Year: 1877




cushioned chair in the corner, an
the old black cat sat on the hearth
blinking her eyes at the Cheerful
blaze.


Margaret read a little and dream
ed great deal, as girls of her ag
are prone to do when left to them
selves. She made a very pretty pic
ture, if only there had been some on
to see her.


Her soft brown hair was unbound
and fell rippling to her waist; he
fair round face was tinted as deli
cately pink as the inside of a sea
she'll; her brown eyes were dreamy
and full of languor; and her red lipi
were sweet and womanly enough fo,
any true lover to find his rarest hap
piness in kissing.


Slowly, at length, the old cofir
shaped clock in the corner strucl
ten. Margaret started up; she haC
not thought i was so late; the eve
ming had gone off much quicker thar
she had expected it would; it was
not so dreadful to stay alone, after
all, she said to herself.


She opened shutter and peered
out into the night. 1t was dark as
Erebus, and the wind and rain beat
against the pane in a perfect torrent
the Judge would not think of re-
turning on such night.


swell, Tommy" she said to the
cat, 81 guess you and l and the kit
ty will go to bed. We must be up
betimes in the morning, you know,
since there'll be none but us to dc
the chores" )"


As she spoke, Margaret stopped to
stroke old Tommy, but to her infinite
surprise, she saw that the animals
paw and tail were elect-her eyes
had changed to CLASSY green with
rage and terror and with slow and
psnther-like tread, she was making
her way toward the door which
opened upon the cellar stair way.


And while she gazed, Margaret
saw with terror that the latch was
slowly lifting, and the next moment
the door swung open with an omin-
Gus creak, and man stepped into
the room. He was a short, thick-set
fellow, with sandy hair and whis-
kers, and a pale, ferocious looking
blue eve set far back in his head:


$50, no, my DEAR" he said, "you
are sole proprietor. it appears"


For an instant Margaret's heart
stood still, but she was naturally
brave, and she was proud as well,
and would not allow this man to see
that she feared him.


81 have that honor" she said cool
ly, "whO are you, and what do you
want?"


81 trust you will excuse me if l
neglect to introduce myself" said
the man with much courtesy-''as
for my business am quite happy to
inform you about that; 1 want the
eight thousand dollars that the
Judge brought from Ridgely bank
last night, and / depend on you to
point it out to me-"


The indignant blood rushed to
Margaret's face, as she answered
sharply:


81 will die before I will do as you
ask"


"You shall have yourchoice."


He produced a pistol, which he
cooked deliberately, and pointed it
at her head.


"Show me the place where the tin
is hidden, or l will blow your brains
out!"


Like lightning a varied train of
thought rushed through the head of
the girl; in that one instant of time
she thought of ascore of plans to
evade the rascal, and simultaneously
discarded them as impracticable.


There she was alone, helpless, a
weak girl, almost mile from any
human habitation, and in a storm it
was by no means likely that any one
would be passing by from whom she
could claim assistance.


For a second she thought of risk
ing everything to escape by the out
er door, and trust to the darkness
and her knowledge of the way, to
attempt TO reach Mr.. Turner's and
seek protection.


But the man seemed TO divine her
thought, for he stepped between her
and the door.


'No, my beauty, you don't play
that game on mep he said with a
sardonic smile. 'And now I'll give
you Just three minutes to decide
what you'll do. If you will show
me where the money is, 1 swear not
to do you any harm; if you refuse,
swear to kill you and trust to luck
for finding it without your help"


He took out his watch and stood
regarding it and Margaret alternate
ly. As she stood there, faint and
giddy with fear, a new idea pene-
trated Margaret's brain, and she was
in Just the state of desperation which
stops at no sacrifice, however great.
Come life or death she must save the
money for which her friends had
toiled so long and earnestly, and the
loss of which would involve them in
ruin. And she thought she saw q
way to do it, though 1t would com
pass her destruction.


"Yeu may put up your pistol, she
said calmly. 81 will show you where
the money is concealed"
''That's sensible, my DEAR" said
the man. at amt often that sense
and pretty face go together. But
you are an exception. Come, be live
ly, now"


She took a candle from the table
selected one from a bunch of keys il
a basket hanging from the wall, anC
bade him follow her.


She led him up stairs to the dool
of the oak closet, applied the key
in opening the door, and pointed t'
the black box in the farther cornel
of the closet.


"You will find what you seel
there"


She stepped back for him to enter
but he seized her by the waist anC