Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1898-05-05

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-lIaI eul no WooI :'oHu oluI DossBd
with White iimity: between the two
back wins ows stood toilet table. sim
ilarly drai'el: Il wash-s,and stood in
the corner between the two doors:
straw-Dottomed chairs filled up the
spaces between the other furniture
| along tie walls.
ibis very pleasant room in de sum-
mer season." said Cybcle, setting the
camille Town upon the dressing table.
! 1T seems very insecure: it is upon
open upon the piazza faltered AS
trea.
''Yes. ho:,a;;'; but it safe enough from
trusion froa outsider, for dat matter;
cause. you see, ole marse he sleep in
VIZ AAS-N AloiI ioOllls anu ucUtt Has less
an two 'vOlv"rS un1,erneaf of his head,
which every Woody knows it, an de
t'ieves Keep way from prowlin' 'roun'
here
II wish could sleep somewhere else
up stairs in the attic; anywhere. so it
was safe place."
'Lor'. chile, derc's unffin' tall 'cept
it's rats UP i'll de attics! sides which,
dis alters was de housekeeper's room,
an alters viii be long as ole marse
Ibis: 'caus" ,ieres TO law here 'cept it's
his will. an OATS iron.'
who was my unfortunate predeces-
sor here?"
What you say. honey?"
"Who was the last occupant of this
room?"
| Look yer, chile, eff yer speaks to
me. speak English. an not Indian;
cause l don't know word of it. l
don't know no more what you mean by
'frec-de-session' nor 'oXenpant' dan de
man in de MOON"
"Who was the last housekeeper?" said
Astrea, patiently amending her phrase
ology.
"Oh! nov you talks! Lulu, honey;
poor Lulu: she came here viii dis
marSe when lie bought dis house; but
when she come, she had two bright red
spots on her cheeks-brighter dan de
crimson roses: de death-fire spots, we
calls 'em: an she pinned away an
! died.
Poor thing"
'Now, chile, goodnight. I reckon
you's tired, an 1 know 1 is; an den
you's got to get up in de mornin' to
: pour out ole marsers coffee fur him.
Wonder he 'scuses you from dom it to-
night; but reckon he thinks you tired.
Come. Venus
But cannot Venus remain with me?
am afraid to sleep here alone" plead
ed Astrea.
my heads wurf to go contrary-wise to
dis marsers orders. Venus got to
sleep long @ me. You fasten up all
your doors an windows. an you'll be
safe. Dere's de dogs outside an de ole
marse an his 'volvers inside; so what
you 'fraid Of? Come long, Venus"
said Cybele.
Astrea shuddered, and would have
made another appeal only that the old
woman had already left. Venus came
back to whisper in the young captive's
ear:
LESS you can fasten yourself in ber-
~ safe. you set up all night in your
clothes.''
Il will do so. Venus"
can put your trust in de Lord.''
ut is my only hope
Goodnight, honey
"Good-night, good friend"
"Wenus. YOU gwine stop dere all
night called the voice OF Cybele from
the hail.
mo, I'm a-comin',' said the girl, hur-
rying out OF the room.
Astrea was alone.
Her first care was to examine the
fastenings OF her window shutters; she
found them all fast, indeed-so fast
that she herself could not open them
She next went to the door commune
eating with the adjoining front room;
this she found also fast-locked on the
other side.
She next tried the door leading into
and dismay, she discovered that, also,
TO be locked On the outer side.
She looked around in despair for
some means Of securing herself against
intrusion; but found none. There were
no bolts to the doors, which also
opened from the room, so that she
could not even barricade them with
the furniture.
She could neither escape from the
room nor secure herself with it.
She was Il close prisoner, at the
hourly mercy of her jailer.
She sat down in chair overwhelmed
with terror.
But she still possessed her little pom
iard-still had the means Of escape
through death: and, thus far. held her
fate in her own hands. Her courage
rose. She took the little weapon from
her bosom. and drew it from it's silver
case and felt the point. and found it
very sharp.
II will not use it while there is a
chance Of other escape; will not use
it except in eXtremity-such extremity
as must make even suicide duty-and
then. where should l strike with the
greatest certainty Of instant success ?
1t is well to think of that beforehand.
The chest is too well defended; my
hand might fail Of reaching vital or
gan. where failure would be eternal
ruin.Where shall ! strike, then? ALI,
here! this is tender! this is easily ac-
cessible! Only an instauts firmness