Year: 1878

NJo vi " pViicenun, anu WIFI tno tH-
stinct OF predatory character, shrank
back trembling, crept Into the room and
shut the window.


BY this time / was sensible that there
was little confusion In my thoughts,
and by way Of employing practical and
useful objects determined TO make
tour OF the room. But first II was neces-
sary TO get rid somehow Of my plumber
to plant the property, as we call IT,;
and with that view / laid II carefully,
piece by piece, In the corner of sofa,
and concealed II with the cover. This
was great relief Ialmost began TO feel
like the injured party, more like cap
tive than robber; and CROPPED my
way through the room with vague idea
that l might perhaps stumble upon some
trap door or sliding pannel which would
lead into the open air, or, at worst into
n secret chamber, where / should he safe
for any given number of years from my
prosecutors. But there was nothing of
the kind In this stern, prosaic place;
nothing but few cabinets, and tables,
and couches, and arm chairs, devotional
chairs, footstools, lamps and statuettes,
and the elaborate girandole hung around
with crystal prlsms, which played with
such an lntermlnable tune against each
other when / chanced TO move them
that / stumbled away as fast as could
and subsidized into q faueeiM 80 rich and
deep that felt myself swallowed up, as
1t were, in its pillows of swans down.


How long had been In the house by
this time cannot tell. II seemed TO me,
BILE portion of q lifetime. Indeed, / did
not remember the more distant events
Of the night, although every now and
then the fact occurred TO me with start
ling distinctness that all i had gone
through was only preliminary to some
thing still to happen; that the morning
was to come, the family to be astir and
the housebreaker to be apprehended.--
My reflections were not continuous. 1t
may be that dozed between whiles.-
How else can account for my feeling
myself grasped by the throat, TO the
very brink Of sufIocation, by hand
without bodyp How else can i ac-
count for sister Laura standing over me
where reclined, pointing to the stolen
plate on the sofa, and lecturing me on
my horrible propensitles till her voice
rose to wild, unearthly scream, which
pierced through my brain


When this fancy occurred / started
from my recumbent posture. A voice
was actually in my ears, and living
form before my eyes lady stood con-
templating me with q half scream upon
her lips, and the color fading from her
cheek, and as 1 moved she would have
fallen to the ground had not sprang
and caught her in my arms. laid her
softly down in the chair 1t was the
morning twilight. The silence was
profound. The boundaries Of the room
were still dim and indistinct. Is II any
wonder that was In some considerable
degree of perplexity as to whether was
not still in the land of dreams?


Madam" said, {" II you are Wis
ion, it is of no consequence, but If not,
wish particularly to get out"


'Ofer no injury" she replied in
tremulous voice, "and no one will mo-
lest you. Take what you have come
for, and begone."


"That Is sooner said than done. The
doors and windows below are locked
and bolted, and beneath those of this
room the area is deep and the spikes
sharp. 1 assure you have been in
every preplexity the whole Of last night
and drawing a chair sat down in front
of her. Whether it was owing to my
complaining voice, or a mere fact of
finding herself in quiet tete-a-tete with
q house-brcaker,I can't tell; but the lady
broke out in low, hysterical laugh.


{" How did you break in 7" said she.


81 did not break in it is far from be-
ing my character, assure. But the
area window was open, and so thought
would come in"


"You were attracted by the PLATED =
Take it for Heavens sake, desperate
man and go away"


- L did take some of ii, but with no
evil intentions-only by way of amuse-
ment. Here it is," and going to the
sofa, drew off the cover and showed
her the plate.


You have been generous" said she,
her voice again trembling " for the
xr,hoIa x,,uaf haua haan In xrour .,nxxror