Year: 1860

you SEE; anu Ghaftes Lewis saw it--Saw
me slap her ears not hard oh no -
and he threatened to pound me if l dared
to touch her again. You see be suspects
Olivia is not my child. My wife has a
tongue entirely too long, and she esteems
the young fellow


/ have said enough, jerome, contin-
ned Holt, placing roll of bills in the
desperado's hand IF be lives three
days | must leave America, and you-


You shall not leave, Senior. will
attend to this little business.


After much more villainous discourse,
the pair separated, and CASTOR Holt re-
turned TO his office.


1t was after midnight when he stole
forth into the street, muttering:


/ must secure these papers; he said
be had them with him; he never lies
| know the room in which be sleeps it
is easy Of access. He will keep those
papers on his person, or conceal them in
his room. In either case, if Jerome does
for him, the papers may be found, and so
ruin me and think | had better trust
my own hand rather than Jerome's. At
all events, l win try for the papers-at
least look about-for l am in agonies of
dread


He hurried on until he paused before
the. modest residence of Charles Lewis.
The darkness and stiffness of the hour.
and the open window OF the young mans
room, tempted him. He easily scaled
the little fence before the house, and
gained a noiseless entrance into the room.
1t was by no means the first time Castor
Holt had found himself in SO dangerous
"a situation; and having taken off his
shoes before he scaled the fence, he be-
gan TO advance step by step into the
apartment, with which he was quite ia
miliar from former visits of feigned
friendship. He paused and listened very
intently, but heard no breathing; and
knowing the position of the desk in which
Charles kept his private papers, slowly
CROPPED his way thither. He had reached
it, wher slight noise attracted his at
tention towards the window; and as be
glanced that way, he saw that some dark
body had dropped into the room as noise
lessly as a cat.


Filled with terror he sank to the floor
and glided behind the bed, so that he
stood between it and the wall.


The next five minutes was a period of
horror to him, for he could neither see
nor hear anything.


He wondered that he could not hear
the breathing of the sleeping Charles !;
and suddenly conceiving that the bed
was vacant, he swept his hand softly over
it. The bed was vacant!


No doubt be or some one saw me en-
ter, and is after me- thought he as an
icy sweat began to pour from his face
and bosom.


He waited and listened. The suspense
was horror. Again he heard slight
noise; and by its nearness, he knew that
the intruder was not far from him.


Castor Holt unsheatheda heavy knife,
and cautiously retreated, hoping to pass
around the head of the bed, and thence
to the window, whence to escape.


When he reached the head of the bed,
he found it close to the wall-he could
retreat no farther! Listening intently.
he detected soft, gliding noise, as if a
mass of clothing was being pushed to
ward him by hair breadths.


Pausing no longer he sprang over the
bed, and rushed for the window. His
hand and foot were upon the sill, when
the intruder sprang upon him, and plum
ged blade at his throat, but merely
wounded him in the shoulder.


Castor Holt turned upon his unknown
enemy with savage curse, and struck
back swift and fierce.


There was a deep groan and CASTOR
Holt bounded into the yard, leaped over
the fence, not forgetting to secure his
shoes ere he fled like the wind. At the
next corner he paused and listened. He
heard no disturbance.


He is finishedp he muttered, after a
few minutes of conversation ard then,
congratulating himself that be bad es-
capped SO well. hurried to his home, en-
tered nnperceived by his servants, and
went to sleep, muttering:


IF had the papers now, / should be
perfectly happy. But / shall be sum-
moned there early in the morning, and
viii have excellent opportunities Tor
search. On the whole / think / viii go
there early unsummoned, and be the FIRST
to see it.