Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1895-10-26

on the honor Of a gentleman, that
you will go directly TO the room !
shall indicate and allow me to lock
yon in.'
| He is seized with sudden Ct of
coughing, that sounds suspiciously
| like a smothered laugh, as the final
terms of mr. treaty are disclosed and
acceded to. ignore this also, as |
open the window and he spring iD
and makes Decline for the glowing
fire.
mo, no. I protest imperatiyeiy.
You promised, remember. Go at
once. There" pointing to a door
that leads to small room. aYou
will find it warm there, also, and |
believe there is some brandy on an
upper shelf of the closet"
at shall be as you command GER
tainly," and he moves towards the
door Immediately, but pauses on the
threshold.
81 cannot co." he murmurs apollo
getically, without first thanking you
for your kind hospitality. can
say nothing further at present, ex-
cept that shall not abuse your gen
erosity and you shall never regret
it. Goodnight" and bowling low
and courteously before me as if ]
were the Empress of India herself,
be disappears through the doorway.
With feeling of intense relief, /
turn the key and sink down, limp
heap on the rug before The fire. What
have ! done and what will Gwen
sayi What if he be, with all his
kingly bearing and heavenly eyes, a
| cutthroat and murderer Oh, il
uncle would only come? And then
the absurdity Of my own conduct,
my ludicrous precautions, the unmit-
igated egregious idiot I have made
of myself, flashes upon me and /
break into an uncomfortable fit of
hysterical laughter.
What would have prevented his
blowing my brains out, chloroform-
ing, gagging, or disposing of me in
any of the various and approved
methods that prevail among compe-
tent and we'll conducted burglars,
had he so elected? Not his pledge
on the honor of a gentleman to a
mere slip of girl certainly. Fin
ally, after applying my ear to the
key-hole and assuring myself, by his
regular breathing, not to say snor.
ing, that, saint or sinner, he is now
fast asleep, creep off to bed. Gwen
is also sleeping..soundly and dis
robe quietly and smuggle up to her.
The storm still RACES and the wind
means dismalIy, and 1 wonder ner-
vously if this fear-traught night will
ever end and the bright, practical
sunlight chase away the terrors Of
darkness.
l do not know then, / do not know
now, whether l ever slept at all, but
know that suddenly my senses
were acutely aroused, and I was
keenly conscious, positively certain,
that there was a third presence in
the room-some breathing, living
thing besides Gwendolen and my
self.
/ cit bolt upright, but can discern
nothing in the darkness. I can hear
distinctly ,however,the stealthy tread
of unshod feet.
"Who goes there?' cry boldly,
while a sickening memory Of a big
hat and tawny whiskers overwhelms
me. What have I done and how
have been duped? He is a burg
lar, thief, william, after all.
Gwendolen 10 awake now and
clutches my arm tightly, as she
whispers in terror-stricken tones:
"What isit? What has happened?'
The next instant the light from a
dark lantern is flashed upon US and
| feel the touch Of cold steel against
my temple, as voice says peremp-
torily:
aAnother word, another sound,
and
"Don't, for Gods sake. Don't kill
herl' cries Gwendolen vehemently,
throwing shielding arms around me.
"Are you deaf or are you ready
to die?' asks the ruffian in fierce un-
dertones. "Don't you understand.
want silence and obedience. Get
up at once both OF you and strike a
light
Covering, quaking and panic
stricken, we do his bidding.
/ am amazed, then, at the trans
formation that has been wrought in
the man. He is still tall and power
full, but he has discarded his yellow
whiskers and big hat, his hair is
dark and close cut, his face heavy,
eensuous and repulsiyely sulIen.
snow, hand over to me- he con-
tinues, Everything valuable-money,
jewelry, trinklets-that you have in
this ROOM"
Poor, beautiful, outraged Gwen |
shall never forget the picture she
made at that moment in her flowing
lace nightgown, her dark hair tumb-
ling pell NELL over her shoulders,