The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-01-16


light and with an effort slowly walked
past the window to the hall. where-I
confess-I ran upstairs as fast as my |
trembling legs would carry me.
This happened on "a Thursday night |
in October. and on the Saturday night |
following the robbery took place.
| was entirely alone in the house, for
my brother and his wife. taking advan-
tage of the midnight train, had gone to
the city and had not returned, owing
as learned afterward. to their missing
the train. The upstairs servant was at
her mothers, sick, and the cook was OFT
visiting friend, who, treating her too
well, made it impossible for her to walk
home before the next day. Our hired
man, after bringing in the milk, had
started for his barn-room, where l
supposed he was sound asleep.
sat up in the parlor with the cat till
one o'clock. heard the train arrive, and
after vainly waiting for the sound of
the village hack bringing my brother
home, opened the front door to listen.
O! how black the night was. quickly
closed and bolted the door. and, brave
as | naturally was, when | locked my
self in my bedroom l shivered at the
thought that the burglars might have
chosen that time to visit me.
/ couldn't sleep-only lay there hop
ing and praying they wouldn't After
awhile L felt calmer, and then-just as
l was losing myself in q doze-down
fell on my face that awful towel, token
of danger. The thread, which | had
never failed to set. was snapped, and
the robbers, and, perhaps, murderers,
We're in the house, knowing most likely
that | was alone.
At first | was so overcome with fright
that couldn't help trying to scream;
out, luckily, only emitted "a noiselcss
gasp.
Alone. with burglars in the house,
with no neighbors near enough to hear
or help, realized, perhaps too late. the
extent of my girlish folly in playing
amateur detective. Then, somehow. my
vanity and the fear of ridiculc got the
of success. the five thousand dollars re-
ward, how the papers would praise me
and print my pictures till, flushed with
conceit, slipped out of bed and donned
1sy gymnasium suit which | had kept
handy for my purpose.
Then l cautiously opened the peep
hole in the floor and peered through it
to the dining-room below.
For awhile | could see nothing in the
and stealthy footsteps and then when q
match was struck l made out two forms
by the safe.
| held in my trembling hand the
wire leading to the trap, ready to pull
when both the rascals were surely in
position.
had cunningly placed an obstruction
in the key-hole of the safe, SO while
one robber attempted to open it the
other would have to stand close by him
to give light.
1t worked exactly as planned. One
fellow was on his knees trying the key,
the other burning matches and both
squarcly on the trap. Now was my
time. Click! went the spring in answer
to my nervous pull and down disap
peared my two gentlemen before either
could say Jack Robinson" / heard
the dull splash made in the molasses
then the trap, swinging back to its
place, left them for the present, al
, least securely entombed.
Not even climbing one on the Other
. could release them, even when they hat
recovered from their confusion and de
) moralization. and rubbed the sickness
, out of their eyes.
| Now to get the assistance necessary
to complete their capture.
5 But-how and where. Ny brother
, being away just when | needed him
| upset this part of my scheme.
/ ! must go out in the black night my
! self. run other and unthought-of risks
and find help.
Y Again the horror of my situation over
: came me and nearly tainted.
2 Forcing courage shat | will comics
e | did not feel, ! stole down the bacl
4 stairs, and, thinking to rouse Michae
in the barn, softly unlocked the kitchen
Il outside door and looked ont. 4 loy
e whistle from the shrubbery at the COZ
: ner of the house turned me to ice
:. There was another burglar watching
= from without.
, | had not rcckoned on that. Evident
g ly he took me for one of his pals.
= Hoping so. | returned his whistle. an
q with what little strength [ had left
managed to faSten the door and max
my way along the hall, past that awfu
dining-room to the front of the house
leaving him at the back. Through
parlor window | gained the piazzt
Trusting to escape to the road before dis
covery and there run for my life.
AS l was feeling for the steps my han
touched something cold.
1t was my brothers bicycle which
could ride as good as he and, in IN
gymnasium dress, even better. Iii
safety seemed put there by Prov
dence to be my safety. Quickly an
noiselessly lifted it on to the grass
trusting to get it across our three-acr
lawn and out on the road before tn
burglar on guard knew what was goip
on. Then, unless he had u horse,
could laugh at him.
had gone over the grass and throug
. the trees and bushes, may be fifty fee
\ when | felt that / was followed.
r. stopped to listen and that signal whist
sounded again.