The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1895-02-22
A THIEF IN THE NIGHT

teau de Kerdall, near Vannes.
The Marquis de Kerdall and his
young wife mad just returned from a
tour Of the world on their yacht, dur
ing which they had paid flying visits
to africa, America and Oceanica, and
they had celebrated their home-com-
ing by gathering together all their
friends and relatives at their beautiful
country house.
| Among the guests were old DR.. Corn
abuc, an illustrious member of the
Academy OF Metaphysical Sciences, so
original, so absent-minded, SO venera-
bic in his blonde peruke and his cos
tune of the fashion of 1850 Then
there was Nine. de Lartigues, an old
school friend of the marquis, bril-
liant and coquettish Parisienne. And
there was Miss Hawthorne, an English
maiden lady with youthful propensi-
| ties. And there were many others, all
Of whom found plenty Of amusement to
their hearts content at Kerdall.
AOutside of the ordinary pleasures of
life, there were some unusual attrac-
tiOns In the first place the host and
hostess had seen and experienced so
much that was novel and startling
| that their conversation was always fas-
| cinating. Then the rooms of the castle
constituted a veritable museum, being
stocked with rare and curious objects
from Two continents. And, finally, a
menagerie had been created in one
corner of the park and stocked with
the various animals which Nine. de
| Kerdall had picked up during the voy-
age and brought back to France for
purposes of acclimatization. There
were gazelles, antelopes. Thibet goats,
| Nile lblses. rose fiamingoes, opossums,
| beavers and an Asiatic ape of the man
drill species, as mild as lamb, but as
mischievous as all his kind. An iron
lattice cage had been built for him
close to the conservatory.
AS will be seen. the Chateau de Ker-
dali was a veritable Eden, but this
fact did not prevent Nine. de Lurti
CUES from dreading the isolated posi-
| tiOn OF the place among the wide eX-
panse of woods and fields.
81 should be afraid to live hero all
the year round" she said.
Afraid of what, my dear ?" asked
the marquise.
ooh, Of robbers; they would fairly
revel here"
Robbers In this mansion filled to
the caves with guests and servants .
| Everybody Knocked at the young wo-
man, and old DR.. Cornabuc told horri-
BILE stories about burglars and assas-
sins until Nine. de Lartigues, ashamed
of her chimerical fears, was the first
to laugh, and when the retiring hour
came, she mounted to her sleeping
apartment on the second floor supplied
with goodly stock of heroism. With
in short time all the occupants of
the chateau were in the land OF
dreams.
How long Nine. de Lartigues slept
| she know not. She was awakened by
a rattling at her window, which she
had left half opened on account of the
heat.
What was the terror when, in the
| feeble starlight, she saw a form climb
| ing noisclesly through the window.
She tried to scream. but her throat
| was parched with fright, and she
could not utter sound.
The man had entered the chamber.
Then the poor woman hastily buried
her head beneath the bed-clothing.
Half dead with fear, she could hear
| her nocturnal visitor going and coming
across the carpet with mutfled steps.
1t seemed as though he must have re-
moved his shoes in order to tread
softly.
Bathed with cold perspiration and
her teeth chattering she awaited the
mortal blow from the invader. But it
did not come.
After about a quarter of an hour she
timidly peeped out. She could see and
hear nothing, Slightly reassured she
recovered the use OF her voice, and
started a series of shrieks, so sharp
piercing and terrible that in an in
stant the entire chateau was turned
topsy- -turvy. Everybody rushed into
her chamber with lights in their
| hands, Nj. and Nine. de Kerdall at the
| he ad.
"What is it? What's the matter ?''
they cried.
She recountcd her horrible vision.
They would not believe her she had
been dreaming. Who could have
climbed into this chamber, so high
above the ground, without ladder?
Did you see bin plainly?" asked
the marquis, with touch of suspi-
cion in his voice.
- AS plainly as | see you; and it
even seemed--" She hcsitated
"What?"
| 1T seemed as though / could recog-
nsze DR.. Cornabuc in his blonde wig
and redingote."
Everybody laughed. What. DR..
Cornabuc A man Of his age and
| character scaling windows at mid
night! 1t was certain now that Nine.
| de Lartigues had been dreaming.
They tried to dissipate her fear, and
she was just about to persuade herself
that she had been the victim OF an hal
lucination, when she happened to cast
her eyes upon the bureau, where she
had left her jewels.
They we're gone 1t truly had been
a robber
The laughing suddenly ceased, and
they looked at one another in con-
stcrnation.
All at once another cry was heard, a
piercing shrek coming through the
| stiffness OF the night. 1t appeared to
[ emanatc from Miss Hawthorne's cham
ber There was a rush for her apart
m mt, and the English lady was found
standing in the middle of the room,
| with frightened eyes.
There there :" she cried, pointing
to the window . A man He es-
capped, but / recognized him"