The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-02-13
1 SOON BECAME DEEPLY ABSORBED.

the smallest sound except the ticking
of a little clock in my darkened bed
room, and the clicking of the dying
Goals.
l was possessed with strange sink
ing fear. l was afraid to move, afraid
to turn my head to the left or right
lest l see something lurking in the
gloomy corners. I was cold, too, and
trembling. The room was chilled; 1
fancied it must be just before dawn.
Ny fear increased rather than dimin-
ished as the moments dragged by. 1
could hear my heart beating. l soon
became enthralled by terror. l had
kind of instructive animal fear of i'm
pending danger. 1 thought of the
money. 1t was locked up in the cabinet
at my right hand, not two yards away.
1 found myself listening painfully, tor
turously. My throat seemed swollen.
1 swallowed in gulps.
endeavored to rally my courage, to
persuade myself that was awakened
from nightmare and was nervous;
that there was nothing to fear, and that
1 was making baby of myself. All to
no purpose. Something was going to
happen; something was happening at
that moment which would bring me
hurt.
could not throw off the notion.
Just then it began to rama regular
downfall, as if the bottom had suddenly
fallen out of the clouds. l have never
known it to rain so heavily. A perfect
deluge, and every drop seemed to pene-
trate my soul. l did not move. l Law
back in my cushioned chair helpless,
and felt that | could not have raised my
hand to my face if my life were the for
felt. Such pouring! 1 found myself
listening behind the rain-behind all
the pattering notwithstanding for an
other sound. l had a grotesque idea
that the elements and this something
that was coming to me were colleagued
together, the one to screen theapproach
of the other.
was listening with every fiber of my
body drawn taut. Listening for what?
l did not know. Something beyond,
behind the rain. Then l heard it. A
sound distinct from the rain-patter.
A sound emanating from our little
drawing-room-a scraping, saving
sound. 1t came from the front portico.
| knew some one was cutting through
the Venetian blinds into the house. My
faintest doubt vanished soon, when 1
Enthusiastically heard the blinds dragged
back and the sash creak as twas pushed
up. Some one was entering the house!
This person, whoever it was, knew of
my brothers absence. Good Heavens!
thought of Henry, our Office man. He
brought the note-an open note. 1t was
he who caused the delay which pre-
vented my depositing the money. 1t
was as clear as day. Irose rigidly to my
feet. In. a twinkling my mind was
acutely active, and a thousand ways of
escape surged through my brain in
moment. | unlocked the cabinet and
grasped the large pocketbook which
contained the notes, and thrust it into
my bosom. To what purpose l did not
know. retreated into the. dense dark
ness of my own bedroom, Where stood
uncertain and shivering.
Inc WINDOWS were TOO nlSn from the
ground to admit of my jumping there
from without mourning the risk of
broken limb; besides, there was no
time. At the first sound of my putting
up the sash, would be detected and
oveTpowered. / heard q heavy tread
along the hall. An idea flashed into my
head like the incision of a blade. 1
clutched the money in my bosom and
stepped into the empty fireplace. In
another moment was scrambling up