Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1895-12-21

hated pistols before and scolded MI
her feet and slid her hand into the
drawer. But it came back empty Ned
had taken the weapon away with him.
For moment surge Of the bitterest
feeling she had ever experienced passed
over her; then she called reason to her
aid and was obliged to acknowledge
that the act was but natural, and that
from his standpoint he was much moro
likely to need it than herself. But the
disappointment, coming so soon after
hope, unnerved her, and she sank back
in her chair, giving herself up for lost.
How long she sat there with her eyes
on the door, where she momentarily ex-
pected her assailant to reappear, she new
er knew. She was conscious only of
sort of apathy that made movement
difficult and even breathing a task. In
esfin she tried to change her thoughts.
HI vain she tried to follow her husband
i'll fancy over the snow covered roads
and into the gorge of the mountains.
But imagination failed her at this
point Do what she would, all was misty
in her minds eye, and she could not
see that wandering image. There was
blankness between his form and her,
and no life or movement anywhere but
here in the scene of her terror.
Her eyes We're on a strip of rug that
covered the entry floor, and so strange
was the condition of her mind that she
found herself mechanically counting
the tassels that finished its edge, grow
ing wroth over one that was worn, till
she hated that sixth tassel and mentally
this night she would strip them all off
and be done with them.
The wind had lessened, but the air
had grown cooler and the snow made
sharp sound where it struck the panes.
She felt it falling, though she had cut
off all view of it. 1t seemed to her that
pail was settling over the world and
that she would soon be smothered under
its folds. Meanwhile no sould came
from the kitchen, only that dreadful
sense of doom creeping upon her-a
sense that grew in intensity till she
found herself watching for the shadow
of that lifted stick ON the wall of the
entry, and almost imagined she saw the
tip of it appearing, when, without any
premonition, that fatal SIDE door again
blew in and admitted another man at
once SO ominous and SO threatening
that she succumbcd instantly before
him and forgot all her former fears in
this new terror.
This second intruder was a negro Of
powerful frame and lowering aspect,
and as he came forward and stood i'll
the doorway there was observable in
his fierce and desperate countenanco no
attempt at the insinuation of the other,
only fearful resolution that made her
feel like "a puppet before him, and drove
her, almost without her volition, to her
knees.
'Money, is it money you want?" was
her desperate greeting 'If so, here's
my purse and here are my rings and
watch. Take them and 60"
But the stolid wretch did not even
stretch out his hands His eyes went
beyond her, and the mingled anxiety
and resolve which he displayed would
have cowed II stouter heart than that of
this poor woman.
Keep de trash" he growled. 81
want de company's money. You've got
it-$2; 000 Show me where it is, that's
all, and won't trouble you long after
l close on it. F"
"But it's not in the house, sho cried.
81 swear it is not i'll the house Do you
think Mr.. Chivers would leave me hero
alone with $2 900 to guard?"
But the negro, swearing that she lied,
leapcd into the room, and tearing open
tho cupboard above her husbands desk,
seized the bag from the corner where
they had put it,
"Ho brought it in this" he omutterod,
and tried to force tho bag open, but
finding this impossible he took out