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“206
. well known.
whose pockets are doubtless well lined! The
grooms and coachman all sleep over the stables!
So, whether Willy comes or not, I am for doing the
trick! They can’t be long,” he added, pointing to
the villa; “Andrews has promised to leave the |.
.window of the laundry open when they are asleep !”
‘Should they awake?” urged his companion, who
did not appear to-have any great inclination for the
_ crime.
‘The man made a significent, sign, by drawing his
hand rapidly across his throat.
., The .child trembled so violently that had « the
speakers not been absorbed in discussing the details
of their project, they must have heard the hay rustle
above their heads. .
Much to the reluctance of one of the housebreakers,
they decided at last on returning down the road, in
the hope of meeting the companion - they expected.
Fanny watched their departure till, by the light
of the lantern, which they carried with them, she
saw them enter the lane. Then, without hesitating
an instant, she slid from her place of concealment,
and tan across the field towards the house.
he window, and the name of Andrews!” she
repeated to herself—for every word she had heard
impressed itself upon her memo on
That same evening Madame Garrachi and her hus-|: :
band supped with Fauntleroy, the. banker, ‘whose
admiration of musical and theatrical celebrities is
The late Charles Mathews was a
frequent guest at his table. Who that had seen
him that night doing the honors of his table which
groaned beneath the delicacies of the season, would
have imagined that the possessor of such seeming
wealth, a few years later,, would end his career upon
the scaffold?
“One more song ! Y said Lord Vesey, a reckless
young nobleman for whom the banker was in the
abit of discounting largely.
The request was seconded by his host.
Madame Garrachi complied with great good-
humor, but declared that it must be the Tast—for the |*
hour was late.
It was nearly three in the morning, and yet the
gentlemen did not feel disposed to retire... Music,
painting, all that could enchain the attention, had
been discussed. The celebrated singer had illustra-
ted each by some piquant anecdote or observation
full of finesse and delicacy.
Just as she was about to return to the piano for
the last sung, the door of the drawing-room opened,
and Fanny, “pale as one of those marble statues of
Italy which the lady had been describing, glided
rather than walked into the midst of the party; her
hair, damp with the rain, hung heavily. over her
shoulders. But for the fever of excitement in her
deep blue eyes, she might have been taken for an
animated corpse.
Never was surprise ‘more general. We question
if the banker, when the officer who arrested him first
laid his hand upon his shoulder, experienced a deeper
emotion.
Madame Garrachi was the only person who recog:
nised her.
“You here, my dear child ! " she exclaimed, “at
such an hour !’
‘Fanny took her hand, eagerly kissed it, a sob-
bed out the words: Doe .
«You are safe—safe!” "
“Safe !” repeated his lordship ; 3 “ what does she
mean ?"”
“She is cold!” ‘exclaimed the kind-hearted
woman; “ her little hands are like icicles!"’
“There is something very ‘extraordinary in all
this !”” observed the banker, rising from Ais seat to
ring the bell, ,
Restez tran uille I" ‘exclaimed the peer, restrain:
ing him.. ‘ Don’t you seé it,is an emotion which
madame has arranged—a surprise—a scene !”
4A surprise,” ” replied the singer, who had been
questioning Fariny, “ which, but for the devotion
of this dear, grateful child, might have cost us our
lives, The house is about to be attacked by robbers.”
At the word “robbers,” the gentlemen - started
from their seats. ‘ The husband of the speaker was
about to order his caléche—the very one which had
served her so opportunely to escape from her enemy.
“Be calm, I beg of you!” continued the speaker,
turning to her host. “ What is the name. of your
butler?”
“ Andrews.”
“Has he been longin your service 2”
“About three months.”
_ © Everything confirms the truth of her statement,”
"exclaimed the lady—who, without informing them
*. of the extraordinary circumstances by which her in-
formant had been placed in a position to overhear
the details of the plan for plundering thavilla of the
banker, imparted to them the details of the Plot.
FRANK LESLIE'S NEW YORK, JOURNAL.
The gentlemen consulted a few moments amongst
themselves: it was decided that the banker should
ring twice—the signal that the presence of the batler
was 8 required.
