A BURGLAR IN THE HOUSE.
Millicent Fern lay wide awake a few nights later, at Midlands, when the
clock struck two. She was thinking of her second novel, now nearly ready
for Mr. Roseleaf's hand. There was a hitch in the plot that she could
best unravel in the silence. As she lay there she heard a slight noise,
as of some one moving about. At first she paid little attention to it,
but later she grew curious, for she had never known the least motion in
that house after its occupants were once abed. She thought of each of
them in succession, and decided that the matter ought to be
investigated.
Millicent had no fear. If there was a burglar present, she wanted to
know. She arose, therefore, and slipped on a dress and slippers. Guided
only by the uncertain light that came in at the windows, she tiptoed
across the hall, and in the direction in which she had heard the noise.
She soon located it as being on the lower floor where there were no
bedrooms, and a thrill of excitement passed over her. She crept as
silently as possible down the back stairs, and toward the sound, which
she was now sure was in the library.
What was the sound? It was the rustling of papers. It might be made by a
mouse, but Millicent was not even afraid of mice. She was afraid of
nothing, so far as she knew. If there was a robber there, he would
certainly run when discovered. At the worst she could give a loud
outcry, and the servants would come.
She tiptoed along the lower hall. A man sat at her father's desk,
examining his private papers so carefully, that he seemed wholly lost in
the occupation.
The room was quite light. In fact, the gas was lit, and the intruder was
taking his utmost ease. His face was half turned toward the girl, and
she recognized him without difficulty.
It was Hannibal!
Hannibal, whom she supposed at that moment in France!
Without pausing to form any plan, Millicent stepped into the presence of
the negro.
"Thief," she said, sharply, "what do you want?"
They had hated each other cordially for a long time, and neither had
changed their opinion in the slightest degree. Hannibal looked up
quietly at the figure in the doorway.
"I have a good mind to tell you," he said, smiling.
"You will _have_ to tell me, and give a pretty good reason, too, if you
mean to keep out of the hands of the police," she retorted. "Come!"
He laughed silently, resting his head on his hands, his elbows on the
desk. Millicent's hair hung in a loose coil, her shoulders were but
imperfectly covered by her half buttoned gown, the feet that filled her
slippers had no hosiery on them. She was as fair a sight as one might
find in a year.
"Do you remember the time I saw you in this guise before?" he asked, in
a low voice.
A convulsion seized the girl's countenance. She looked as if she would
willingly have killed him, had she a weapon in her hand. But she could
not speak at first.
"It was you who sought me then," said the negro. "And because I bade you
go back to your chamber, you never forgave me. Have you forgotten?"
Gasping for breath, like one severely wounded, Millicent roused herself.
"Will you go," she demanded, hotly, "or shall I summon help?"
"Neither," replied Hannibal. "If you inform any person that I am here, I
will tell the story I hinted at just now. Besides, I would only have to
wait until your father came down, when he would order them to release
me, and say I came here by his request."
Millicent chafed horribly at his coolness.
"Came here by my father's request!" she echoed. "In the middle of the
night! A likely story. Do you think any one would believe it?"
"I do not think they would. It would not even be true. But he would say
it was, if I told him to, and that would answer. Don't you know by this
time that I have Wilton Fern in a vise?"
Yes, she did know it. Everything had pointed in that direction.
Millicent could not dispute the insinuation.
"What has he done, in God's name, that makes him the slave of such a
thing as you?" she cried.
"I will answer that question by asking another," said the negro, after a
pause. "Do you know that Shirley Roseleaf hopes to wed your sister?"
The shot struck home. With pale lips Millicent found herself trembling
before this fellow.
"You love him," pursued the man, relentlessly. "You do not need to
affirm or deny this, for I know. He loves Daisy, and unless prevented,
will marry her. I hold a secret over your father's head which can send
him to the State prison for twenty years. If I confide it to you, will
you swear to let no one but him know until I give you leave?"
The girl bowed quickly. She could hardly bear the strain of delay.
"Then listen," said the negro. "To save himself in business he has
committed numerous forgeries upon the names of two men. One of them is
Walker Boggs and the other Archie Weil. Very recently he has been
successful in his speculations, and has called in many notes with these
forged endorsements. But the proofs of his crimes are ample, and I
possess them. If he ever proposes to let Roseleaf marry Daisy, hint to
him of what you know, and he will obey your will. I shall be in the
city. Here is my address. If you need me I am at your service.
Understand, I shall not harm your father unless he makes it necessary. I
only mean to use the fear of what might await him, and you can do the
same. It is time I was going. I have found all I want here, though I had
enough before."
He handed Millicent a card on which was the address he had mentioned,
and she allowed herself to take it from his hand. Then he started to
pick up a package of papers that lay where he had put them on the table,
when a third figure, to the consternation of both, brushed Millicent
aside, and stepped into the room. It was the younger sister.
"Give that to me!" she demanded, imperiously, reaching out her hand for
the package.
The apparition was so unexpected that the previous occupants of the
library stood for a few seconds staring at it without moving a step.
Daisy was dressed in much the same manner as Millicent, but she thought
only of the danger that threatened one she loved better than life--her
father.
"Give that to me!" she repeated, approaching Hannibal closer.
Without a word the negro, his head bowed, handed it to her.
"And now," she said, in the same quick, sharp tone, "the others!"
"They are not here," he answered, huskily.
"Where are they?"
"At my lodgings in the city."
Instantly Daisy snatched the card from her sister's hand.
"At this place?" she asked, hastily scanning the writing.
"Yes," said Hannibal, in a voice that was scarcely audible.
"I will be there this morning at ten o'clock. See that they are ready."
The negro bowed, while his chest heaved rapidly.
"And now," said the girl, pointing to the door, "go!"
He hesitated, as if he wanted to say more to her, but recollecting that
she would meet him so soon, he turned and obeyed her. At the threshold
he only paused to say, "You must come alone; otherwise it will be of no
use." And she answered that she understood.
She followed some paces behind and closed the door after him, pushing a
bolt that she did not remember had ever been used before.
Then she turned to encounter her sister; but Millicent had disappeared.