Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1855-06-27

letters off. These fellows have happy
way of helping themselves out of trouble
commonly and will bear looking after
4 Co watch him. and as Mag left the
room, the half drunken trio turned again
to their cups.
i When Mag came back again, she in
stantly, but noiselessly, secured the door
upon the inside, and advancing to Berton,
quickly wrenched the gag from his jaws
"a performance that greatly relieved
him.
Now" she said, "you may escape, if
yea dare venture it. Alone, here, you
see you can do nothing, and | wouldn' t
answer for Silbet, when he gets another
bottle or two in his skin ;" and while she
spoke, she anfastened the strong cords
that bound the officers hands and arms
and feet, releasing him, at last, entirely
from confinement in his limbs.
81 do this to convince you that am
now acting with you in good faith. |
shall get away from them the best way
can. They'll swear and rave but they
wont harm me, | think. So hasten !
Raise this window carefully, secure these
cords together strongly. Fifteen feet be-
low there is an old shed, directly beneath
the easement. Let yourself down by the
cords here, and fly, or procure aid and
take them, while they are too soggy to
defend themselves. They wont hurt Mag
Humphries.'
Mag Humphries r' exclaimed the Off
Ger, as he busted himself with knotting
the cords hastily together, Who is Mag
HUMPHREYS ?"
Never mind mean Mag Dutlies,"
added the old woman, as if she had mo-
mentarily forgotten herself.
Is this an alias of yours, then?" said
Berton, at once suspecting her.
.Wimporte, Berton. Hasten you /
Hear rnen yen below. The wine is
working, look to yourself, and don't
mind me-"
"But if you are Mag HUMPHREYS, /
want to know it. Did you ever have a
daughter-a child, by this name, Mag ?"
Quick--quick--Berton They're
coming"
81 gel go. But say, had you such a
daughter ?"
"Yes-but she's dead, long years ago.
Never mind me-hasten, or you'll be
caught again.
If you get out of this den alive, Mag,
said Berton,-" and | will instantly re-
turn here with succor, if | get of-let ME
see you Immediately Your child is NOT
dead | know her. Come to me-fnd
me-and ! will show her to you'll" and
with these words, as the three intoxicated
robbers mounted the old stair case, Ber-
ton darted over the window-sill, and hav-
ing previously secured the ropes to the
casing, he touched the roof of the shed in
safety, while Mag fell heavily back upon
j the floor, senseless from the shock occa-
stoned by this suddenly acquired informa-
ton regarding her supposed dead child
Silbet advanced to the door Of the room
: where he supposed the officer to be safely
) secured, and finding the door locked upon
the inside, he commenced laundering
away at the panels, in right good earnest.
"Open the door p he shouted. "Open,
Mag Dufries, or I'll cure you of your
tricks. What are you doing, you she
} wolff" he cried, suddenly suspecting that
something had gone wrong.
i How the wind howls," said one of
: the men.
j "Where does it come from % asked
} another
i The window, inside here" suggested
the third.
"They have escaped !" -muttered the
first speaker.
"Not quite, I'll be bound. He was
!, too strongly tied for that" said Silbet
j Both of EN-" added his companion.
i F" Down with the door--down with it p
shouted the chief robber, who could get
no answer, and who now feared that it
was too true. And three minutes after
wards, the old door was battered off its
hinges.
The three rufians sprang into the room,
but all was darkness, and the wind and
sleet were driving furiously in at the
open window.
"A light, Louis" yelled Silbet, bring
a light! They've gone!'' and as he step
ped forward, he stumbled headlong
against the hard wall, over the PROSTATE
body of Mag Dufries, who had fallen in a
fit few minutes previously, and who had
not yet recovered from the shock.
\ Silbet rose again, stepped to the corner
of the room where he had left the police
officer, whom he so greatly feared when
that man was at liberty, and saw that he
had got away!
! He's gone-gone!" muttered the rob-
} Der, as the lantern was brought. "Close
the window, Louis. Yes, he's gone, and
has murdered or strangled old Mag, here;
take her up-take her up p
: Such was the impression of the whole
trio, who now believed that the artful
: official had by some means contrived to
, extricate himself from the cords with
which he had been bound, and had fasten-
ed the door, choked the old woman. and
!. by means of the ropes had lowered him.
. self from the chamber and fed.
In moment longer, Silbet, who was
< not so deeply in his cups as the rest, be
8 gan to think of the results of this nights