‘When the fellow entered the room, he stared with
astonishment on beholding the addition to the party.
He could not comprehend the means by which Fanny
had gained access to the house; he. was still more |;
surprised to account for the excellent terms on which
the forlorn, wretched-looking child appeared. to be
with Madame Garrachi.':
«= * Well, Andrews,” said his master, “ “have you
left the window open?”
“Window!” faltered the man.?-! >
“« At what hour do you expect your friends? iid
: From the half-mocking tone in which the question
was asked, the faithless domestic saw that his crime
was discovered.’. He attempted to retreat from the
room, but Lord Vesey, now perfectly convinced of
the reality of the danger, detained him. >... -
“ Not so fast, my fine fellow!’ he exclaimed.
‘With the ‘assistance ‘of his host: and Monsieur
Garrachi—who, by-the-bye, displayed no very .ex-
traordinary courage on the occasion—the butler was
secured, and bound. firmly, as they thought, in the
banker’s easy chair.
“If you attempt to stir,” coolly observed “the
peer, who had armed himself with a carving-knife
from the supper-table, “or give the least alarm, I
shall be -under the’ most unpleasant: necessity of
silencing you. . You understand me!
‘he man darted alook of mingled hate and terror.
“Very provoking, I : admit!’ continued - the
speaker; “ the calculation was ably made—but the
best sometimes fail! Instead of the diamonds of
madame, a prison and a rope!”
“ Rascal!” exclaimed Mr. Fauntleroy : ‘you, to
whom I have been so kind—placed such confidence
in—thought as honest as one of my own clerks.”
:.“We are all thought honest till we are found
out!” growled the detected thief.
Most probably the hit was not intended, but ittold
—the banker changed color: probably even then he
had made the first fatal step in the series of crimes
which gradually led him to the scaffold.”
He muttered the word ‘“ impertinent.”
| Guided by Fanny, the three gentlemen left the
drawing-room—leaving the prisoner, as they thought
securely bound—and took up their position in the
laundry, where the window was situated by which
the robbers were to enter; Madame Garrachi ac-
companied them.
The danger was considered too pressing to admit
of any one of the defenders leaving: the house to
alarm the coachman and grooms, who slept over the
offices—the only other male servant in the house
besides the butler was an old» ‘footman, who had
long since retired to rest.
’ It was not without much persuasion on the part
of her husband and their host, that the singer con-
sented to retire to one of the rooms above with the
child, whose presence, after having pointed out the
danger, 43 well as her own, was: more likely to
prove an embarrassment than an assistance.‘ ~ ’
«“ Haye you no fire arms?’ demanded Monsieur
Garrachi, addressing himself to: Mr, Fauntleroy.
The banker recollected that: he had a pair of
: pistols i in his bed room—but, not knowing at what
moment the housebreakers might acrive, hesitated
at going in search of them.
., “ Never mind your pistols !”” exclaimed the peer,
brand:shing the carving knife, which he still re-
tained; ‘the window is. not very large—they can
only enter one at atime; you seize the first that
thrusts his head into the trap, and leave the rest i
me!” : ve :
“ Surely you would not——” :
“ Why not?” replied his lordship, with the ut-
most coolness; ‘my great ancestor, Gerald Vesey,
was famous in the wars of the Roses for the skill
with which he took off the heads of the Yorkists
at the battle of St. Alban’s, at a single blow!
trust [have not degenerated !’’ he added, gravely;
**to be sure, a knife is not half so convenient as a
sword—you will make allowance for that.) ©! °
. Despite the danger of their position, the gentle-
men could not avoid smiling at the gravity with
which the noble speaker deprecated before hand their
criticism of his prowess,
I
poe
CHAPTER XXXIT
How cunningly men seek to fence their sin Or Puay,
Tax apartment in which. the singer and. Fanny
had so unwillingly consented to take: refuge was the
bedroom of the banker, and situated directly over
the Jaundry window, where the attempt to enter the
villa was to be made; 3 the chamber was furnished
_ | with all that the moat fastidious luxury cou!d sug-
*
gest. Portraits of beautiful “Women by Greuz. -#
noble Titian—the original: study,’ probably, of the
one, in the ‘Escurial—cabinets and tables of mar
queterie and petra dura.
