Year: 1877

I NAiNN N'NiiiNS


"If auntie is better / certainly will,
for love to go boat-riding. Den'tyou
think it is getting chilly | think you
had better come indoors"


"Atumn winds, you know, bring a
chilly breeze. | cannot accept your
kind invitation, as / have an engage
ment, for which am very sorry. as |
should like very much to spend an even
ing in your charming society.-But
will see you tomorrow, so au revoir. "
And with polite bow, he sprang into
an elegant bOx-buggy, and was out out
of sight i'm few moments.


so, dear" she solilOquized, as she
slowly wended her way toward the
house, 81 wish that was Glide, instead
of Frank. Not because | care for Glide,
but | used to have to coax him whenev-
er wante him to do any
thing for me he did not wish to do, and
| cannot Frank, somehow although
Frank would not censure me, as Glide
has done. Frank is real nice, in spite
of what every one tries to say against
him" And with that consolation she
eutered the parlor and amused herself
at the piano until ten o'clock, when she
thought she would retire.


How long she had slept she had no
idea of, but she awOke with start, and
sat bolt upright in bed, as wide-awake
as though it were broad daylight.


The night wind whistled drearily
through the open window, while the
ticking of the little gilt clock on the
marble mantle seemed to buzz in her
ears urging her in an unaccountable
manner, to arrise.


She lay perfectly still for few mo-
ments trying to sleep again, but sleep
had fled, and with low laugh at her
own foolish imagination, size threw on
a wrapper and opened the door of her
room but hesitated after reBching the
hall, for the night was already far ad-
vanced, the clock having struck three.


Still that irresistible longing to go
possessed her, feeling it was impossi-
bic to define, and gliding downstairs
with nOisless steps, she paused on reach
ing the sitting-room door to assure her.
self.


The door was half open, as she remem-
bered having left it on retiring, the light
burned low, the windows were shut, all
seemed quiet and undisturbed, but a
feeling Of dread crept over her as she
entered the room, for the thought of
the money her father had placed there
suddenly flashed across her memory.


She would call James. Bat no.-He
might say she was hysterical or su-
perstitiOus ; and above all else she de-
tested a nervous woman. How foolish
of her to have come downstairs. She
would go right back to her room again
Immediately.


Arriving at that conclusion, she turn
ed to leave the room, but in so doing
her eyes CHANGED to rest on the little
safe in the opposite corner ofroOm. Her
heart almost ceased to beat for there
on his knees she saw the figure of
man.


His face was bent over the instrumedt
he was using to pry open the lock, and
by his side on the floor lay a revolver.


She watched himOpen the safe, and
draw from it the box containing the
money. Too stunned to cry for help,
she shivered as if struck with the ague,
while great drops of perspiration roll
ed down her flushed face. o, the ago
ny she suffered, standing there unable
to move hand or foot, fairly stupefied
with fright. She felt her senses leaving
her as the man turned his head to reach
for some instrument he needed


Had a thunderbolt struck the house,
or a bombshell exploded at her feet, she
could not have flown any faster across
the room then at that moment for, in
turning his head, she had recognized
the burglar


With one bound she reached his side,
and pale as death, her hand grasping
his shoulder, she stood over him. From
his face, too, all color suddenly fed.
1t was Frank hamburg. His face was
white with detected guilt ; hers pale
with terror and grief, not understand
ing or believing her own senses.


Then she spoke, her voice clear and
firm excessive fear adding energy to
her failing strength.


"What are you doing here at this
time of the night, Frank hamburg ~


Detected ! was all the answer his
white lips could frame.


Birdie felt her strength deserting her,
but rallying again with an effort, she
said hurriedly. "Set down that box Of
money, and leave this house instantly,
as you value you your life"


With quick movement she reached
down and grasped the revolver, point
ing it towarp him.


lie heard the click Of the trigger as
she drew it back, and fearing she was
about to fire, he struck the weapon to
one side, causing it to go off, the ball
lodging IN her arm.


"You have killed me- She grasped,
"James-Mollie, she called family then
a giddiness came over her sudden
dimness hid the surrounding objects
from view a feeling of deadly sickness
caused her to reel backwards, and with
a shrek fall heavily to the floor.


Weeks of sickness followed, Ind in
her delirum she rehearsed over and over
again her encounter with Frank YAM