36 Fred the Apprentice.

the counting-room; the lad followed him in
silence, hoping that some opportunity would
occur when he could be useful to Francis, if
he should come to the place. About an hour
elapsed, during which there were no signs of
the approach of the thievish workmen. It was
an hour of horrible torture to Fred, who started
at the slightest sound. The darkness and
silence which reigned in the apartment forcibly
impressed him with the gravity of the situation,
and chilled him with horror.

The trial was almost more than the strength
of a youth could support. He was quite ex-
hausted by the events of this frightful day, and
he felt that his heart was almost broken ; but it
seemed more than he could bear without faint-
ing, when, just as the clock was striking one, a
slight noise, made with a tool, warned him that
some one was trying to force open the shut-
ters. Mr. Kartmann also heard the noise
and approached the window. Fred rose almost
mechanically from his chair, then sank upon his
seat, not knowing what todo. This agonizing
suspense lasted for some time. The burglars,
fearful of making a noise, worked gently and
slowly to force the shutter to open, and it was