Year: 1870

Elijah CrOly my husband, was owner and
captain of q coasting vessel, doing good
trade; and we occupied an old-fashioned and
somewhat dreary house at Stepney. Elijah
liked the place more than did, and it was
on his account that we stayed there so long.
l thought it could make very little difference
to him where we lived, for he was at home
only two or three weeks out OF every ten.
was often alone two months at a time; and
lonely enough it was sometin es.


''Get some one whom you like to stay with
you, my DEAR" the captain said, when told
him one day how unpleasant felt to be alone
so much. ''Get any one you please, and be-
fore long I hope l shall be able to stay at
home with you myself"


| took his advice, and after some inquiry
found woman who thought would suit me.
Her name was Emily Sands, and she was a
pleasant-faced woman of about forty. She
told me that she had been left widow, with
no means, and had since earned her living
by needle-work; and although I had intend
ed that the woman who came every morning
to do my housework should still come, I
found Emily so handy and so willing that I
soon discontinued the services of the other.
She was so amiable and so vivacious, that
was satisfied that had done the best that l
could do in the matter.


81 hope So" he said doubtfully.


"And don't you think so ?" asked.


"Well, no." he replied.


t'Now, I'd like to know why, Elijah. Do
you see anything wrong about her ?"


II can't say that do; presume it is only
a notion; but | have in some was conceived
q kind of distrust of her face. l can't ex-
plain it, and you had better not be prejudiced
by it."


''You may be very sure l shall not" re-
joined, ''if it has no more foundation than
thiS'


And this was all that was said between us
on the subject. l was too well acquainted
with the captains sudden whims to attach
much Importance to this one.


The captain remained at home this time
barely two weeks. On the morning that he
after he had taken up his hat to 90, he called
me into the chamber and shut the door


Here is something, Fanny" he said, ''that
| want you to keep safely for me till come
back" And he took a paper package from
his breast-pocket rs he spoke. "There are
ten tifty-pound notes in it--fve hundred
pounds in all. will lock it up here in this
bureau-drawer, and give you the key" And
he did so. "No one would think of coming
here for money"


do you think you had better leave it here,
Elijah?' I asked. "Why not put it in the
bank?"


II meant to; but I shall not have time.
The money was only paid me last night.
But no matter, the money will be safe where
it is, and there will be no danger about it
or, if you don't think so, you may deposit it
yourself"


My husband took little thought of possibil-
ities and l presume that he never once
thought OF the money from the time he left
the house until he returned. As for myself,
I was not so easily satisfied, I had heard
enough of house plunderings and outrages
of that kind to make me afraid to keep this
large amount with me. My uneasiness in
creased as the day wore on; and about three
o'clock the same afternoon, took the money
and went to the bank, determined to deposit
it. The bank was closed all the banks were
closed, for it was Saturday.


l took the package home again, replaced
it in the bureau-drawer, locked it, placed the
key in my pocket, and resolved that would
not worry any more about it. Emily called
me to tea in little while, and though not
hungry, went into the dining-room and sat
ed and chatted in her vivacious way.


The evenings were rather long, and Emily
and I sat together in the dining room after
the table was cleared, she reading aloud and
| listening, as was our custom. When the
clock struck ten she laid down her book and
/ took my lamp, and bidding her good night
went up to my ROOM


My chamber occupied the whole front of
the second story, and Emily had a back room
upon The same floor. A bell-wire ran from
my room to hers, so that could summon
her at pleasure.


placed the lamp upon the bureau, shaded
it, and returned and locked the door. Then
drew my easy chair to the middle of the
room, put on my slippers. and sat down for
few minutes before retiring. And immedi-
ately became vexed at myself to find that
was looking at the drawer that held the
money, and that I was feeling in my pocket
to see that the key was safe. Ifelt no alarm
had almost cured myself of my uneasiness
but it seemed as if that money, and the dan
In the impatience of the moment turned my
| chair half-round, and looked toward the op-
posite wall. The shade that placed over
the lamp confined its rays within small cir
Gle, beyond which the bed, the furniture, the
| carpet and the wall paper were obscure. In
the corner, to the right Of the door, was ar
antique. high-backed chair, favorite piece
of furniture. AS l turned my own chair
from the bureau, my eyes rested on this OBJ
ject; and l saw by the same glance that q
human figure was sitting in it!


| | could not at first make out whether it
was man or woman; l only became con
scous, as sat in bewildering, dumb terror
that was confronted by a stranger there il
that semi -darkness-by some one who ha(
hidden in the room for some object; anc
what that object was l well knew. No per
son who has never been placed in such ter
rifying situation as that can describe the sick
ening feeling which for moment takes pos
session of the heart; and only say for my
self that sat motionless for time-1 knew
not how long-thinking of my helpless stu
alton. There I was, locked up in q room
alone with a rut1ian, waiting, trembling, ant
expecting to hear him speak, or to become
the object of some violence. For although
as l have said, could not distinguish wheth
er it was man or woman, did not doub
that it was the former, and one the most des
perate of his kind. And presently, as m,
eyes fell to the floor, saw a great pair o
boots thrust out upon the carpet, within the
radius of the light.


do not know how long we sat there in tn
semi-darkness of the room, facing each other
but motionless and silent; it might have beel
three minutes or thirty. The thought Q
alarming Emily suddenly occurred to me