Year: 1865

I cannot do any harm by going out
And 1 cannot do any harm by going
out. And 1 cannot sleep. And I hate
to lie awake. The Dutch clock on the
stairs strikes eleven. The house has
been quite still for an hour and half.


I stepped gently out of my bed, and
stole to the window How sharply out
lined the shadows were. I remember
the whole scene now. Great clouds
were coursing over the sky, and presently
the moon would be hid. I turned the
key in the lock of my own door. It
moved so silently and easily, that I
could not help pulling back the bolts.-
In another minute I was in my attic
You may think that I was a very courage
oIs girl, and very unlike most of the
children you know. Perhaps children
nowadays have more foolish ideas in
their heads than those of aeventy years
ago. knew nothing to be afraid Of
There lay my rod, and there was my
cherished knife, It's blade looking very
blue in the moonlight. I shut it, and
vowed never to be so careless again
How strange the room looked Every
thing was very black, or very bright, and
the broad mullions made great stripes of
shadow over the floor. I feasted my eyes
at the big window, and then I turned to
the little one. Opposite to me rose up
the steep tiled roof, and at the top was
the lighthouse, its vane shining in the
clear light, and its windows looking just
as though there were candle inside. l
had turned to go down to my bed again,
for I was beginning to be conscious that
it was cold, when I saw the window of
the lighthouse that was nearest to me
slowly open. 1 cannot say that was
exactly afraid, even then. 1 was spell
bound with astonishment, and stood mo-
tionless to watch The sash was raised,
and a man cautiously got out. He
moved awkwardly, and seemed to have
his hands tied. Then he began to de-
sceud the roof very slowly, and very
warily. lie leaned back against the tiles,
and lodging his feet and elbows in their
! projections, advanced inch By inch along
his perilous journey with his hands still
in front of him. I had just time to re-
cognizo his features, when the great cloud
came over the moon, and in the sudden
gloom of the compartive darkness, l
could see little. But I had seen enough
now The man was one James Conhor,
a laborer on the farm. He had come to
the house some weeks ago, and though
my father knew nothing of him, and he
looked ike mere tramp, he had been
received. His fellow-servants had com
planned, once or twice, that he was a
drunkard, but he had promised amend
ment. He was in the kitchen when my
father had indiscreetly answered my in
discreet question. What he was doing
was clearenough. Hehad passed through
my fathers room before the house was
closed for the night, had concealed him
self in the garret till all was still, and
had then mounted to the lighthouse to
steal the money. He could not descend
through my fathers room without rous.
ing him. Nor was it needful to do so,-
He knew the premises well, and was
aware that if he could descend the roof,
and gain the little window, he could at
once reach the farm-yard, and so make
his way whithersoever he would. All
this flashed through my mind as the
cloud fell over the moon. In a moment
I was watching more eagerly through the
night, as the dim figure crept heedfully
downward. He wore his shirt, and stock
ings, and shoes, and pair of rough
breeches. In his hands he held his
spoils, perhaps because he wore no pock-
cts perhaps, because, as his stupid look
showed he was half drunk, and ran the
risk of marring his plot, and manning
himself for life, by his folly. This 1
could not explain. 1 only saw him COM
ing lower, lower, lower, with my fathers
gold clasped in his hands. The bottom
sash alone was standing in the window,
about yard from the floor in height,
and there was nothing between us but
the abyss between the two buildings. I
was hidden completely in the dark corner
of the window. I thought the man must
fall. He reached the cornice in safety,
and stood up. for a second before he slept
across. Then he slept from roofto roof,
and in moment was leaning over the
sash, supporting himself upon it by his
arms, and resting his feet on the gutter
that ran round the wall outside.


All this time 1 had simply watched.
I had not thought what to do. I could
not run away for help. was chained
to the spot I knew that if the robbcr
was to be baflcd, it must be done now.
As he paused before he clambercd over
tho s7sL and rs he held ont his hands
with their spoil within them, struck
them with all my strength. The sud
donucss Of the shock Effected what my
weak form could never have done. The
man was startled, hiJ hands parted, and