Grass Valley telegraph., 1854-08-17
The Ranlker,s Prisoner.

The Bankers Prisoner.
It was dark, tempestuous night. Th
wind howled and swept with furious blast
through the old forest and around the ancer
castle, whose towers had withetood the storl
of two centuries. The snow tel thick an
fast, whirling like maelstrom eddies, or pilin
up in huge and almost impassable drifts. AM
everywhere wheeling with the noiselesS tlgn
of Il bird, from cloud to-soil, blanching all |
touched with the tints of DEATH 1t was sucl
a night as the doerS of evil deeds delight in
its darkness aud storm so thick and fierce. Sc
cureing them from the fear OF detection ND
ing them from every eye but the Ali seeing.
Gustave Gaehler, the present lord OF the
castle, was seated alone in his chamber. Hl'
wife and daughters were absent in neigh
boring city his only son. a youth Of tweII
years. and the two domestics-who. at
sent, constituted the rather slender gr1
the frown;ng battlement-had retired
early hour. weary with the chase that
cupied them since sunrise. Midnig oz
been tolled by the clock. After c.
strokes and leaning back for mr.
luxurious chair. the while holdiE
as though by pressure he would
lassitude that had stolen over b
bestirred himself. took few brisk
the room, and resumed at the Sc
seat and his occupation.
He had that day late in the aft
ceived a heavy sum of money, and
now in counting it over, intending
it early on the following morning in
of Kiel. 1t was rather risky in those
which date as far back as 1743-for the
er of even so strong a hold as his, to rs!.V
long upon his pr misses a golden treasure y
such weight.
The thick, dark forest-.on the edge Of
which his castle stood, and which stretched in
gloom miles beyond h;m-was the rendezv vons
of daring band of brigands. But that the
iiaafi4ySw Sweh fe hf ss mdgg Has received End
escort he could muster was 80 few in MN er.
the banker would not have suffered it o re-
main single night under his roof Bm the
bold chjeftain, who for five years had leen
the terror Of the country. eluding every ef-
fort to secure him. and perpetrating evry
week robberies such as might befit the fingrs
of tiend. had learned that for one night tie
mighty sum would be in the bankers castle.
and knowing we'll. that if oace secured in til
vaults of Kiel it ould be beyond his power
he determined to obtain il at once, and unde
cover of the darkness and storm led his ban
with stealthy PAGES to the spot.
The silence of death had reigned for SON
time in the old CASTLE Gaehler had nearl
finished his work. when suddenly he was sta
tied by q noise it was heard but an instan
and ceased so suddenly he could not dete
mine its character. A brave old man he wa
not easily frightened and he concluded
must have proceeded from a mouse or som
other truant animal. and proceeded calmly I
secure his treasure in the massive iron ches
which had stood for years beside his heaC
board
But scarcely five minutes had elapsed e1
be heard the noise repeated, and this time
continued longer. and more distinct. to-
Hastily turning the key, he hurried to tt
door, and after cautiously listening for m,
ment, became convinced it proceeded frol
below. He Immediately lighted a dark lal
tern, armed himself with his cutlass and do1
ble-barreled gun. and descended with nois
less step the grand staircase. determined I
ascertain The cause Of so strange noise
that late hour. He soon found that some or
was hard at work on the outside. striving
make breach in the wall Immediately b.
side the great entrance door, which was qua
ded on the inside by strong iron bar. II
perceived that they were making the openin
nearly on level with the bar. and inferre
correctly that their object was to insert tbei
hands and thus lift the old iron sentinel ON
etly from its post and effect an easy entrance
Having satisfied himself that such was tn
state of the case. in less time than it has ia
ken us to tell it. he at once awakened his so
and servants, and revealed to them their PEI
il. Without the least noise or sign tina
might betray alarm to the robbers, who sti
were heard proceeding cautiously with thei
desperate work. they arose. armed themselve
and seeing that the windows and side an
back doors were we'll harricaded, and that n
attempt had been made elsewhere. Gaeble
one domestic in the rear of tn
mansion as sentinel. to apprise them shoul,
the hrigands divide their forces in the hone
OF succeeding there more easily. The othe
was sent to the armory for strong rope. an,
ordered to reioin him and his son at the from
oo0r as soon as he had procured it.
~, ollence and darkness reigned throughou
u the castie. The dark lantern alone indicated
10 nose within, the progress making bv thos
" WITHOUT IN their deep laid villainy. as the,
lalCieu' IN tne most perfect security. As sooI
as tne hanKer saw that mans arm was thrns
the opening in the wall. and that tn,
r0nner S hand sought to raise the iron ba,
whIcn secured the door, he was at once or
the alert lie quickly made running kno
OF his rope, passed it around the wrist of tn,
roober strained it tightly. drew the arm fur
ther through, and fastened the other end O
the rope to the iron balustrade in such a man
Il ner that the robber found himself pinned t.