Widnes Examiner. — 1890-06-07 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

THE NIGHT WATCHES.  IT WSS about one o'clock, and Mr. Klopetock's bed was In the shadow, while his sister and Ruth were seated by a little table on which burned the reading lamp. The noise which took the elder lady's attention was a faint rustling, and for a few moments the blood of the watchers seemed to run cold. Their dread passed off directly, for their reason told them that it was not likely that a second attempt would be made to rob the place, especlally as there was now a policeman sitting up with Mrs. Hall in the basement, and the law was in charge of the place for the time being. But still the rustling continued, and they sat listening for some minutes before Ruth made an effort over herself, and slightly raised toe lamp.shade so that its light fell across the great gloomy room. She shivered with fear for the moment, for there, standing beside the bed, in his long loose dressing-gown, was the figure of the old man, looking, with his bandaged head and white face, ghastly in the extreme. He was gazing acros3 the room in a peculiarly fixed way, and as the two women watched him, he walked slowly to the large wardrobe, and stood there listening, the watchers being too much overcome to speak. Then, raising his hands, he suddenly draped it open, and looked inside, muttering to himself the while, before closing the doors carof ully, and returning slowly to his bed. ." Are you in pain, dear ? " said his mister, who had summoned up courage enough to cross to his bedside; but there was no answer, for the old man was fast asleep, and breathing regularly. Miss Klopstock returned to her seat with a shiver, and shading the lamp once more, the two watchers resumed their conversation. " Whoever it was must have hidden himself there," whispered Ruth, as she glanced fearfully towards the great wardrobe, and her companion nodded assent, making an effort directly after to talk upon some indifferent matter. But the recollection of what must have taken place in the room they now occupied, effectually damped all conversation, and they sat at last in perfect silence, listening to the occasional mutterinere of the old man in his sleep. Soon after he grow agitated, and it became evident to the watchers that he was going over the struggles of the night before in his dreams, and at times his voice sounded loud and excited. Then it would sink, and the listeners hoped that ha would now sleep peacefully, when he suddenly sat up in bed, exclaiming: "Mark, Mark would you murder me?" Ruth could not contain herself as she heard these words, and a piteous cry escaped her lips—a cry that was frozen in hoiror as she stopped short, being violently clutched by Miss Klopstock. For the old man had reached from his bed and pulled open the little drawer in the table that generally bore his night-lamp, and before the two women could fully realise what was about to take place, there was a sharp click, a flash as of lightning darted across the room, followed by the report of apistol and the crash of wood. This was repeated, for the old man had fired twice at the door of the wardrobe before sinking back exhausted upon the bed, while the double-barrelled pistol be had taken from the drawer fell from his hand upon the floor. Directly after there were the hurried sounds of steps, the door opened, and, truncheon in hand, the constable who had been watching below entered, and on learning the cause of the alarm, undertook to sit in the room for the rest of the night. His presence, however, proved to be needless, for, exhausted by his efforts, old Klopstock lay perfectly passive, and hardly moved again before the morning of another eventful day.