The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1892-01-01

VII. III oI1L
to the meeting, so that her absence might
not be observed and commented upon at
the conclusion of the services, when she
heard a mans football on the steps out
side.
Her heart beat quick at first, for Mary
had read novels, and she knew that
lovers sometimes came to their sweet
hearts thus; but this was not the fearless
tread of a nero.
1t was Il burglar, she was certain, af-
ter that first heart thulnp, for it vas
| known the communion plate was of sill
yer and worth at least enough to tempt
a rural robber, and everybody knew the
strong box of the chapel was a strong
box only in name.
She was frightened nearly out Of her
senses, but enough remained to wara
her that her only safety lay in hiding
behind the OrGal and giving the thief
the right of wsy to everything n his
path.
Slowly, she heard that dreadful step
slipping along the aisle, creaking as it
came. She had to exert every energy Of
her will to keep from screaming, and the
slip-slip-creak-creak came nearer and
nearer.
At the end Of the aisle it stopped, as if
in doubt which way to turn, and her
heart beat slower: then it passed, still
slipping, V to the other corner, and
she gave a faint sigh of relief.
She couldn't have prevented it if she
had died for it. she was certain.
Nearer and nearer 1t came, until she
could hear the breathing, until the
hands cautiously cropping in the dark
slid along the organ top and touched
her.
She shrank away, but there was a
quick start and two great hands clutched
her, and their fingers crawled up to her
throat.
She tried to scream then, but she
could not.
1t was as if she was in a frightful
nightmare.
Hold on! I've got you, You darned
thief" came a voice, suppressed and ter
rible, and with it came the last remain
i. { vestige of poor Mary's wits.
"Oh, john she gasped.
Then she tainted dead away.
"Well, if this don't beat ALL" ex-
claimed the marauder out of the dark
ness. Then: Mary, Mary" he called,
shaking her vigorously. Scared the
poor girl to death, I'll bet a corner lot,"
he so~lilOquized in a ludicrously fright
ened voice, with the vernacular of the
east and the west c~Ontending for mastery
in his words.
He picked her up, now almost as nerG-
Gus as she had been only a few moments
before, and carried her outside.
He looked down upon the still, white
face as the light from the snow shone
upon it, and with a great bound in his
heart he stopped and kissed her.
Then how all the little stars did
twinkle, twinkle, and Mary opened her
eyes.
The next moment she was on her feet
and mad.
Mary's head was triumphing now.
Come" she said, there's a watch
meeting at the hall, Mr.. Marston, and |
should be there; not here"
with your hand in mine, Mary" he
answered her, standing fast.
She put her hand in his then, and thus
they walked back, and as the watchers
rose from their knees with a song Of re-
ioicing and praise. John and Mary, hand
IN hand, came n with the new year.
Its funny" said Mrs. Marston a
month later on the local train west,
THAT John should have noticed the
chapel door ajar on his way from the
depot that night, and thinking a thief
was inside had come in and caught me
there, wasn't it,
"Yes'm," responded the conductor,
who had known her from childhood.
land if l hadn't been late that night
there's no telling what wouldn't have
happened either, is there?'
And there isn't.