Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1888-10-27


illness. The two men-the strang ger
!ers-had indeed exhibitefL anv-
thing bat y easing countenances, and
poor Narcc!l:ne now began to repent her
sef that 7he had not accepted the kind
hunters olTcr
Haitian hour passed, and Lubin came
III from the Stable Marcellne, how
ever, said nothing to him Of what had
transpired but only requested him to
he III readiness to respond to her sum
mons in case she should have ocasion 10
cal him during the night The bov
then went 10 h bed, and once more the
maiden was left alone. Nothing broke
tie Stiffness o. the night save The blasts.
that howled among the Alps. and fot
La an hour longer She sat by the a-t
decaylng cnher~ in the fireplace The
maiden thought surely that if the
strangers mcd.tatel harm they would
ha { bee. this, on the move: and
with the throbh NJ Of her fcar-ladcn
bosom somcNh4t ultc, he rakel W
tmie upon tie nearth, eXtlnguished
the lamp hat hung above the bar, and
then taking her candle She started So1
hcr room y
lalceHiine Lad passed through the
narrow entry, assembled the tails and
had her Land upon the latch OF her own
doof, When i strange sound from the
room Of ubln arrested her attention
A first she thought that the boy might
be'talking IN his sleep, but tie sound OF
hu,tling feet drove that idea from her
m;nd and as tha idca flashed upon her
that the robbers Were astir she turnec
- fnl b,.tt no tno lay.
hardly had he turned toward the stairs.
when She wa, confronted by one Of hel
stranger guess.
DO you want anything, sir" asked
Narccllinc hardly oOn,clous of what
She uttered, bat using the phrase merely
from the force Of habit.
''les, pretty one, do" the man re
turned IL want AltIort's strong box
''Nercy. SIR, You would not rot
MS"
80, no not YOU. It's only lnose
LaubIes which elony to the convent that
We want; 50 bcstir yourself and show US
where they are.
II shall Shrek, sir. | shall cry out
for heip'' exclaimed Marccltire, as she
cssaycd to start for the stairs.
no. no, sweet one the VILLAIN re-
turned at lie same time laying a rough
sra~ y upon the mai tens arm and draw
lng a is.oI from his rocket. ~ our
stable boy is alrcady secured and we
Shall treat you IN the same way. Bat
mark ne, if you are quiet, and tell us
where the OK is hidden, no harm shall
come to you but if YOU do not>z'
The villain silently finished his SEN
tence By significantly raising his pistol
to the girls head, and a: that moment hc
was ;ointd by his companion, who hae1
| Just come from I.ub;n's room Marcel
/ l.ne 1T first thought Of resistance, bat she
! soon found that she could gain nothing
! by that, aud besides, the robbers not
! only threatened her fc, but they vowed
thtt they won.d trcaN III sunuer every
doorand Partition in the house til they
i found the box. ndcr these circum
stances, the GIRL thou .ht it best to rtyea
the Ii ding place OF the box, trusting,
however that somei hing might vet tur1
up to assist her ani accordingly she &c
tne Nat t. the bsrroom, back Of which
was a small apartment. Taking a key
from the money drawcr, she un 'ockcC
the door of the back room. and pointing
to Il Smal closet in the further corner
She sad
+. There, sirs, in that closet is tht
monks box, but my master has the key
III his own possession, and So, if vol
~oul open II, you must needs force th'
.ock >
"lou are ready With your wit. prett,
one sad one Of the ROBBERS, as he cas-
scrUtinizinr glance into lIarcclline
.ace i fear to trust you too far, s.
you mist excuse Us if we just secure vol
TIL ait 7 our oh is completed.
As the m1n spoke he led the girl bach
10 the bar Dom, and taking from hi
pocket a piece of Stput cord ho pro
cecded to lash her to ir She >toutl,
fr,i~tei, and even at .pted T. utter
cry, but napkin soon stopped he
nowcr ot utterance. after VIII ch he
hands wire lashci behind her, and ttD,
nc herself la~hcd to the chtir. Afte
:, the tobbcrs OK a few tool, from
me Of their >ac>s and proceeded at olc
% force the stout closet door
For a moment after Marceliine hat
oeen left alone she almost gave UP in de
'pair, but her waman'~ Wit came TO he
nd, aud a gleam of hope lighted up he
sountenan G From where the vii ain
he ba room. and after listening for
moment Or two 10 assure herself hat the
we're fairly busy. she moved her cha
1oi>clesSly towards a table, upon wh.cl
candle had been left burning. Rv con
'iicrahle ezertion she managed to &c
1oIa Of ihe candic,tick with her teeth
sad then carefully set it upon spon
hair. y moment more she listen i
ma then She turned her hack TO the can
lie n such manner a 10 bliar t.
outer cori INTO the b,aze It re .uire
lot halt mlnute 10 burn off the cor,
hat hal secuted her to her seat an
hen. bend ng over. Size took the bac
d tie char a her teeth and areful
: loEei i out 0 tie way. Then 81
: n-n'd aga and placed the cord tina
: 'oun3 her wrists in the h.a5c Th
ashln- burned ard = id h r H., Il
oHt with !. perfect s-lf devotion Ii
aerelcally w:th~ ool the pain, and in
ew moment. she vas free
Mar ellinc now brcathcl more frcsly