The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-10-08

lsomethlngln the tones rather than in
the words--though these were mingled
iwith horrid profanity-which conveyed
4 to his mind the impression that the
new corners were men with whom he
did not care to scrape an acquaintance;
neither did he like to 90 ont into the
stornn-and so he quietly glided back
into'the little @leanto' that formed the
other part of the house, and curled
himself up against the logs
Ina moment more he perceived that
three men had taken possession of his
late quarters; and he lay as still as o
mouse, while they continued discus
sion which had evidently been inter
rupted by the storm.
He won't try to get over tonight, ]
reckon"
"Yes, he will; he's got to-
"But the storm 2
Hell wait till that's over"
Maybe he's started
! eff he has, he'll turn hack. We're
ssife enough to bag him, an its little
the best lay zoe ever had
Pretty good pot, that's fact Do
you know how he's got it?'
"In valise, Jim says
"Well, we can take it as well in that
as in anything else, as the man said
about his whisky"
"But what'll We do with him.
Dead men tell no tales
That's the surest, l guess; and
they'll lay it to some Of the strikers"
Most likely: Have you got thedark
lantern ready"
"Not much oil in it,
Lets fill it, then. | went to get
some, and got into the boss's private
office, and just found one little can hid
away in his desk. Not another thing
worth bringing away. Here is; let's
| fiji up, an take look round"
Thus far Patrick had listened with
breathless interest, while his mind
teemed with horrid visions of robbery
and murder. As we have said, he was
.y no means lacking in sharpness, and
the reference to the valise had not been
by any means reassuring.
= "IIowly Mother how did they liver
Know / was comm over wild the port
manly? Id like to know that. Be-
gorrah, I'd betther have turned back
before liver come An what's dol
| IT to pay for bein' murdhered?'
Patrlck's thoughts were troubling the
very soul within him, when he heard
what was said about the lantern, and it
needed no one to tell him that his only
safety from discovery was in retreat.
There was some little noise and a loud
talking in the other room, not to speak
of the rain on the roof, and Patrick had
do difficulty in escaping unheard
Once clear Of the house, he made clean
run Of it for a couple OF hundred yards,
stumbling over logs, tearing through
briers, but stricking faithfully to the
valise.
Meanwhile the three robbers had pro-
baby been filing the lamp of their
dark lantern; and just as Patrick reach
ed the edge Of the woods, in the cover
of whose darkness he knew he would
be safe, he turned and strained his
eyes in the direction of the log house.
As he did so, a faint CLEAN OF light
came out drought the chnks and cram
MES. jam.
"Shtrikin' match, muttered Pat
rick. bad luck to that same for
sindin me out into the wet l-Howly
Mother what's that?'
While Patrick had been speaking,
the light had gained somewhat in
strength, as if the match was blazing
higher; but, as he uttered his conclnd
ing exclamation, there came sudden,
binding flash, equal to many light
nings, and then a dull and stunning
sound, as of some mighty explosion,
followed by the crashing sound Of heavy
bodies falling among the tree-tops near
him, breaking their way through the
branches.
Patrick waited for no more, but
found the road as quickly as possible,
and made a double-quick time for the
village, regardless Of the rain. When,
less than half an hour afterward, the
GREATNESS lrishman with his precious
burden, dripping with water, opened
the door Of the village, he heard that
gentleman remark:
what did you say, Jordan Z?
why" replied the boss" with an
anxious tone, "some fool has broken my
desk open, and stole can of the nitro
glycerine, and I'm afraid mischief will
come of it,
"Diyil fear interrupted Patrick;
tsorra mischief was done by that same
Ownly we'll have to sarch the woods
wild dogs to foind enough Of 'em for
dacint wake, or I'm MISTAKEN.
The explanation which followed left
little room for doubt and subsequent
investigation left less; but as Patrick
surmised, there was very little occasion
for a wake
The contractor got in all right, the
men were paid, the road was built and
tle moral of my story is: "Ifyou steal
| nitro-glycerine, dent fill lamps with it
| if you mean to light them yourself =
| Appietons journal.