m of Mrs. Belden standing with a lighted
match in her hand, gazing round on the four walls that encompassed her.
Hardly daring to breathe, lest I should alarm her, I watched her while
she turned and peered at the roof above her, which was so old as to be
more than half open to the sky, at the flooring beneath, which was in
a state of equal dilapidation, and finally at a small tin box which she
drew from under her shawl and laid on the ground at her feet. The sight
of that box at once satisfied me as to the nature of her errand. She was
going to hide what she dared not destroy; and, relieved upon this point,
I was about to take a step forward when the match went out in her hand.
While she was engaged in lighting another, I considered that perhaps it
would be better for me not to arouse her apprehensions by accosting her
at this time, and thus endanger the success of my main scheme; but
to wait till she was gone, before I endeavored to secure the box.
Accordingly I edged my way up to the side of the barn and waited till
she should leave it, knowing that if I attempted to peer in at the
door, I ran great risk of being seen, owing to the frequent streaks of
lightning which now flashed about us on every side. Minute after minute
went by, with its weird alternations of heavy darkness and sudden
glare; and still she did not come. At last, just as I was about to start
impatiently from my hiding-place, she reappeared, and began to withdraw
with faltering steps toward the bridge. When I thought her quite out of
hearing, I stole from my retreat and entered the barn. It was of course
as dark as Erebus, but thanks to being a smoker I was as well provided
with matches as she had been, and having struck one, I held it up; but
the light it gave was very feeble, and as I did not know just where to
look, it went out before I had obtained more than a cursory glimpse of
the spot where I was. I thereupon lit another; but though I confined my
attention to one place, namely, the floor at my feet, it too went out
before I could conjecture by means of any sign seen there where she had
hidden the box. I now for the first time realized the difficulty before
me. She had probably made up her mind, before she left home, in just
what portion of this old barn she would conceal her treasure; but I had
nothing to guide me: I could only waste matches. And I did waste them. A
dozen had been lit and extinguished before I was so much as sure the box
was not u