: The bed was‘in the style of ‘Louis Quatorze, of
amber!and blue silk, with a deep silver fringe—the.
chairs corresponded.
“ Surely,’’ said: Madame Garrachi; looking round
the room, “ the:.owner:of so much’ ‘foxury” is not
without arms to defend a life which ‘fortune seems
to have: enriched | with : ,
desirable.” :
She looked round the costly chamber for fire-arms
—bat i in vain
The key’ had been left in a cabinet’ placed in a
recess by the side of the bed—she opened it.’ Un-
der any other circumstances, the’ honorable-minded
woman would have ‘considered such ‘a’ proceeding
indelicate.’ A second door presented itself, leading
to a recess or closet, concealed within the walls. *
In the hope of finding a weapon of some kind, she
pushed back the inner door, when a most singular
spectacle presented itself.-*
‘o back, my. love 1 phe hastily exclaimed to
Fanny, ys who was following her; * this | is” no sight
for
the child, fearful that she had offended, timidly
withdrew to the other end of the room.
‘The lady took one of the candles from the table,
and entered the recess, in. order to examine still
more closely the cause of her surprise, and,” “we
might add, terror.
Upon a beam which ran ‘the whole width of the
closet, was suspended by’ the neck, the figure of a
man, the size of life. It had’all the appearance of
a human being who had just been executed.’ ‘" -
. The apparatus with'which the effigy had been in-
vested was even more singular than the. position in
which it ‘was placed.
Broad linen bands of great strength were passed
under the feet, and continued to the knees, round
which they were buckled with: leathern’ straps.
hese bands, with other strappings, were’ continued
the entire length of the body, up to an iron ‘collar,
which was fastened round the neck: to this collar
were attached three hooks, which caught the rope
by which the mimic execution had ‘been performed.
By this contrivance, the figure, instead of being sus-
pended by the neck, hung as it were in a cradle.’
It was some time before the singer could under-
stand the arrangement. It was an elaborate study
of the means by which justice, with the connivance
of the authorities, might be cheated of its victim. -*
‘She closed the door in disgust, and returned to
the chamber. .:'%
‘You are not angry with me?” said Fanny, nos
ting her pale looks and knitted brow. :
‘No, my. lo . feng
She took the child upon her knee, and made her
proniise not to tell any one that she had examined
the cabinet.’ The: horrible! ‘mystery—for such she
felt assured it was—regarded only ‘the «wretched
owner of the mansion. ‘ Even. from’ her’ husband
she resolved to keep what she had seen a secret,
: To the great disappointment of Lord Vesey-—-who
:| most. probably .was the only one of the, party who
regretted the ; termination of the: adventure—the
attack upon the villa did not take place.: The butler,
who had been left in the drawing-room a prisoner,
ad contrived to reach a knife from the supper-table,
and cut the cords which bound him: : Just as the
most daring of the housebreakers was on the point
of climbing in at the laundry window, the voice of
his confederate informed him that their project was
discovered. They fled—to’the annoyance of his
lordship, who was consequently deprived of the
satisfaction of proving to the world that he had not
degenerated from the fame of his great ancestor, so
renowned for cutting off heads at the battle of St.
Albans. -
“ Victory—victory rr exclaimed the peer, joy-
ously, as he entered the chamber of the banker,
followed by his host and Signor Garrachi ;' "the
enemy have fled !”
“Thank heaven!” said_the lady.‘ :
Directly on entering the room, the banker per-
ceived that he had left the key in the cabinet. He
bit.his lips with the air of a man who feels that he
has committed some unpardonable oversight, with-
drew it from the lock, and put it in his pocket. °
The gentlemen related everything that had passed.’
“Confess the truth!” said Lord Vesey, address-
ing the singer; ‘have you not: been horribly
frightened pr a
* At what ?” she replied.
The eyes of the speaker and those of Mr. Fount.
leroy suddenly met, and she fancied that his lips
quivered.
“At what! ” ” repeated the say young nobleman 5 ;
ipes