts.
Some natures are coolest in moments of
greatest peril By the time the last hole
was bored little Miss Joyce had decided
upon the only course left to her. She
wisely judged it best to leave the rest of
us undisturbed. The girl she knew to
be an arrant coward, and we boys were
too young to exercise the proper caution.
At all hazards the burglars (there prov
ed to be three of them must not know
that my father was away. The knowl-
edge of that fact would put us completely
at their mercy. She determined to face
the danger alone. She knew my father
had firearms, but where he kept them she
did not know, and besides there was no
time to procure them. Already the holes
had grown into an aperture large enough
for mans hand. And now the hand
itself-a white, shapely hand--had slip
ped through the silt, and was about to
reach for the bolt. Lifting silent
prayer for help, she grasped the hand
with quick jerk folded the wrist back
ward upon the edge of the aperture,
then threw her weight upon the hand.
There was a dull, sickening snap followed
by smothered groan and muttered
curses from outside. Then there was a
short, whispered parley, a slight struggle
and the sound of water dripping upon
the stone steps. Afterward silence reign
ed, and as time wore on the hand, that
was clutched about hers, grew cold as ice.
Good God! Had they-but the thought
which flashed upon her was SO awful that
for the first time in her life she tainted
dead away.
was awakened by vigorous pound
ings upon the front door. It was broad
daylight. Hastily slipping on my clothes
I descended to the hall and found Miss
Joyce on her knees leaning against the
door. spoke to her, but she did not
answer. Running out and around the
house, saw a sight that transfixed me
with horror. A young STRIPPING of a boy
far too young for SO vile trade-was
half reclining against the door with his
throat cut from ear to ear. He was covered
with blood, which yet trickled from the
wound and stood in little pools upon the
steps. The burglars could not take him
away with them and dared not run the
risk of leaving him. Dead men tell no
secrets. A neighbor passing by had seen
the strange sight and gave the alarm. I
motioned him to follow me into the house,
for I could not yet find my voice. We
lifted Miss Joyce-we had to pry her
hand from out the clutch of the dead one
and laid her on mothers bed and
rubbed ana bathed the poor, crumpled
hand. In short time she regained con-
sciousness, but was nervously prostrated
for several days. Very unexpectedly and
to our inexpressible relief my father came
home that forenoon. They had accom-
plished but a short part of their journey
when the impression came to him that he
ought to be at home. 1t finally grew so
strong upon him that he and mother
both decided that it was best for him to
return. When he learned of the tragic
events of the night, he just took Miss
Joyce in his arms and kissed her, while
his voice trembled with emotion, as he
said: