Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-03

pair of silver candlesticks which I should
find In another place. BY the time she had
Tade these things clear to me the lights
Of the town had long been extinguished.
and the house obscuring the moon cast a
black shadow on the garden that greatly
favored our movements. and. though all
went well with US, yet for myself l trem-
bled at the faintest sound, and started If a
leaf stirred, and willingly believe to this
day that the smallest triffe, light at
window or distant voice. would have de-
tered me from the adventure. But Moth
Ing occurred to hinder alarm. and the
darkness cioaking us effectually, and my
ladder. 1 fetched it, and with her help
thrust 1t over the fence and climbed after
it.
This was a small thing. the worst being
to come. The part Of the garden under
the wall of the house was paved it was
only with the greatest exertions. therefore,
and the utmost care that could raise
the ladder 1T without noise. and but for
the surprising strength which Jennie show
ed, 1 doubt If we could have succeeded,
my hands trembled so violently In the
end we raised 1t, however: the upper part
fell lightly beside the second floor case
ment, and Jennie whispered to me to as
cend.
l had gone too far to recede, and obey
ed, and had mounted two steps when
heard distinctly. the sound coming sharp
and clear through the night, the shod hoof
of horse paw the ground. apparently in
the road beyond the house. Scared by
down into Jennies arms. "Hush!' cried.
Did you hear that? There is some one
therew
But my sudden descent had come near to
knocking her down, and she whispered in
a rage that I was either the biggest fool
or the poorest craven in the world. Go
up! Go up!" she continued fercely. almost
striking me in her excitement. There are
60 guineas awaiting us up thereto gum
cas-. man, and you bulge because horse
stirs.''
strated. "a horse at this time of night"
God knows!' she answered. What IS
1t to us?"
Still l fingered a moment. but hearing
mistaken. | was ashamed TO hang back
longer, and 1 went up, though my legs
trembed under me, and bird darting sud-
denly out of the ivy glued me to the ladder
by both hands, with the sweat standing
out on my face. Alone. nothing on earth
would have persuaded me to 1t. but with
Jennie below I dared not finch, and the
latch of the window proving weak as
she had described 1t, in moment the lat
tice swung open and I climbed over the
sill.
Feeling the floor with my feet I stood an
instant in the dark. stuffy room and listen
ed. 1t smelt strongly of herbs. on which
account 1 hate that smell to this day.
could hear Mrs. Harris snoring next door,
and the pendulum of the fine new clock on
the stairs, which was Mrs. DIS latest
pride. going to and fro regularly. and /
knew that at the slightest alarm the house
would awake. But l had gone too far to
recede. and. though 1 feared and sweated
and at the touch of hand must have
screamed aloud. I went forward. cropping
my way across the floor. and found the
bureau and tried the drawer.
It was locked, but crafty: and Jennie.
foreseeng the obstacle. had given me a
ch!sel. Inserting the point, 1 listened
while to assure myself that all was quiet.
and then. with the resolution Of despair.
forced the drawer open with single
wrench. Probably the noise was no great
one, but to my ears 1t rang through the
night like the crack of laden ice. l heard
the sleeper in the next room cease her
snoring and turn tn the bed. and COVER
ing down on the floor, l gave up all for
lost. But in a moment she began to
breathe again, and. encouraged by that
and the silence in the house. l drew the
drawer open, feeling for the bag, discover
ed it and. clutching it firmly. turned to
the ,kindow.
] found that Jennie had mounted the lad
der and was looking into the room, with
her hands on the sill. Have you got it?''
she whispered. thrusting in her arm and
cropping for me. Then give 1t to me while
you get the candlesticks. They are wrap
ped in flannel and are under the bed
l gave her the bag. which clinked as 1t
passed from hand to hand. then / turned
obediently. and cropping my way to the
bed. which stood beside the bureau, 1 felt
under it. l found nothing but did not give
up. The candlesticks might lie on the
lul tLcr sue, ana accordingly / rose and
climbed over the bed and tried again. pass
ing my he nds through the ftue and dust
which gathered under Mrs D.. best feath-
erS.
How long l might have searched in the
dark, and vainly, l cannot say, for my
efforts were brought to a premature end
by dull thud that came to my ears ap-
parently from the next room. Leaping to
the conclusion that it could be caused by
nothing less than Mrs. Harris getting out OF
bed l cr,wled out and to my feet in a
panic. and stood quaking and listening in
the dark, SO terrified that l am sure II
the good woman had entered at that moment t
l should have simply fallen on my knees
before her and confessed. Nothing fol-
lowed however; the house remained quiet
l heard no second sound but nv nerve was
gone. l wanted nothing SO much now as
to be out of the place. and, without Civ
ing another thought to the candlesticks
l CROPPED my way to the window and pass
ing one leg over the sill, felt hurriedly for
the ladder.
I failed to find it. and tried again, then,
peering down, called Jennie by name. She
did not answer. A second time called. ana
felt about with my foot, and still without
success. Then as it dawned upon me at
| last that the ladder was really gone and
| a prisoner, l thought of prudence no
longer, but called frantically, at first in a
| whisper and then as loudly as l dared
| called and called again, Jennie! Jennier'
! Still no answer came: but listening in
| tently. in one of the intervals of silence,
TecGOinS
! along the road and growing each moment
! less marked They held me. Scarcely
breathing, l listened to them until they
| died away in the stiffness Of the summer
night, and only the sharp, insis,ent chirp
OF the cricket. singing in the garden be-
low. came to my ears.
Chapter VII.
How long I hung at the window, at one
| time stunned and stricken down by the
| catastrophe that had befallen me- and at
| another feeling frantically for the ladder
| which had over and over again made sure
| was not there I know no more than an
| other; but only that after time suspicion
first and then rage darted lightning like
| through the stupor that clouded my mind,
| and l awoke to all the tortures that love
| outraged by tIeachery can feel; with such
| pangs and terrors added as only faith
| full beast, bound and doomed and writhing
! under the knife of his MASTER may be sup
| posed to endure.
| For WI lie. it is true, imagining that
| Jennie. certified by some ones approach,
| had lowered the ladder and withdrawn
| herself. and so would presently return to
| free me, l hoped against hope. But as
| minutes passed and yet more minutes
| laden only with the cricket's even chirp