The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1897-12-17
A Winter Nigglt;;
"sOR,
Found III a a Snow Britt,
CHAPTER VI. CONTINUED.

CHAPTER VI CONTINUED
Dorothy looked onsthe floor, all over the
room, in the cor ilor, and still it was not to
be found.
Then she rang the bell sharply. O.d Az
mes came to answer it d little sulkily; all
the maids were out, and it made her breath
short to mount the stairs.
Il can't find the key OF my door, has any.
one removed it?'
why should they? The keys in this
house are rarely touched; we can trust one
another, Miss Snow"
Yes, OF course, but am accustome d to
lock my door, and can'a seepunless it is"
I'm very sorry, but it Is no fault of mine
Put chair against the door; no one will in
terfere with you--why should they? never
locked my bedroom door in my life. What
should do in case Of fire?''
Unlock it and get out if YOU value your
1ife suppose. l. am annoyed The KEY
was here this morning. Well, l suppose |
must get to bed, but Idon't believe shall
Sleep:
Il don't suppose you will, it is no. ten
O'Clock. Shall bring you little neg,ls?'
Eyes, please, l wish YOU would, / feel
tired and nervous
H.,
hot Winc-and-watcr grumblng as she did
50 about the loss Of tue KEY; it was so
strange, she could not account for il, and it
worried her.
After seeing Dorothy drink her wine in
bed, and turning the gas down to q faint
glimmer, Old Agnes said goodnight and left
her, closing the door securely behind her,
and went down to wait up for the maids.
Dorothy went to sleep after laying awake
some time; little Ally slept scrcnely by her
side, but Dorothy drealnt someone was
dragging the child away from her to de-
stroy.
The dream was horribly realistic, and she
fancied someone was lifting Ally above her
While she sank lower, Ovcrp0Wered BY Il
sickening OdOr that seemed to salTccate
her.
She made desperate effort to break this
spell of horror, and awoke to find herself in
total darkness except where the moon made
light just where the window cleaned !.
glimmering square.
A handkerchief that had covered her face
she had torn away just in time to see little
Ally lifted from her side by Il dull dark
shape with plume Of feathers on its head
like hearsc.
Weak, sick, and faint felt Dorothy but
her promise to protect the child was vivid
in her mind. No one should take her away
while she had power to prevent it.
wv no are you? What are you doing with
that child"' cried Dorothy, springing out of
bed, and pulling at the ball-rope--t only
hung by a thread and gave way at her
touch.
Dorothy screamed with terror, and took
hold Of Ally to wrench her out of the
strange woman's arms.
She might as well have tried to move u
marble column.
Silence, you fool, OF by the Heaven, I'll
kill, you! / only take my own. Keep Off,
OF shall do you deadly harm.'
The low fierce voice never failed. In vain
Dorothy tried to rescue the child, a hand of
iron grasped her throat
She tore frantically at the hand: the lace
at the wrist came away. the silk gave way to
her maddened grasp, bat she could not
loosen the cruel fingers.
With a .horrid thud she was thrown
against the bed-poss and rolled over, hcavi-
ly stunned.
Then the woman spurning the PROSTATE
form with her foot as if she had been a
ioaths0me reptile. picked up Dorothy's fur
lined cloak from the foot Of the bed.
wrapped the still sleeping child in it, and
went silently awaylike night shadow THAI
many may dread but few grasp
CrY