The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1901-08-02

ed me all the way home. We were
too late for anything to eat when we
arrived at our clearinghouse, for din
ner was the last meal, and that was
served at seven, now it was nearly ten;
so, feeling rather hungry, we got Mar
garet to go out and get us some rolls,
made frugal meal, and then prepared
for bed.
What induced me l cannot tell, but
for the first time since we had occu-
pied this room l examined the fasten-
ings of the shutters. and found them
very frail. Much to the amusement of
my cousin, looking round the room for
something to place against the window,
my eyes fell ON the freirons, and a
bright thought entered my head; l
would place the shovel against the
fastening of one window, and the tongs
at the other, in such a way that,
should anyone open the windows from
the outside, these things would fall
down with a crash To the French
window l placed the heed of our sofa
Bertha was much amused at my pro-
ceedings, but she let me do as | pleased
about it, for she saw | was nervous.
THE fact is, Nettie," she said, the
horrible stories we have heard to-day
have alarmed you; but it's all nonsense,
dear, and l have no doubt very much
exaggerated. Having now fortified our
citadel, come to bed" We always left
the gas burning a little all night, so
after attending to that l got into bed,
and fell asleep. l forgot to say the
doors in the reception-room were of
course secured, and also the one out
Of the little lobby leading to the hall,
but the one from our room into the
lobby we always left open.
was awakened by a most terrible
crash, the tongs had fallen down on a
little marble table. on which We're the
debris of our evening meal, and the
shutters were open. Annette" said
Bertha, get up, child; they are getting
into the room," and she bounded to
the door into the hall and opened it. AS
for me, l was paralyzed with fright,
expecting each moment to see a white
mask ent ar the room; whether the noise
alarmed them, l know not; however.
they did not do so; and Bertha, whose
courage and self-pOssession never left
her, turned up the gas TO It's full ex-
tent, and refastened the shutters. AN
ette." she said, dress as quickly as you
h.
More dead than alive, did as she de-
sired. All was silent for a little time.
perhaps for ten minutes, although to us
1t seemed hours, when we heard the
servants window open, and a whis-
pered conversation carried on in mems
voices. Another danger menaced us:
they were in the house. AS | sat watch
ing the door from the lobby into the
hall, which Bertha had unlocked. the
idea flashed across my mind that they
would enter from there. THE doorp'
said. Bertha understood me, and flew
to it and fastened it. Not one moment
too soonl for, as she did so. the handle
was turned, and a muttered curse greet
ed her ear. However, they were not to
be baffied so easily, and thinking, no
doubt, they were all safe. began picking
the lock.
OF course, our only chance lay in
alarming the house. Scream, Nettie,
as loud as you can" said Bertha. and
she seized the bellrope. pulling it fran
tically. Fright lent me power, and GER
tainly the horrible yells in which 1 in
dulged were enough to awaken the
dead. The servants ran up after a
time. but we would not open the door
to them. At last the landlady and the
other boarders were aroused, and
knocked at our door. and we let them
in. When Bertha opened the shutters
there was the window up, the pane
just above the fastening cut away. We
told what had happened, and our be-
lief that there were robbers at that mo-
ment In the servants room. Margaret