Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-10-26

glistened and how, under his rough blue
shirt. his heart beat SO that you could count
the pulses, forgot my caution.
Invent up stairs, found in the attic sun
dry pillows and holsters and carried them
kitchenward.
Here" said, make yourself a bed on
the settee yondcr and be easy for the night.
No one will follow you in this storm, and
no doubt grandpa will assist you when he
returns Good night"
GOOD night, and God bless you, miss"
said the negro, speaking still In the same
husky whisper. And so left him.
But not to go up stairs to my bedroom.
intended fer that night to remain dressed
and to sit up in grandpa's armchair, with
candles and book TO keep me company
Therefore locked myself in, took tho most
comfortable position possible and opening
a volume composed myself to read.
Reading fell asleep. How long slum.
bered cannot tell. / was awakened by a
low sound, like the prying OF chisel.
AT first 1t mixed with my last dream so
thoroughly that took no heed OF 1t, but at
last / understood that some one was at
work upon the lock of door.
sat perfectly motionlesu, the blood curd-
ling in my veins, aud still chip, chip. chip
H..
at last knew whence tho sounds came,
Back OF the sitting room was Rrandpa,s
study. There, In great old fashioned
safe, were stored the family silver, grand
pas jewelry and sundry sums Of money and
important papers. The safe itself stood in
n closet in a deep recess, and at the closet
the thief was ut work.
The thief-ah, without doubt the negro
had admitted, had fed and sheltered.
crept ncross the room out into the hall
and to the door. There, softly as could, |
unfastened bars and bolts; but alasl one
was above my reach waited, listened.
Then moved hall chair to tho spot and
climbed upon it In doing so l struck my
shoulder against the door frame.
1t was buo slight noise, but at that mo.
ment the chip of the chisel stopped. heard
gliding foot, and-horror of horrors-a
man came from the study, spraug toward
me and clutched me with both hands, hold
ing my arms as in wise while he Kissed In
my ear;
You'd tell, would yer You'd call helpy
You'd better have slept, you had; for, you
see, you've got to pay for waking, I'd
ruther hev let chit like you of, but you
know me now, and can't let ye live"
stared in his face with horror, mingled
with an awful surprise, for now that It was
close to me l saw not the negro, but our
own hired man, Anthony Anthony, whom
! had supposed miles away with Hannah.
plead with him wildly.
Anthony, never did you harm. am
young--1 am a girl-don't kill me, An
thony. Take the money, but don't kill me.
for poor grandma's sake"
You'd toll on me-" said Anthony dog.
gedly. Likely I'D be caught No, i've
got TO kill you"
As he spoke he took his hands from my
shoulders and clutched my throat iiercely.
had time touttcr one suifocating shrek.
Then was stranrling, dying, with sparks
before my eyes. and a sound of roaring
waves In my ears, and then
What had sprung ON my assassin with
the swift silence Of a leopard What had
elutched me from him and stood over him
with something glittering above his hearth
The mists cleared away--the blurred
mists which had spread over my eyes, and
as sight returned saw the negro with his
foot upon Anthony's breast
Ten minutes after-l0 minutes In which
but for that poor slaves presence would
have been hurried out Of life-the rattle Of
wheels and the tariy feet OF old Ajax were
heard without, and my grandparents were
with me
1t came out during his trial that he had
long contemplated the robbery. that the
absence OF his master appearing TO afford
an opportunity he had decoyed Hannah
away by lie and hidden IN the study.
Long ago, so we heard, the slave, now
slave no longer, met his wife and children
beyond reach Of danger.-Exehange.