Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-03-02

not move the money, Edith: leave II in
'he alnlng-room where Give put it."
Certainly" she replied.
MIR. Graham left the room; presently
he returned. Edith still sat where he
mad left her. The tears were rnnnino
down her cheeks.
MI. Graham walked over to where
she sat.
Don't grieve, Edith, he said "see,
l have returned to voluntarily give
you this promise. If my business is
successful tonight I will never leave
you like this again." And bidding her
good-by once more, he left the house.
Left alone, Edith, thinking over
what he had said, felt her courage rise.
Never leave her like this again" It
seemed almost too good to be true.
Her spirits rose until mad joy seemed
to possess her, and going to the piano
she dashed off piece after piece of mar
tial music as some relief to her over
charged nerves.
As she was about to leave the room
| she took up the revolver. Every cham
Der was loaded; she could see the
pointed ends of the balls and the inno-
cent-looking copper shells.
II wonder if Art thought I wanted
to shoot some one, that he told me not
to fire unless absolutely obliged to-"
she unused. II wonder if I could hit
burglar, or if my hand has forgotten
its cunning. I'll try mark, I think.
OF course he meant not to shoot at any
one, and I shall probably not be
obliged to do that"
Their home stood in the midst of ex-
tensive grounds. Mrs. Graham was
soon upon the lawn. She walked to
within ten PAGES of the archery target
she had been using that day, raised the
revolver, and, taking careful aim,
pulled the trigger. There was no re-
port. Again and again she tried, with
the same result. What could it mean?
ut is fortunate that I tried it,, she
thought. II presume the cartridges
are poor. How annoyed Art will be.
[ must reload it."
Carefully she removed the cartridges,
noting that upon each she'll was tiny
dent that told to her practiced eye that
they had been used before. Taking
one up, she removed the ball and found
that the she'll was empty.
"What did that mean?" Woman-like
her first thought was of her husband.
Some one intended to attack him, and
obtaining possession of the revolver,
had taken this means of rendering it
useless. If she could but warn him;
but that was impossible. Then she
tried to comfort herself with the
thought that he would take the other
one of the brace which he seldom used,
and which was more apt to be freshly
loaded. Then after an hour or so try
ing to fix her attention upon book,
she looked to the fastenings of doors
and windows and retired to her own
room.
She did not retire, but, donning a
wrapper and slippers, threw herself
into an easy chair. The lights in the
buildings nearest their own went out one
by one; the roar Of the great city soft
ened to murmur that soothed her into
slumber.
It was just midnight when she awoke
with sick feeling of terror and perfect
consciousness in an instant.
Some one was at the dining-room
window near which she was sitting.
She thought OF Give, of his months
of patient toll and study to win the
money he had that day left in her care,
and with courage she would not 9TH
erwise have possessed, she took the re-
volver in her hand, and slipping softly
down the back stairs, concealed herself
behind the heavy curtains of an arch
way at the end of the dining-room.
Two men entered the room by means
of the window Their face we're con-
cealed by Grape masks.
One of them walked across the room
and fastened a door, it was the only
one in the lower part of the house
that communicated with the servants
apartments. The other man turned up
the gas.
"This is my last job of this sort, Joe, I"
said one, gruffly; "let us get it over as
soon as possible.
The man addressed as "Joe" turned
fiercely upon his companion. His
watchful eye had caught sight OF a
slippered foot below the heavy curtain.
"You have betrayed mel" he Missed.
The other paused but moment,
then he came straight toward her place
of concealment.
With a courage born of desperation
Mrs. Graham swept aside the heavy
curtains, and, presenting her revolver,
aimed full at the breast of the man ap-
preaching.
"One step nearer, and you die!" she