The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1897-02-04

came uOts I0S ClOCk W. Juot UtEAAPuS
thA,Aour Of th1as HhenAhedRor opshsd
.sley1ly and che e,oould. .sse til shadewy
outline Of - nj3nt EoV, . m(ment she
wasparalysed with terror. The scrSam
that started from her heart lost iteelf
somewliers in. her throat A thousand
ewfu1 1n1eies hased each other through
her mind a. tSe man advanced TO the
bed. Thea shs. .thought of the revolver
that she had intended to put under her
pillow. Alas, 1t was peacefully reposing
on the dressing table in her fathers
room. The man. was tall and wore
. black mask. He must be the
same one who had visited Mr..
Dulano and Arthur the night be.
fore. Perhaps IL was Arthur. Atthe
thought Of her lover the blood went
coursing again through her body and,
to her astonishment, she found that she
was calm. 80 tE
"Are you awaken" the burglar whis-
pered, and his voice sounded strangely
familiar. t
"Yes," She said, family.
Then get up. Don't be afraid. 1
am not going to harm you. I only want
the family Jewels. Take me to where
they are kept" he whispered again.
At the sound of that voice the last
vestige OF fear left her. Indignation and
outraged feeling mothened every other
emotion in her heart. She would prove
this lover Of hers: Without q moments
hesitation she arose from her bed,
glanced indifferently at the glittering
barrel of the revolver in the burglars
hand, and walked over to the table,
where she lit her little emergency lamp.
| Follow me; am at your mercy, but
trust you as gentleman even though
you are burglar" she said, in frigid
/, tones. BEiis5sa tti
Then she led t0be way through the cor
/ ridor and down the back stairway to the
laundry and cellars. Blanche, in her
indignation, knew not that the grant,
told floor was cold beneath her little
bare feet. When she had almost reached
the wine cellar, she remembered that
the key was on her fathers keyring.
and was probably at that time in Chi
oago. An idea struck her.
'Iere; you bold the lamp while Il
climb up and get the key" she said, in.
dicating niche high in the wall. The
mans eyes followed her glance, and he
was lost. AS quick as thought she
blew out the lamp, hurled it in re-
sounding fragments on the floor and
sprang upon her burglar like tiger.
The revolver was hers without strug-
gle and the man was her prisoner.
Are you Arthur Forrest? Speak, or
I'll blow your brains outl" she cried.
my God, spare me, Blanche! am
Arthur" the man whispered.
She covered him with the revolver
while she backed across the laundry.
When she had gained the stairs she
bolted the door securely and fed trem-
bling to the hall above. At the library
door she halted, and low cry escaped
her lips as she caught sight of another
man in. the open window.
blanche, my darling, are you safe ~
Arthur Forrest cried, as he beheld her
white-robed figure.
How did you escape? thought the
outer door was locked" she said, as she
repelled his touch.
"Escape!" the young man cried in
astonishment. II have been following
him since midnight. One Of my men,
who was left here to guard the house,
tells me that he entered this window
ten minutes ago. The fellow was afraid
to follow him alone. have tracked him
from broadway and twice he evaded
/ me, Where is he, darling?"
., "Who-who 10 1t you are looking forp"
the girl gasped.
~ Wallace eDulsno. The officers are
here to arrest him. Is he still in the
house" Arthur asked, eagerly.
b There II no way Of escape except up
the pantry stairs" Blanche replied.
Then, while Arthur let the officers In,
she slippedawa toher room and 'donned
! her dressinggown and slippcra. In q
few minutes she Joined her flance in the
reception hall. The gas was burning
brightly now and abe could hear the
heavy tread of men as they took their
prisoner from her impromptu Jail.
"You are brave little woman" Ar
thur said, fondly, az he led her to q
divan.
"No, am a miserable coward; but ]
am a proud woman, and when woman
thinks she has been wronged, fire and
storm cannot stop her." Blanche said
humbly.
what do you mean by that, dearest?'
the lover asked.
"Oh. Arthur, he lied to me and be.
lieved him. He told me that you were
the burglar and thought yon were
using even my love to further your own
wicked ends. That - why had cour
age to walk downstairs at the end Of a
revolver. Can you ever forgive me fol
cherishing such an ignoble thought?'
she cried az she buried her face on hil
breast.
Eyes. my darling" the young man
said. tenderly, "But have stoler
| somethinQ that IN of in&inifelx more