The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1895-10-17
A NIGHT THIEF.

There was large party at the Cha
teau de Kerdall, near Vannes. The Mar
quis de Kerdall and his young wife had
just returned from tour of the world
on their yacht, during which they had
paid flying visits to Africa, America
and Oceanica, and they had celebrated
their home coming by gathering together
all their friends and relatives at their
beautiful country house.
Among the guests was old DR.. Cor
nabuc, an illustrious member of the
Academy of Metaphysical Sciences, SO
original, so absentminded, SO venerable
in his blond peruke and his costume of
the fashion of 1850. Then there was
Nine de Lartigues. an old school friend
of the marquise, brilliant and coquet-
tish Parisienne And there was Miss
Hawthorne, all English maiden lady
with youthful propensities. And there
were many others, all of whom found
plenty of amusement to their hearts
content at Kerdall
Outside of the ordinary pleasures cf
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 veritable museum, being
stocked with rare and curious objects
from two continents. And finally a
managerie had been created in one cor
ner of the park and stocked with the
various animals which NJ de Kerdall
had picked up during the voyage and
brought back to France for purposes of
acclimatization. There were gazelles,
antelopes, Tibet goats, Nile ibises, rose
famingoes, opossums, beavers and an
Asiatic ape of the mandrill species, as
mild as lamb, but as mischievous as
all his kind. An iron lattice cage had
been built for him close to the conser-
vatory.
As will be seen, the Chateau de Ker-
dali was veritable Eden, but this fact
did not prevent little Nine. de Lartigues
from dreading the isolated position of
the place among the wide expanse of
woods and fields.
81 should be afraid. to live here all
the year round, - she said.
'sAfraid of what, my dear?" asked
the marquise.
''Oh, of robbers They would fairly
revel here
Robbersl In this mansion filed tc
the caves with guests and servants
Everybody Knocked at the young WON
an, and old DR.. Cornabuc told horrible
stories about burglars and assassins un-
til Nine. de Lartigues, ashamed of her
chimerical fears, was the first to laugh,
and when the retiring hour came shs
mounted to her sleeping apartment OF
the second floor supplied with goodly
stock of heroism. Within short time
all the occupants of the chauteau were
in the land of dreams
How long Mime. de Lartigues slept
she knew not She was awakened by 9
rattling at her window, which she had
left half open on account of the heat.
What was her terror when in the
feeble starlight she saw form climbing
noiselessly 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 hel
head beneath the bedclothing. Hall
dead with fear, she could hear her noe
turnal visitor going and coming across
the carpet with muff1ed steps. 1t seemed
as though he must have removeds 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 quarter of an hour shs
timidly peeped out. She could see ant
hear nothing. Slightly reassured, sht
recovered the use of her voice and start
ed series of shrieks, SO sharp, piercing
and terrible that in an instant the entire
chateau was turned topsy turvy. Every
body rushed into her chamber will
lights in their hands, M. and Nine. d.
Kerdall at the head.
"What is it? What's the matter?
they cried
She recounted her horrible vision.
They would not believe her. She hao
been dreaming. Who could have climb
ed into this chamber, so high above the
ground, without a ladder?
''Did you see him plainIy?" asked
the marquis, with a touch of suspicion
in his voice.
Gas plainly as see you, and it even
geemed''- She hesitated.
"What?''
''It seemed as though could recog
nize Dr. Corabuc in his blond wig and
redingote.
Everybody laughed. What Dr.. Cor.
nabucl A man of his age and character
scaling windows at midnight 1t was
cartain now that Nine de Larti ouas had