The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1897-02-11

| w hel my dear Aunt Maau dleu-SnC
died the very summer graduatcd-I was
really too heart-broken 10 care what be-
came of NE. Still, had TO be disposed Of
in some way, so it was decided that go TO
live with my brother Richard in South
| Carolina.
Dick is bachelor, an attorney at Jaw,
and has very fair practice indeed. An
terror TO my advent, he had lived hy him
self in pretty cottage on the prettiost
street, and was rather n central figure.
and was quite the most eligible young
man about town.
We got on famously together. so fam
ously that in all probability the last chap
ter would have found us still there. he 4
grizzly old bachelor. z grzzled old maid,
had not something occurred which
brought about Il change.
1t all grew out of what happened one
ST. Valentines eve.
| On this day, memorable above other
days, just about an hour after dinner Dick
received Il telegram TO go up that evening
TO A, city fifty miles away, to meet
an important client. He did not have
time to come home, for the train was then
in sight, but he scribbcd mo the following
note, which l did not get until nearly
night, because the Office boy neglected to
bring it until that time:
$40 p. m.
Dear Girl-Have to leave on next train
to meet man in A. Probably won't
| get home till tomorrow noon. Spend the
night with the Ancient (a dear old lady
| friend of mine). Be sure to put that
money in the bank before it closes at 4.
Don't fail DICK.
The mOney-several thousand dollars
| collected for 4 client--surely l could not
at put money in bank that closed at 4.
| could not very well carry it with me TO
the Ancient's, and l certainly could NOT
leave it.
l had never heard of any burgaries in
the village, SO | made up my mind that |
would stay at home that night and take
the risk
did not want any tea, SO ! let the SER
want girl go carly; and sat before a big
oak tlre in the sitting room, thinking up
one of Dicks cases. 1t was a murder
case, that had great deal of circum-
stantlal evidence leading in various direc-
TONS soon became deeply absorbed:
so deeply that | presently went to sleep
at it.
L woke up suddenly, frightened TO find
myself cnyeloped in darkness. Every
thing was SO still. l was possessed with
strange, sinking fear. 1 was afraid to
move, afraid to turn my head TO left or
right lest see something terrifying lurk-
ing in the gloomy corners. l was cold.
too, and trembling. The room was chill
ed: fancied it must be just before dawn.
coI hnr h.,
ished as the moments dragged by. l had
a kind of instructive animal fear of I'M
pending danger. l thought of the money.
1t was locked UP in the cabinet at my
right hand, not two yards away. found
myself listening painfully, torturousIy.
/ endeavored TO rally my courage. 10
persuade myself that ] had awakened
from nightmare, and was nervous. All
to no purpose. Something was going 10
happen which would bring me hurt.
l 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 penetrate my soul.
! did not move. lay back in my cush
ioned chair helpless. and felt that | could
not have raised my hand TO my face if nv
life were the forfeit. Such pouring! /
found myself listening behind the rain
behind all the pattering noise-lstening
for another sound. l had a grotesque idea
that the elements and this something that
was coming to me, were coleagued to-
gethcr, the one 10 screen the approach of
the other.
I was listening with every fiber of my
body drawn taut. Listening for what?
I did not know. Something beyond, be-
hind the rain. Then | heard it. A sound
distinct from the rain pattc-. A sound
cmanating from our little drawing room
n scraping, saving sound. 1t came from
the front portco. ! knew someone was
cutting through the Venetian blinds into
the house. My faintest doubt vanished
soon, when l Enthusiastically heard the
blinds dragged back and the sash crcak
as il was pushed up. Someone was enter
ing the housei In twinkling my mind
was acutcly active. and a thousand ways
of escape surgcd through my brain in Il
moment. l unlocked the cabinet anh
srasped the large pockctbook which con
tanned the notes. and thrust it into IN.
bosom. clutched the money in my
place. In another moment l was scram-
bling up the sooty chimney with the
ability of finished chimney sweep, and
kept scramblinG till had made strong
hold for myself.
What went on down below | did not
Know In the cessations of the rain |
could hear the heavy tread passing TO
and fro in search, l knew, for that
money. But |, from my lofty vantage
ground, could only thank heaven again |
and again for such a blessed deliverancc.
was SO bcnumbed with cold and fright |
that | think | lost consciousness, and
would probably have tumblcd down the
chimney hut that | was 50 rigid and SO
walled in | could not.
The next thing remember WAS opening
my eyes and seeing the square of wan
light above me. Then realizing all, my |
strength gave way. and | fell heavily, |
striking my head against something which |
left me scnsclcss for hours. When | came +;
TO myself, ! was in the arms of a young |
man whom | Had never seen before. ]
] don't suppose there was ever moro |
terrified young man upon this earth of ]
ours Imagine an inoffcDsivc young man |
turning up in a town where an intimate |
friend lived coming in Oh the very train