The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-06-22
HER DOWRY.

81 demand tho payment OF the 1000
In gold" said Miss Magruder, q little test
lily and quite determinedly. 81 owe this
to my niece, who is about to be married.
As you know, am her guardian, and I
do not wish to diminish her legacy by any
oversight on my part just now, when no
one knows just what effect possible sill.
yer victory may have upon the financial
condition Of the country. Once married,
her husband may do as be likes"
Every well, Miss Magruder," said
Cashier Holt. "Your request will DO hon.
ored If for no other reason than to show
to you that this bank Is amply able to
meet all demands
The lady whom be addressed as Miss
Magruder was spinster Of uncertain age,
regular features and determined and
businesslike manner.
Cashier Holt, a middle aged man with
Sandyke beard and curly, fax colored hair,
had tried vainly to demonstrate to his
shrewd client that her money would be
safer in the vaults Of the bank than in her
house.
Now he gave q whispered order to the
only clerk the bank afforded. The latter
turned an inquisitive face upon the spinster
and her companion, a pretty country girl
Of 30 summers. When he returned from
the vault, he carried in his hand q leather
satchel, which he placed on the counter
before the cashier
Here Is your $40, O00," said Mr.. Holt
whimsically. Remember my warningl
Take good care of the money"
Miss Magruder was not so easily salts
fed. She opened the satchel, took from it
a buckskin bag and counted the money,
which was in $50 coins. Then sho pushed
1t all back, locked the bag and left the
bank, accompanied by the clerk, who car
ried the satchel and deposited 1t under the
buggy seat. AS the ladies entered their
conveyance they were accosted by tramp.
The fellow looked anything but progresses
ing, and Miss Magruder CURLY denied him
aid.
During the drive from New Brunswick
to the little hamlet which was their home,
Miss Magruder gave vent to her annoy
ance over the cashiers hesitancy to pay
her nieee's legacy in gold. His warning
against robbers was especially distasteful
to the spinster, who had never been afilict-
ed with fear of anything. Nora Wilson
listened to her aunt in silence. She was
not at oil inclined to share her guardians
confidence that their house was as safe as
the bank vault, but out of difference to the
older woman she refrained from ex press
ing her opinion. Even when the money
was safely slowed away under Miss Ma
gruder's bed, Nora felt uneasy. When bed
time came, she herself examined every
window and door, to seq that they had been
securely fastened by the servant. Anxious
dreams disturbed her slumber, which she
wooed in vain for long time. In the
middle of the night the girl awoke with o
start. She was not certain at first whether
her imagination had played her trick, or
whether she had really heard stihed
noise in tho next room. She hearkened
with bated breath, and was soon convinced
that what had disturbed her were stealthy
footsteps
Without moments hesitation the girl
jumped from her bed. A door led from
her room to her aunt's chamber, but this
she would not open. After all, 1t might
only have been the vivid play of her i'm
agination, and she dreaded Miss Magru-
der's ridicule. So she unattached the door
that opened out into the corridor and
groped her way to her aunts room. 1t
was ajar.
Nora Wilson scarcely breathed as she
listened. She could distinctly hear the
respiration of two persons. One breathed
regularly and quietly; the others breath
came in short, stitled gasps. A sweet,
penetrating odor came from the room.
Then all her doubts were dispelled. ,
There was a robber In the room. He
was searching for the hidden gold. Nora
was courageous girl. She pressed her
lips firmly together, advancing carefully
with outstrctched arms. Almost instantly
she camo in contact with human body
The nan-for 1t was q burglar-clutched
her around the waist and held sponge |
with choloroform to her nose
Nora tried not to breathe, to keep from in
haling the noxious vapor The girls fierce
struggle made tho burglar resort to other
means to overcome her. He dropped the
sponge and plunged his hand into his
breast pocket.
"Ho has pistol and he is going to kill
mel" thought Nora. Quick as flash she
seized his hand the moment he withdrew
It. Her fingers closed over the handle of
l large bowie knife, not the butt end of O
revolver.
The marauder dragged Nora from the
'oom, down the stairs and into the lower
corridor. There he Kissed into her ear that
le would kill her If she made nm outcry
md did not release the knife. Gathering
IL his strength, he thrust her into the
,antry, the door Of which stood wide open.
Miss Wilson made no reply, but with an
4lmost superhuman effort attempted to
wrench the weapon from him. She sue
eededin olutohing few inches more Of
he long handle Of the knife, and the man
Uttered a terrible oath. The blade had
unk into his hand. Snatching his left
rm from her waist, he struck her fear
III blow with his fist.
Realizing that she could no longer cope
With the robber, Nora turned quickly and
ashed past him toward the door that led
ut into the yard 1t was open, but on the
hreshold the girl stumbled and fell prone
} tho floor Whom she awoke few mo-
rents afterward from the stupor caused
y the fall, two men were bending over
er. They were graphing, and by their