Year: 1878

usual ouu was uom SoinS quiooiy W O0u.
| began to undress, not lighting the can
die again, as l had light enough from
the moon. AS | came toward the win
dow to close it I saw. exactly as in my
dream, female fgure-evidently keep
ing In the shade of the trees-going
down the avenue. [ determined to fol-
low and see who it was, for l now felt
the warning voice was not sent to me for
nothing, and seemed to get courage,
girl though l was, to fathom the myste
ry. | hastily dressed, threw dark
shawl over my head, and, going noise
lessly down stairs, opened the glass door
in the drawing-room window, and left it
so that I could come in again. | kept in
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 wo-
mans. But who was she? ? l came
close, and got behind large group Of
thick shrubs. | could now see and hear
them quite we'll they were standing in
the light; | was in deep shade.


Just then the woman turned her head
toward me. 1t was Martha.


What did she want there at that
hour-and who was that man? | was
puzzled. Where had [ seen that face
before-for that had seen it before l
was certain; but where and when [
could not remember. He was speaking
in low voice, and [ did not hear very
distinctly what he said, but the last few
words we're:


"And why not tonight? +? Delays arc
always dangerous, 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
to morrow night-she will be gone then.
But indeed, John, l don't like this busi-
ness at all. [ think we'd better give it
up. No luck will come of it, | am sure. I"


"Look here, Martha" said the man.
81 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 trinkets
happened to pick up few years ago,
you and | may set up business in Amer
lea. The other fellows will help me-.
Meet me here tomorrow night, to let
me know that all is safe for us. See
hore. I have brought you 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. Ifyou want mon
ey, sell these diamonds in Liverpool
they are worth no end of money"
could see quite well that he took
something out of his pocket and gave it
to her. She held it up to look at it
and there, glistening in bright moon
light, | saw-my god-mother's diamond
earring; the one that had been stolen
over niHe years ago with the other Jew
els 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 | in
stantly recognized my god-mother's very
respectable gardener. A decent man he
was believed to be, but thief all the
time, and one who hid his evil deeds un.
der a cloak of religion. And who was
this woman he seemed to have got such
power over? Evidently his wife for
gathered that from his conversation with
| her. | waited where [ was until they
were both gone-Martha back to the
| house, and her husband to the village
then as quietly as | could l returned tc
the house and reached my room. Falling
on my knees | gave thanks to God fol
making me the means of finding ou
such a wicked plot, and perhaps saving
the lives of more than one under tha
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 thei
wicked plans.


| | slept little that night, and mex
morning tried to appear calm and com
posed, though was frightened and real
ly i'll. was longing for my husband
to come, that might tell him all, ant
consult what was best to be done to pre-
vent robbery and perhaps bloodshed
At last, to my great relief, saw hin
coming. ran to the gate to meet him
and told him what l had seen and heart
the night before.


ssNou ,, cold ssu;ll 1o,, ouor l,,rl
at my fancies again %


"No, my dear little wife" said he
II never will"


We then arranged that we should tel
his mother and sister everything, ant
ne was to go to the nearest police station
and arrange with the chief officer to hav
number of men ready in the wood