Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1890-09-13

band, the Baron Won Rhaden, ought to
be lying on shelf in the dining-room,
but she was not quito sure.
"If it is there, and / could only get
it." sac thought, ~ sboL Il not mind. I"
While she was rejecting knock was
heard on the door of the room. She saw
the dark man instantly draw back into
the cupboard and close 1t after him.
She felt relieved that those two horri
BILE eyes were taken off her; they seemed
to pierce her like daggers.
"Come in" she said. Tho maid en-
tered.
''I thought you had gone to bed" OBJ
served Mime. Lucca, in a tone of un-
concern.
~ was going, please your ladyship;
but I-I--thought you might perhaps
want something"
II told you would be my own lady's
maid tonight. No, the only thing
want is to stretch my limbs little,
for they are cramped from long sitting"
Speaking thus, Nine Lucca arose with
an air of admirably acted Indifference
and took q turn or two across the room,
passing close to the cupboard as she did
81. pHc dlJcEWuCuS ubGldIeu Suo
thought she could hear the man
breathe in his place. He, on his part,
might have heard her heart beat she
said, when on looking at the keyhole
she found that tho key had been re-
moved. She was foiled in her plan,
which had been to lock him in. Still,
| her presence of mind did not desert
her.
"Ah, dear me.' she said, yawning, 81
feel very sleepy"
"Sleopy, your ladyship l wish did,"
replied tho maid. II don't feel sleepy
l am too frightened.
Enlightened! What are you frightened
of, you foolish girl? Nonsense" replied
Nine. Lucca.
"Oh! begging your ladyship's pardon,
it is not nonsense, and that's just it
How can you be sure that some villain,
some good-for-nothing fellow, hearing
that you and are alone in the house,
may not murder us in or beds? But he
shan't murder me in mine; for, with
your ladyship's permission, will sit up
all night in your ladyships easy chair. F"
Nine. Pauline Lucca glanced at the
cupboard.
1ter DlOOu ran cold.
| She dared not give her maid the
slightest hint of the real state of mat
tors: she felt that the girl would go into
fl then and there, and thus bring on
a crisis.
Scarcely knowing what she was doing,
Nine. Lucca replied at random:
Murder US? What for?"
"What for your ladyship? Why, for
your money-for your jewels, to be sure;
nearly everybody knows that you have
plenty of them"
The girl must have been unconscious
ly sharpening, so to speak, the knife by
| which she and her mistress were doomed
| to die.
"What absurdityH' said Nine. Lucca,
with forced laugh.
AS she spoke her eyes wandered from
the keyhole of the dreaded cupboard to
that of the adjoining room. In the lat
ter there was a key. Her face flushed,
and smile, as it were, of proud in
spirat ion lighted up, though only for a
second.
"Jewels?" she replied. "Why, every
one with particle of sense mHst know
that l would not take them about with
me as a rule. They, of course, are safe
under lock and key at Berlin. 1t is a
strange thing, though, that to-day is
an exception. expected the Countess
Won WartensteiB TO call, and / Brought
down all the jewels presented To me at
my last visit to 81 Petersburg 10 show
her."
"Your ladyship did! Oh, but .0ppos-
ing q thief"
well, if thief did know it heoight
easily make his fortune" she observed,
interzupting her companion.
''BJ numbering Us, and running off
with the jewels"
Nine Lucca glanced at the cupboard;
then Jaising her voare. she contiEused:
"OhE there would be no necessity for
murder. The door which leads, from
that room to the gaoden is unlocked; I
forget 10 lock it. - thief would mere
ly have to walk in frosn the garden and
take nay jewel case from the tablb near
the window. He might make tbs es-
cape nioher by 60,0G0 or 10000 tfialers,
and never be deteated. That's. better
than wandering peaple, is it nots"
''0h, yes-your lhdyship. iand he
might get over to- England or Amer
ica.''
Nothing easier, replied Nine. Lucca.
However, that reminds me. may as
we'll Ioek the door lsading into Inc gar
den. Run to the dining-room.. You'll
fnd the key on tlS table. Do not be
long"
No your ladyshdp, I will noh- Trust
nae for that"
esEaitha! Editaor' cried Mnpe. Lucca,.
an instant afterwards. II haYe made q.
mistake. The key is on the baron's
study table. Psbaw! she does not hear
me-" she continued, speaking aloud. 81
must go and gea 1T myself"
With these words she left the room.
No sooner had she done SO than the door
of the cupboard cautiously opened. A
man put his head out, and glanced
| round. Pereeiving no one he darted in
| to the adjoining chamber.