Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1891-03-21

like a cautious footstep on the hard frozen
path outside.
.'It's my Imagination, she thought,
after listening for second. 'sIt must
be! But won't be frightened SO. I'll
be brave!"
She took the haschet boldly in her
hand, and sallying forth, opened the
cellar door wide, thus exposing a yawn-
ing pit of darkness.
IF anyone comes, they'll sail down
there before they can get to the door, !"
said Emily.
And with one or two prodigious
slashes of the hatchet she cut away the
board path which led across a series
of ragged boulders to the railway plat
form.
"There," she cried, hurfSing back to
the inside warmth aud brightness, as if
whole brigade of pursuers were at her
heels, "that's done! I feel safer now.
But must be sure to hang the lantern
out there before Uncle Absalom comes
back. don't want him to fall down and
break his dear old neck"
She had just seated herself, with a
sigh Of relief, when something like
magni6ed FREELY blazed on her vision
for second only; then it was gone.
ga dark lantern!" she said to herself.
"Yes, and l am sure now that hear the
sound of feet creaking on the platform.
There aye two or three people there
possibly more. They have somehow
learned that am alone here with all that
money!" {
She clasped both hands over her eyes
chill quiver went through her veins.
Suddenly there was crash-a NUT
tered exclamation--a suddenly sup
pressed buzz of voices.
"Somebody has fallen down ce!lar!'
she thought. "Oh, how fortunate it
was that I thought of that'
And then low, deep whisper came
up through the carelessly- joined
| boards of the floor. She could distin>
! guish the very words:
''Hold on there-be careful! The
front door is fastened, for I tried it.
You can all of you get down cellar and
come up that way
Emily's heart gave great, exultant
Jump. The cellar-door,a a mass of timber
IN which she had the fullest confidence,
was securely bolted.
Cautiously she peered out into the
stormy darkness.
By the occasionally displayed CLEAN
Of the dark lantern she could see hud-
lied mass of figures, creeping stealthily
down the cellar steps.
Last of all disappeared the lantern it.
self, one leisurely step at time. Aud
them, consummating a plan which she
had long been concocting IN her mind,
Emily made dash out into the night,
closed the flaplike divisions of the cellar
door with bang, barred them tight
shut, and fed back into the house, pant
ing for breath.
By this time there was brisk knock
ing at the cellar door-a crying out OF :
"Open the door! Let us in"
But to these calls Emily Elkton paid
no heed, and it was only when hand
was suddenly laid on her shoulder from
behind, that she uttered a piercing
scream, and lost all her presence Of
mind.
"Why, Emmy" cried familiar voice.
Why, child, what's the matterl"
"Oh, Uncle Absalom. how you fright
ened me! Oh, dear, the cellar is full OF
burglars and robbers Reach down
your shotgun! Get the hot water
kettle"
"Burglars, chl' said Uncle Absalom.
''Robbers. Why, whar on yearth did
they come fromi Sure ye amt nistook,
Sissy1 Anyhow, I'll be ready for 'em. "
He advanced toward the cellar door
with his loaded revolver in his hand.
whoever ye be- shouted he, 'tell
us what your business Is, or take this
Don't hold my arm, Sissy! There can't
no more'n one at time come VI
these ere suller stairs, an reckon I'm
match for that much, if | be old an
stiff"
To Emily's infinite alarm, he unbolte(
the cellar door and flung it wide open.
There crowding on the narrow