LEFT IN CHARGE.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 832, 22 February 1877, Page 3

LEFT IN CHARGE.

Chapter I,

I AM a nervous man : there is no disgrace in that; and there’s no denying the fact, which I honestly admit. I am a very nervous man. I don’t think lam a coward ; at least this confession might prove there is no moral cowardice about me, and after all, that is the right sort of courage in the longrun. However, no moral influence strengthened those nerves of mines, which caused me more suffering than any one suspected. Not even my wife guessed the extent of my nervousness, or I am sure she would have been the last to leave me in charge under circumstances which, to say the least of them, were trying. For our house was situated in a lonely part of the country. Wo had no near neighbors, and reports had recently reached our ears of a series of strmge and mysterious robberies committed by evidently accomplished thieves, judging from the way they laughed at locksmiths, penetrated into carefully barred up mansions ; and the deft manner in which the hasps of innumerable plate-chests were removed, the contents abstracted, and no trace left to guide the baflled police by which to lay hold of the perpetrators. It may therefore be imagined how pleasant it was for me when my wife and daughters announced their intention of accepting an invitation up to Loudon, ‘in which I was not included fortunately,’ as they all exclaimed in a breath, • because some one must be left in charge.’ None of our domestics were family retainers—in fact, they were comparatively new-comers—hence the necessity for some one remaining at home ; and as I dared not adduce my nerves as a reason for my restiveness under the arrangement, the matter was settled very speedily, and preparations wore forthwith commenced for their departure. * Be sure you have the silver carried up to your room every night, John,’ said my wife, when we were all seated at dinner the evening preceding their journey. ‘ 0 yes,’ exclaimed my eldest daughter. * Don’t forget, papa, or it may all be swept off, like the Merediths’ was last week. Just fancy if w r e lost all our nice solid silver ; why, it’s w-orth ever so much !’

‘ Not so very mucli,’ I answered carelessly, having observed as I fancied the black eyes of our parlour maid fixed upon my daughter with rather a sharp expression; and remembering that she was a very recent arrival, I thought it advisable for once to detract from the value of the one possession of which I was extremely proud—my silver. ‘ Not so very much, John !’ heedlessly exclaimed my wife ; ‘ that good old-fashioned solid silver not worth so very much ? Just feel the weight of one spoon. ’ ‘ Well, we haven’t enough to make it worth any one’s while to break into this house, ’ I said, with a poor assumption of in ■ difference on the subject. ‘ O John !’ and '() papa !’ resounded on all sides, which was followed up by my wife adding, as if to improve matters : ‘ I should not like my mother’s pearls to go, nor should I enjoy hearing that my jewel-case was gone. You must keep that under the bed John.’ The blackeyed parlour-maid giggled audibly at this ; at least I heard her. However, he r duties compelling her to leave the room for a few minutes, 1 took advantage of her absence to rebuke my belonging for their extreme thoughtlessness in having spoken so incautiously before her. * It is actually putting temptation in her way. How do you know she is not in league with the very gang themselves ?’ I wound up reproachfully. It was silly, my wife admitted. ‘ Girls, don’t do it again. But it will be all right this time, John. We needn’t be afraid, because if any one came, you would be the first to hear them ; and if Mary had told them anything, yours would be the room they would first come to. ’ That w'as evidently a comfort to my wife, though I could not see much cause for congratulation. However, 1 had one staunch ally to assist me in guarding the house, and that was my dog Hover, a noble retriever, which I kept comfortably located in a kennel placed in the stable-yard. Gentle as a lamb with all of i 1 s, he had shewn rather a Hornlike disposition to strangers on more occasions than one ; so I felt pretty certain if any attempt were made upon our abode, a very warm reception would be accorded to the invaders if Rover got within reach of them. To make quite certain of his cooperation in the event of an attack, I resolved to depart from my usual custom of chaining him up at night; and desiring a mat to be laid for him on the lobby outside of my bedroom door, I retired to rest for a few nights after the departure of my family, feeling pretty confident that on the faintest indication of midnight marauders, Hover would be on the alert, and hearing his ominous bark, it would be a very brave man who set his foot within the hall. Besides w r hich I kept a six-barrelled breech loading revolver loaded ; and also possessed a very deadly-looking cutlass, which, if everything else failed, 1 could fall back upon. In accordance with my wife’s desire, I had the most valuable plate carried up-stairs, and deposited, not in our room actually, but in my dressing room which adjoined, where I considered it would be quite as safe. The jewel case simply remained where it usually was, on a chest of drawers dose by the bed under which she had charged me to be sure to place it

My precautions were of course quite patent to the servants, who no doubt in dulged in considerable merriment at my expense down stairs, and probably pronounced them highly absurd ; but one morning I was startled to hoar that a house about live miles off, belonging to a Sir Gifford Fansford, had been broken into and everything of value carried off ; worse still, that the hi tier, who had been wakened by the noise, had received such inj cries from the burglars that he was not expected to live. As usual they had escaped, leaving not a trace behind them by which to guide the bewildered and mystified police. I sat for a long time over my breakfast, ruminating on what my mode of procedure should be in the event of being attacked ; and at last a bright idea struck me, wdiich I resolved to put into execution ; but what it was I need not say until I relate how it succeeded. I had a presentiment that my turn was coming, and it behoved me to have recourse to mystratagem without loss of time. (To he. continued.)