Year: 1878

SO that | could come in again. keptin
the shade of the trees as much as posi-
BILE, and quickly followed the path I had
seen the woman take. Presently heard
voices; one was a mans, the other a
Wemen's., Bnt who .tsas she's 1 came
close, and got behind q large GROUP of
thick shrubs. I could now see and hear
them quite well; they were standing in
the light was in deep shade.


Just then the wolfram TUNED her head
toward me. It was Martha.


What did she want there at that hour :?
and who was that man? 1 was puz-
zled. Where had I seen that face be-
fore ?-for that. I had seen it before [
was certain but where aud when could
not remember. He vas speaking in a
low Voice, and did not hear very dis
tlnctly what he said, but the last few
words were


"And why not to-night2 Delays are
always dahgefeus, especially now as
they are beginning to suspect me-"


Because Mrs. Benson's daughter-in-
law is here, and she is sleeping in the
room over the plate-closet, and would be
sure to hear the least noise. Wait until
tomorrow night--she will be gone then.
But indeed, John, 1 don't like this bust
hess at all. t think we'd better give it
up. No luck will come of it, am
sure"


tLook here, Martha" said the man.
I" have chance of getting safe off
now. have it all settled, if you will
Only help me to get this old woman's
plate. With that, and few little trim
kets happened to pick up p few years
ago, you and I may set DIP business in
America. The other fellows will help
me. Meet me here tomorrow night, to
let me know that all is safe for us. See
here. I have brought you a valuable
present Keep it until the plate is Sc
cure with me, for you must stay here
until all blows over; >; then make some
excuse for leaving, and come over and
join me in New York. If you want
money, sell these diamonds in Liver
pool-they are worth no end of money"
something out Of his pocket and gave it
to her. She held it up to look at it :;
and there, glistenipg in bright moon.
| light, 1 saw-my god-mother's diamond
earring the one that had been stolen
over nine years ago with the other
! jewels from her room.


Here then at last was the mystery
solved, everything made clear, and all
through my dream Presently the light
fell on the mans face again, and I in
stantly recognized my god -mother's very
respectable gardener. A decent man he
was believed to be, but a thief all the
time, and one who hid his evil deeds un-
der cloak of religion. And who was
this woman he seemed to have got such
power over? Evidently his wife; for I
gathered that from his conversation with
her. I waited where I was until they
! were both gone-Martha back to the
house, and her husband to the village
then as quietly as could returned to
the house md rcachod my room. Fall
ing on my knees [ gave thanks to God
for making me the means of finding out
| such wicked plot, and perhaps saving
the lives of more than one under that
roof for it is more than likely that, had
| those desperate men been disturbed in
their midnight plunder. they would not
have hesitated at any deed which would
enable them to carry out their wicked
plans.


I slept little that night, and next
morning tried to appear calm and COM
posed, though ! was, frightened and
really Ill. I was longing for my hus-
band to come, that 1 might tell him all,
and consult what was best to be done. to



At last, to my great relief, [ saw him
coming. I ran to the gate to meet him,
and told him what 1 HAD seen and heard
the night before.


"Now," L said, "will you ever laugh
at my fancies againa'


No, my dear little wife," said he,
81 never will.


We then arranged that we should tell
his mother and sister everything, and he
was to go the nearest police station and
arrange with the chief officer to have q
number of men ready in the wood, near
the house, at II o'clock that night; that
after dinner we were to say "good-by ="
to Mrs. Benson and drive home, but
would return and join the police in the
wood, and wait there until we saw Mar
tha leave the house to meet her hus-
band. We were then to go in and wait
until the thieves came in, when they
were to be surrounded and taken prison
ers. My husband wanted me TO remain
/ at our own house, but L would not do
SO, as [ said would only be imagining
all sorts of dreadful things; besides, I
knew his mother and Mary would like
to have me with them.


| It all turned out as well as could be-
The night was very fine and, just at II
CloCh StOlS OOWu 10 b10 place
where [ had seen her the night before;
then we all, about dozen policemen
and ourselves, went into the house. The
men were stationed out of sight in differ
ent rooms, waiting for the robbers
entrance. Henry came up to Mrs. Ben
sons room, where all of us women were,
including the two servants.


With breathless anxiety we watched
and waited. From where l stood could
see the way they would come.
It WAS about o'clock when 1 saw
Martha coming up the walk and four
men with her.


"Look p I said "there they are"
They went round to the back door, and
we heard them stealing along the pass
age in the direction of the plate closet
Then a sudden rush-a scream from the
wretched Martha - imprecations loud
and bitter-a shot another scream!


May God grant no lives will be losti"
we prayed.


Poor Mary nearly tainted At last we
heard the officer call Henry to come
down. The four men were well secured
and taken to the police station. Martha
was taken there too. She confessed she
had let them in for the purpose of steal
ing the silver One of the robbers was
slightly wounded in the arm, but no one
else was hurt. Very thankful was 1
when found, next day, that none were
the worse for having gone through such
terrible scene.


The house where Martha's husband
lodged was searched, and the case of
diamonds and many other valuable ar
tieies found there. This immensely re-
spectacle gardener had been disgrace
L z =
very much TO himself through the in
| diligence of his emnlnver he had con-