The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1889-10-26

door opened, and the steps came into the
room. Darkness all around us, and my
terror of burglars almost an insanity, Ely
situation may be imagined.
"He's not asleep yet, a voice said, and
knew the speaker was our man-servant,
Robert. He always sits up o. Friday
night to count the money and sort it
out"
"sure he's got it," said strange
voice.
"Sure2 OF course I'm sure. Don't
I drive him over every Friday of his
blessed life to draw it out O bank"
"We can get it now, then. five knock
him on the head, there's only lot O.
women in the house"
"No," said Robert. "We'll get the
money, but I'm not hankerin' for rope
round my throat yet. Well wait awhile. !"
"Let's go outside and see if the light
is burning in his room yet"
Creeping softly, slowly they crossed the
hall to the kitchen, and lay almost IN
conscious, too much terrified to move. 1t
was some minutes later when a light
came across the room, striking the glass
of the clockface, and heard my grand
father say:
Him! I was mistaken! I thought
only one of 'em went to bed. That brat
is coddled to death! Sleeping down
here next!"
He poked about awhile, stirred up the
shawls on the sofa and went off, having
passed the entire time in muttering abuse
of my mother and myself.
"Let them steal his money!" I thought,
in guilty delight. "Let them knock
him on the head. Serves him right"
Then in the darkness I seemed to see
him with a great gaping wound in his
gray hair, and the blood streaming down
his face. Would 1 be hung, too, if the
men killed him2 I would have all his
money!
1t was terrible-was it not2-for a
child to hesitate, but did; and when l
crept out of the clock-case and went
softly up the stairs, fingered, half re-
solved to 90 to my mother and let the
robbers do their worst.
My timid knock was answered by a
snarling permission to enter. Before the
torrent of abuse l saw preparing was
uttered, l said;
"Grandfather, Robert and another
man are down stairs, waiting for you to
go to sleep to steal your money and kill
you!"
A grim look came into his face.
"That's nice lie" he said.
'.It is true! They came into the sit
ting room, and 1 was getting warm.
They did not see me, and they said they
would wait till you were asleep, because
Robert don't want to kill you"
"Highly considerate of Robert"
"You don't believe me-" said, shut
it is true. They are watching your win
dow now, to come in when your light is
out"
81 do believe you. Will you help me
to save my life and my money!"
Eyes" answered, afraid to refuse.
"They cannot jump from these win
dows, and there is only one door. In
going for the police, to Stockton. 1 car
slip down to the barn and saddle Jupiter
while they are at the front watching my
light. Will you stand close to the door
and as they creep in, will you shutit OF
them, and lock it9 Wait until you hea
me bark like dog, then blew out tn,
candle, stand close to the door, and tral
them. Can trust youl"
eyes! / will do it"
Cold as ice, my heart beating like
hammer, l saw my grandfather wrap Vi
for his cold ride, take the cash box out o
thereon, and go softly down the stairs
In one hand he held pistol.
sin case meet Them" he said.
But he did not. l could hear hi
stealthy steps cross the hall, creep through
the kitchen, and, after time that scenes