Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-10-29

lt WAS q night OF disappointment.
Whi!b in tho act Of climbing tho trunk
some!ono within the room lowered the
shad,L shutting of my view as effectual-
" as hf the light had been oxtinguish-
cd. It was exasperating, for but for
that interruption in the lane and my
own tagging the coveted sight would
have been gained.
Thu faint hope that some whim
woulI lead to the raising Of the curtain
again kept mo among the limbs until
my tbdy was cramped. / must have
staid there for fully an hour when,
presto all became blank darkness. The
light had either been taken from the
room br put out. No use Of waiting
longet.
dtew my foot from under me, mean
ing I'd descend the tree, when the faint
est pdEsihle whistle sounded somewhere
near nc. Supporting myself with great
care, II leaned downward and peered
into tho gloom Although little vegeta-
ton Was left on the branches, the shad-
ow wls so dense that the keenest vision
was ol little help, but whiIo staring at
what beemed TO DO the dim outlines OF
trurpk it moved slightly TO one side.
AnothEr misty object advanced 10 meet
it, and then the two became stationary.
MI friends from the old world are
holding council Of war, " was my con-
clusiob, for there was no doubt that
they Were the two whom had encoun-
tered In the lane. "They are not likely
10 acqEaint mo with their decision.
hail been in the tree SO long that l
was qlite sure they were unaware OF
my prlsonce. Their action could not DO
explaib bed on any theory Of my own.
They must have known what they
wante,l. Why, then, not enter tho house
and defnand ii, as they had demanded 1t
Of me when they had me down?
But II had enough business Of my own
without meddling with theirs. Still it
would be foolish to clash with them,
and Matted among tho branches un-
Ill sorke minutes after they had stolen
around the end Of the house and vanish
cd in the darkness. When it seemed safe
20 do sb. | descended TO tho lower limbs
and drbpped softly To tho earth.
Whe my feet touched tho ground,
anothol fact became apparent-there
were NIB lights on the lower floor. Every
one in the house had retired for the
night, following tho custom which gen.
orally prevails in the country.
A nbw apprehension arose. The
treachetous Asiatics whom / had run
against in the lane would remain near
the building until all within were sank
in slumber. Then they would enter aud
make their demand upon Howard for
the SECRET, whatever IL was, they had
sought 30 wrest from me. He would not
give il. They would insist. and dead
" strul| |glo would follow. Murder was
in the cir.
wal still convinced that neither OF
these III bn, with all their subtlety, knew
OF my llresence--a happy piece OF good
fortune for which / could claim no
credit. The advantage, if could keep
il, was with me. / would wait and pos
sibly pi event tho contamination OF q
dark deEd.
Betw ,on the tree which l had climbed
and theWindow was another tree, much
closer. did not use it because it could
serve NIB no better. and in the event Of
any onolof the inmates coming TO the
wiudow| he or sho was likely TO discern
my figuto among the branches.
stepped back from the spot where
my feet first struck the earth and stood
behind D larger trunk, which took to
be that 'bf an oak Its size afforded an
efiectual screen for my body, and /
would ID hturally be on the outer circle
Of the N I'm whom i was trying 10 watch.
II the kwo contemplated any evil deed,
to carry II out they must enter the
house. The natural way to do that was
through one Of the doors or windows on
the loweF floor. But they were sure to
be well |ecured, and an attempt TO use
them was liable To alarm tho inmates.
Nothing could be moro inviting than
tho upp| |r windows, which would not
bo so Will fastened and were readily
reached by means Of tho trees growing
on all sides Of the house.