The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-08-30
iorate sobbi,g. A, las, she con,in.

sIorate sobbirg. A, last she coniin-
ucd:
II will tell you about last might. You
are aware. perhaps. that In this house
all the steep In h Il
wing. This central block IN made w
ot the dwelling rooms. with the kitchen
behind and our bed room above. My
maid. Theresa. sleeps above my
There IL no one else. n no sound
could alarm those who nrc Ia the far
thcr wing. This must have been vel
known 10 the robbers. or they would
not have acted as they did.
sir Eustace retired about half -past
ten. The servants had already gone &c
their quarters. only my maid was up,
and she had remained In her Don nj
the top or the house until ! needed hef
services. I sat until after IL In this
room absorbed In a % Thcu ]
walked round To see that all was right
before 7 went upstairs. IL wns my
custom 20 10 this myself. for. as ]
have explained. sir EuEtacc was not
always to be trusted. I went into the
kitchen. The buffers pantry. the gun
room. The billiard room. the drawing
room. and anally the dining room. As
I approached the window. which "
covered with thick curtains. I suddenly
felt the wind blow upon my face. and
HNNNAf ANAA m MM JILL NNaNNN NNAh
curtain aisle. and found myself face
To face with u broad -shouldcrcd elder.
Is mar. who had Just stepped into the
room. The window IL n long French
one. which really forms n door leading
20 the lawn. ! held my bed room can
dlc lit In my hand. and. by It's light,
behind the first man I saw two others
who were I'm the act of entering. !
stepped back. but the fellow was on
me I'm an instant. He caught me first
hy thu wrist. and then by the throat.
I opened my mouth To cream. but he
struck me "a savage blow with his fist
over the eye. and fclled me 90 the
ground. I must have been unconscious
for u few minutes, for when ! came 20
the bell rope and had secured me tight
Is To the Onkcn chair which stands nj
the head of the dining table. was SO
firmly bound that I could not move.
and a handkerchief round my mouth
prevented me from uttering n sound.
Il wus Mt his instant that my unfor-
turntc husband entered the room. lie
had evidently heard some suspicious
sounds. and he came prepared for such
a scene as he found lie was dressed
In his shirt and trousers. with his fa-
voritc blnckthorn cudgci In his hand.
He rushed M the burglars. hut another
lit was an elderly man. stopped.
picked the poker out az the CRATE. and
struck him a horrible blow as hr
passed. He fell with u groan and
never moved again. I tainted One
more. but again u could only have been
for a very few minutes during which
I was inscusiblc. when I opened my
eyes I found that they had collected
the silver from the sldehoard. and they
had drawn a bottle 81 wine which stood
there. Each OF them had "A glass Ia
hIa hnVN a. NA ulN.uIp foil NRtt
have I not. that one was elderly. with
n beard. and the others young. hair
less lads? They might have been n
father with hts two sons. They talked
together In whispers. Then they came
owe and made sure that 7 was securely
bound. Finally they Withdrew. clos
ing the window after them. II Mas
got my mouth free. When I did so.
my scrcams brought the maid TO my
assistance. The other servants were
soon alarmed. and we sent for the local
police. who instantly communicated
with London. That IN really all that |
can tell you. gentlemen. and ] trust
that II will not he necessary for me 20
20 over so painful n story again"
ANY questions. Mr.. Holiness" asked
Hopkins.
Il viii not impose any further tax
upon Lady B~rackcnstall's patience and
time snid Holmes. Before I 20 In
to the dining room, ] should like Ia
hear your experience" lie looked al
the maid.
II saw the men before ever they
came into the house" said she AS
| sat by my bed room window / saw
three ricn In the moonlight down by
the lodge gate yondsr. but l thought
nothing 81 IL at the time. IL was moFc
thar an hour after that I heard my
mistress scream. and down I ran. "a
find her. poor lamb. just ms she says,
and him ON the floor. with his blood
and brains owe the room. II was
enough To drive a woman u Of her
wits. tied there. and her dress spotted
with him. but she never wanted cour-
age. did Miss Mary Fraser OF Adelaide
and Lady B~rackenstall OF Abbey
Grange hasn't learned new ways
You've questioned her long enough. you
gentlemen. and now she IL coming O.
her own ROOM. just with her Did The
resa. To get the rest that she badly
needs"
With n mothcrly tenderness the
gaunt woman put her arm round her
mistress and led her from the room.
"Shc has been with her all her lifc.'
By. and came with her To England
when they first left Australia. eighteen
months ago. Theresa Wright IL hei
name. and the kind OF maid you don't
pick W nowadays. This way. Mr.
Holmes. II you pleased"
(Continued Next Week.