Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1897-05-20
1
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. a. CONAN DOYLE

Good gracious. Monica. 1t is a mercy
that we have not been murdered in our
beds. There was house broken into
at Forest Hill last week. Shall we go
down and shut it,"
IT dare not go down alone, dear. but
If you will come with me. Put on your
slippers and dressing gown. We do not
need candle. Now. Bertha, we will
so down together.
Two little white patches moved
,, vaguely through the darkness. the
stairs creaked, the door whined. and
they were at the front room window.
Monica closed it gently down. and
fastened the snib.
what a beautiful moon!" said she,
looking out. I'VE can see as clearly as
| If 1t were day. How peaceful and quiet
| the three houses are over yonder! 1t
saems quite sad to see that To Let card
| upon number one. I wonder how num-
Der two will like their going. For my
part could better spare that dreadful
woman at number three with her short
skirts and her snake. But, oh. Bertha.
| look! look!! look!!!" Her voice had fall
len suddenly to a quivering whisper and
| she was pointing to the Westmacotts'
house. Her sister gave gasp of hor-
ror, and stood with clutch at Monicas
arm. staring in the same direction.
There was light in the front ROOM
a slight, wavering light such as would
be given by small candle or taper
| The blind was down, but the light
| shone dimly through. Outside in the
garden, with his figure outlined against
! the luminous square, there stood man,
his back to the road, his two hands upon
the window ledge, and his body rather
bent as though he were trying to peep
| in past the blind. So absolutely still
and motionless was he that in spite Of
| the moon they might well have over
| looked him were it not for that tell-tale
light behind.
"Good heaven! gasped Bertha, SIT is
| burglar"
But her sister set her mouth grimly
and shook her head. eve shall see,"
she whispered. 1T may be something
worse"
Swiftly and furtively the man stood
suddenly erect, and began to push the
| window slowly up. Then he put one
knee upon the sash. glanced round to
see that all was safe. and climbed over
into the ROOM AS he did so he had to
| push the blind aside. Then the two
spectators saw where the light came
from. Mrs. Westmacott was standing,
as rigid as statue, in the center Of
the room, with lighted taper in her
right hand. For an instant they caught
a glimpse of her stern face and her
white collar. Then the blind fell back
into position. and the two figures disap-
peared from their view.
"Oh, that dreadful woman!" erie
Monica. ''That dreadful, dreadful wom-
an! She was waiting for him. You saw
1t with your own eyes. sister Bertha!'
Hush, dear, hush and listen!" said
her more charitable companion. They
pushed their own window up once more,
and watched from behind the curtains.
For long time all was silent within
the house. The light still stood notion
less as though Mrs. Westmacott re-
manned rigidly in the one position, while
from time to time a shadow passed in
front Of 1t to show that her midnight
visitor was pacing up and down in
front Of her. Once they saw his outline
clearly, with his hands outstretched as
II in appeal or entreaty. Then suddenly
there was dull sound, cry, the noise
| Of fall, the taper was extinguished.
and dark figure fled in the moonlight,
rushed across the garden, and vanished
amid the shrubs at the farther side
Then only did the two old ladies un-
derstand that they had looked on whilst
a tragedy had been enacted. Help
| they cried, and "Helpw in their high,
thin voices, timidly at first. but gather
ing volume as they went on, until the
| Wilderness rang with their shrieks
Lights shone in all the windows oppo-
site, chains ratified, bars were unshot,
| doors opened, and out rushed friends to
/ the rescue. Harold, with stick; the
Admiral. with his sword, his grey head
| and bare feet protruding from either
end of long brown ulster; finally, Doc
| tor Walker, with poker, all ran to the
1 help OF the Westmacotts. Their door
| had been already opened, and they
crowded unanimously into the front
| room.
| Charles Westmacott, white to his lips,
| was kneeling on the floor, supporting
his aunt's head upon his knee. She lay
outstretched. dressed in her ordinary
clothes. the extinguished taper still
grasped in her hand, no mark or wound
upon her-pale, placid and senseless.
Thank God you are come. Doctor"
said Charles. looking up. 'Do tell me
how she is, and what should do"
Doctor Walker kneeled beside her. and
passed his left hand over her head,
while he grasped her pulse with the
right.
She has had terrible blow" said
he. "It must have been with some blunt
weapon. Here is the place behind the
ear. But she is woman of extraor-
binary physical powers. Her pulse is
full and slow. There is no stertor. 1t is
my belief that she is merely stunned,
and that she is in no danger at ALL"
Thank God for tnat!"
1 1--WE must get her to bed. We shall
carry her upstairs. and then shall send
my girls in to her. But who has done
this?"
Some robber," said Charles. "You
see that the window is open. She must
have heard him and come down, for she
was always perfectly fearless. wish
to goodness she had called me-"
But she was dressed"
Sometimes she sits up very late"
/ Il did sit up very late" said a voice.
She had opened her eyes, and was blink
ing at them in the lamplight "a villain
came In through the window and struck
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