The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1888-11-08


I 70 left the lower d5orsopen but I Il
be very much OBLIGED if you 60 dowa
at about eight clock and close EN-.
And you necda' take light. TheEeu
DO one dowa there"
Mr.. S4ngster really promised 10
comply with tho request, and Mrs. Col
lins went away, hoping for what sho
considered "the ri yht results"
Meanwhile. poor Lucy Hideburn,
sitting at her piano, continued to draw
forth such melancholy strains that the
tears rolled down her cheeks.
a must go aw4y from hore," she said
half aloud. Il cant bear it much
loagcr; indeed, can't, seeing him day
after day, loving him as I do, and
knowing that matters can ucv.r be al
jlstcd between u. H is as prouI as l
---hut, oh, dear what am I thinking Or
1t wants jlst two minute, OF eight. I
must go down and close the furnace
doors"
Theroupon she lighted the lantern,
and preceded W. stairs.
U.h! What a cLiu draucht was
blowing ia through one of tho graf
ingS!
Add there were strange noises all
areu1A.
Lncys heart thunpoi so violently
ahc was tempted to turn and run up
stairs again.
Bat, goodness! The furnace was
drcadfuIly, dangerously hot.
Lucy summoned up all her resolution,
and. STOPPING down, closed the doors.
They swung to with blng, and
when she es,uyei to open them again
she found the effort beyond herstrength.
What was to be done in case of the
fire needing moro drau hit?
She might after a while find it nee.
essary to put on more coal, and that it
would be well to rut on more drautht.
But while she was debating with her =
self much more serious mishap &C.
Cured, for the inside Of the laAtcrn
suddenly achieved the most inexpiicable
somcr au.t, aad she was lett in utter
/ darkness.
Moreover, to complicatc the miscries
of her situation, she now heard steaIthy
footsteps descending the cellar stairs.
Poor Lucy stood quite still, with her
hands clasped together over her heart.
This was q burglar. undoubtedly. Ho
! had seen all the male inmates Of the
! hou going out and the lights lowered
and had thus chosen his opportunity to
/ come IN and conceal him eli in the Gel
lar.
The first idea that suggested itself to
her was to creep under the steps and
remain there un.il Ms. Collins return.
Ere she had time to do this, however,
! . mans form became visible in the dim
'mi-twili.ht that was shed from the
kitchen door above.
Lncy, with desperate instinct Of
SC i-pro<elvstion, put up both hands,
cxcl&,ming:
Have pity on mel Oh, have pity
and spare my li.cp
lyon thi, the lurglar drew back,
very much surprised.
Miss IIudeburnw he exclaimed, a:
he struck match. ''EYhat are yet
doing here, and how can serve you2
Now, poor Lucy completely unneryec
and dreadfuly ashamed of herse f, sal
down on a reversed coal scuttle and
burst into fit of wee ing,
Than NJ, Sangster kneIt dowa beside
her, and a confused interchange of ex
planatioas of various kinds ousued.
The result was that at tho expiration
of half an hour Mr.. Sangster tool
Lucy in his arms, aud kissing the tear
stained face murmuroi:
God bless you Cor this promise, m!
own darlinr."
When Mrs. Collins came homo tive
hours later the house was very quiet
the furnace in good order. and neither
Mr.. SanCstcr nor Ma Uiide0ura vi,i,
hle. But the following doy Lucy con
fdcd to her secret, and NJ. Sangste
ab,ented himself mysteriou< for abou
three weeks. After that Mss Hide
burn also disappeared.
"Gono to visit her aunt at Swath
more" Mrs. Collins explained to tn,
other boarIers.
But fortnight later the carrie
brought some wedding cards to the
house.
1T was ali brought about through
the furnace" said Mrs. Collins, with
cleeful chuckle.
But Miss Jane was infinitely disgusted
-[Chicago Journal