The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1909-09-03

Your father gone for the nlght!,
gasped Aunt Sophia. She darted
forward and whispered in Helens ear,
"Helen, dear, have $4,000 in cash
with met came too late to bank
! and my diamond necklace. I was
going to Boston tomorrow to have it
mended What shall we do? Not a
man in the house, Miss Norris
groaned.
Helen turned little pale. DO not
Tear, Aunt Sophia" she said; moth
ing ever happens in Cliffville and no
one here ever burgles."
why didn't you go to the pic
nic?" demanded her aunt little lat
er as they sat together in the guest
chamber.
II did not want to. 1t was down
river, you know, and / am afraid of
boats"
Aunt Sophia snorted you always
Iswere coward, Helen" she said.
/ Afraid of boats, afraid of mice.
afraid of the dark wonder what
makes you so timid?"
81 can't help it, returned Helen
Il am coward; know it, but 1t
seems to be rooted too, deeply to be
overcome now, although l confess
am rather ashamed sometimes. Now,
dear. must make myself present
able and will leave you to take
little nap, as you must be pretty tired
from your Journey" and she slipped
out of the room.
That night while the two girls sat
| talking together in their room Aunt
| Sophia entered in her nightgown.
She was carrying small, red leath-
err case. which she carefully deposit
ed on the dressing table. Girls.
she said, 81 wish | could sleep here
tonight. can't seem to get out of
a draft in that room and I hate to
! sleep without the windows wide OPEN
Helen offered her bed to her aunt.
1T will be comforting favor on
me-" she said, for / want to finish
reading the most absorbing love story
I have read for long time, and
Mildred hates to have the light burn
| ing after she is in bed"
An hour later Helen laid down the
book she had been reading with
sigh of satisfaction. Good story"
she yawned. AS she seated herself
before the dressing table she was
Mortified to see reflected in the mirror
a mans hand grasping the dark drap,
cry which hung at the side of the
| ocf xxyfn E1or rnnnnnnf she
thought she was going to faint, but
| by heroic effort she controlled her
self sufficiently to hum little tune.
| She knew the man was covertly
watching her, and she OWNED that
| he had come to rob and perhaps
murder her aunt. In some way he
must have discovered that her aunt
had a large amount of money ana
| jewels with her.
What should she do? She tried to
think; but her brain seemed in a
whirl. Slowly she began to take the
! pins from her hair. The moments
dragged like hours, and still her
brain refused to work just as she
had taken the last pin out and hal
| begun to braid her hair, she be-
came possessed of sudden courage.
1 The man did not know she had seen
him and probably was only waiting
until the room was quiet before he
| would act She swiftly braided her
| hair and stepping over to the tall
| chiffoniere (which also had mirror)
! she stood thoughtfully gazing at her
reflection.
Then she lifted the small pitcher
1 which stood on small table, near
the bed and poured some of the wat
er into a glass After tasting its
contents she said aloud:
How nasty! It's as warm as milk
and I'm dying of thirst" She seized
the pitcher and slipped out of the
room If she only dared to lock the
door! Once in the hall she tiptoed
quietly to the door of her room. open.
| ed it softly, and removing the key
| very gently locked it on the outside,
/ then she sped down the wide stair
case and darted into the library
Carefully she closed and locked the
| door, and after turning up one of the
| electric lights sped to the telephone
'fGive me the police station" she
breathed This is Mr.. Norris house
SO Chestnut street There is thief
in the house. Hurry"
After she had hung up the receiver
another feeling of faintness> seized
her. Il must not faint" she said
hastily bathing her face with the
cool water from the glass which she
had placed on the table. She slip
ped into the embrasure of one of
the windows and watched the street.
After a few moments of anguished
waiting she saw three policemen run.
ming swiftly up the street. Stumbling
to the library door she managed to
unlock it noiselessly. In trice she
was at the front door fumbling with