CHAPTER IV.
A THRILLING MIDNIGHT ADVENTURE.
For a moment Mollie was simply paralyzed with fear; she could neither move hand nor foot, which perhaps was the very best thing that could have happened under the circumstances. But her mind worked with the rapidity of lightning and to some purpose.
She could distinctly hear the movements of some one about the room, stealthy and cautious as the invader tried to be, and once she plainly saw the outline of a man as the figure passed between her vision and a window.
She was sure that a burglar had entered the house—some one who, doubtless, had learned of Monsieur Lamonti's absence and had taken advantage of it to come and help himself to what valuables he could find.
Then a shock of dismay and fear set all her nerves tingling as she remembered the safe; but this was almost immediately succeeded by a great calm, a grim determination taking possession of her, and plans to carry it out quickly forming in her active brain.
Very cautiously she reached out her right hand and secured the revolver that lay on the stand beside her. Her touch was so light that, as she timed her act just as the burglar stooped to examine the safe, not a sound was distinguishable.
Slipping it under the bed-clothing she softly removed it from the box. The next moment it was cocked and she drew a deep, silent breath of relief as she realized that she could now control the situation about as she pleased.
Her next act was to reach out again and feel for a cluster of three electric buttons, which had been placed in the wall close beside the bed.
One of these controlled a wire communicating with the nearest police-station, and had been put there for just such an emergency as the present. Another was connected with the electric apparatus for lighting the house, and the third governed the lock of the front door.