Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1907-09-12
SEAKSH FOR THE BIGGEST

attempt that hazardous passage at
night and in the dark; but with that
knowledge, and possibly some previ.
Gus practice, the feat was sufficiently
practicable. In that case, Edith might
actually have heard and seen what she
had since attributed to imagination.
But what end could be served by
these repeated attacks upon her sensi.
bility?
A cause is sometimes discovered by
examining the effect Now. what eff.
feet had been produced by these at
tacks? The first had frightened Ethel
excessively; the second had made a
slighter impression-thus far the effect
had been confined to her; but the third
for only to third fright could at.
tribute her scream of terror-had
brought her father and myself from
our rooms. Instantly, something like
the truth flashed upon my mind:
To bring me from my room was the
very object with which the attack up.
on Edith had been made.
Unridding the mystery with this
key, I assumed that the thief had
watched me close the door upon Van
Hoeck and return to my room; that,
after allowing me sufficient time to get
into bed, but not to fall into sound
sleep. he had made the attack upon
Edith, opening her door beforehand.
to provide speedy means Of escape
and to allow her cry to be more dis
tinctly heard; that, having succeeding
In terrifying her, he had sped down
the stairs in the left block, passed
through the library and dining-room.
and assembled by the stairs in the right
block about the same time that might
be supposed to have reached Edith's
room, and that, reckoning upon my
keeping the Great Hesper under my
pillow, and leaving it there in my
alarm upon Edith's account. he had
expected to have possessed himself Of
our treasure. If what thus assumed
was the fact, then, indeed. this plan
might have succeeded but for Van
I1OtCh uucllL lhalStSuSc uDOl
strapping the diamond to my wrist.
AS I thus explained what had hap.
pened, a more startling reflection Oc.
Cured to my mind. The thief had
been disappointed in not finding the
diamond beneath my pillow, but he yet
might not have relinquished the hope
Of getting it.
He might not have left the room. He
might be hidden there at that very mo.
ment.
What was more easy, being In the
room, than to conceal himself in it?
The curtain that masked the oriel. the
great chest, the settle. the press, We're
all suggestive of that course The fell
low might be under the very bed I
was lying upon!
The movement had seen in the cur.
tain, the sound similar to the drawing
of blade from its sheath (Which might
we'll have been caused by the move.
ment Of the heavy valance of the bed).
strengthened the suspicion. Was he
lying there waiting for the sound OF
my heavy beathing to assure him that
l slept?
There was scarcely the necessity to
wait for that for what resistance
could I, lying upon my back, make
against a foe springing out of the
dark upon me?
l thought of the claspknife Van
Hoeck had given me, and, stretching
out my hand, felt for it where l had
stuck it-between the mattress and
the bedstead. l could not find it.
Pushing back the curtains so that
the light from the lamp fell upon the
edge of the bedstead. I assured my.
self that it was not where had left it.
1t must have slipped through-or been
drawn out
The latter supposition explained the
sound and movement / had heard and
seen. Yet it might have made that
sound in slipping thrOugh-its fall upon
the floor deadened by the carpet or its
point sticking in the boards, but / fam
cied its horn handle was too wide to al.
low of its slipping through.
To satisfy myself at once upon this
point l leaped out of bed, resolved to
strike a match and look under the va.
lance. / stood for q moment stupeted;
the box of vestas was gone from the
table where was certain had laid
them.
They must have been taken while I
lay screened by the bed curtains.
glanced over my shoulder.
The folds of the curtain against the
bed were not the same as when [
pushed them back to the wall; one fold
stood out at an angle, and as, slowly
turning round looked more closely. 1
saw against the dark oak panel of the
wall, about the mid-height of a man,
and protruding but an inch or so from
the edge of the curtain, the bright
point of a knife blade.
Now, indeed, there was no longer any
doubt. The man who had come TO rob
was there to murder me. Had | stopped
but another moment on the bed he
might have knitted me.
What was to do? had him stand
ing there behind the curtain at a Ger.
tain advantage.
Should spring upon him and stran
gle him against the wall in the folds of
the curtain?
1t was not sure victory for me, and
partial one might in the end be IA
tnI Tho thiol ct,,ff unuI5 nroyont ,ny