The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1899-02-28

can forget that we are no longer little
girls of ten and twelve"
The supper served up in the little
round room, before the dying CLEAN
of the logs, was exceptionally nice.
Fanny and Abby were in exuberant
spirits, and praised the chocolate.
trout and griddle cakes with enthu-
siasm. Salina was as gloomy as a
prophecies.
81 only hope we shall get through
this night alive" said she.
But as she had made the same re-
mark, on an average, three hundred
out of the three hundred and sixty
five days of the year, neither Fam V
no. Abby paid much attention to it.
But as she passed out, with the last
dish from the table, Salina paused
close to Fanny Clifford, and asked, in
a sepulchral whisper:
''Are them diamonds locked up?"
'They arein my desk?" said Fanny,
indiiferently.
Salino lifted her eyes skyward.
I'm your desk?" she groaned.
"Hadn't better take 'em and put EN-
under my pillow?"
Certainly not" her young mistress
answered. sharply. "Do, Salina, leave
me to manage my own affairsi"
And Salina vanished in a huff.
''Tll go to bed early" she said
grimly, to herself. cit amt no use
settin' up to look arter the goods of
people rs won't take no trouble for
themselves.
But just as she was about to ascend
with candle, Lady Macbeth like, to
her room, she suddenly paused.
''Then three hemstitched handke-
cheers o mine are out on the grass, a.
bleaching" she said to herself "And
the black clouds in the west mean
wind. Idou't want them handk echers
blowed away. I'll go out and fetch
'em in"
Carefully unbolting three bolts and
unlocking one ponderous lock. Salina
sailed forth, shading the candle with
her hand; but the first puff of freezing,
pine-perfumed air blew the little fame
out.
Undaunted by this mishap, how
ever, Salina went valiantly out, feel
ing her way through the cloudy star
light, until she was opposite the wood
shed.
'I guess I'll go in and cross over
that way" she thought.
But as she was turning in the in
tended direction a light suddenly
flashed out--the reddish glow of
lantern, that was almost instantly OBJ
scured by the slide.
"Graciousw thought Salina, step
pig back, in her terror and amazement.
"Confound you!" muttered a gruff
voice-the identical voice of Mifton's
hired man. 'What did you want to
show light for?"
"The slide was rusty" apologized
second voice. cit don't matter-there
is no one but cats and grssshoppers to
see us. The last window was dark
ened long ago. Come on; I'm fit to
perish with cold and cramp in that
outlandish hole. Let's get the matter
over with.
And while Salina was striving to
overcome the terrible weight on her
chest sufficiently to cry ont or make
some sign, two dark figures skunk past
her like the procession in hideous
dream, and wants he'd through a cellar
door, which she could have sworn she
had safely secured, early in the even
ing.
Recovering her senses as fast as she
could, she hurried through the long,
wet grass TO the rescue of the two help
less girls in the old house.
81 always knowed it would he so, ="
she thought ooh, dear oh, dear: it
seems as if my feet was weighted with
leadl"
Finally she stumbled in the tangled
hOwer-beds; once she caught her ankle
in the down hanging loop OF an old
grapevine and nearly wrenched it ont
OF joint But at last she reached the
green space in front Of the door. just
as it few open and the two midnight
marauders came stumbling out, drop
ping their lantern in their frantic
haste
"You fool" muttered the man who
had carried the light" "why didn't
you tell me there was a man about the
place-a great, burly sailor, with q
cutass half as long as himself? You
told me the coast was clearw
''As j live and BREATHE" whined
Mifton's hired man, 81 never knew Of
the fellow; 7 don't know how he came
there; I can't understand it at all;
="
Don't stand here fooling," savage
ly uttered the other. "The whole
neighborhood will be in an uproar
/ directly. Clear QUIT Through the
shed is the best place"
But Salina was too prompt for
them Before they could escape she
had securely locked and bolted both
the she'd doors on tho outside and
fastened the solid shutters of its soil
. tary window. And then she rushed
90 the house and ran shriekiug mp the
stairway to where Abby and Fanny,
with shivoring forms, stood on the
I landing
/ "Salina. what rs itY' cried Fanny