The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-02-12

'plstuIt uIINl CUGhGu Its NOIe IGSuuSNs
"LOOk here" said Coventry, "there are
one hundred and fifty sOvercigns in this
bag. The moment / receive proof you
have not deceived me, will give you the
bag"
"Here, on this spot" h
: Hush! not 50 loud Didn't l hear
stepy' -,
was thick by this time.
Cole whispered, "IIOok down the river.
wonder which will go of first? It Is
very cold; very" And he shook like'a
man in an aguC.
Both men listened, numbed with cold,
and Quivering with the expectation Of
crime. gre Toy" "N
FslA clock struck twelve. s..
Atthe first stroke the confederates start
ed and uttered n cry. They were in that
state when everything sudden shakes men
like thunder. q .i'9i'
All still again, and they listened and
shook again with fog and crime,
Sudden lurid fash, and report, dull
and heavy, and something tall seemed to
lean toward them from the sky, and there
was mighty rushing sound, and cold
wind In their faces, and an awful fall OF
masonry on the water, and the water
spllrtcd under the stroke. The great
chimney had fallen in the river. At this
very moment camea sharp, tremendous
report like d clap Of thunder close ut
hand. It was so awful, that both bag and
pistol fell out Of Coventry's hand and
rang upon the pavement, md he fled, ter
ror.stricken. 5''''' -. % - 90
Cole, though frightened, went down on
his knees, and got the bag, and started to
run tho other way.
But almost at the first step he ran
against man, who was running towards
him. ..........
Both was staggered by the sClock, and
almost knocked down. .
But the man recovered himself first and
seized Cole with a grip Of iron. Hg'
When Coventry had run a tcw steps he
recovered his judgment 50 far as TO recOl-
lect that this would Ivy him open to slls.
picion. He LEFT of running, and walked
briskly instead. ar. .......-
Presently, tho great door Of the works
was opened, and the porter appeared cry
ing wildly for help, and that the place
was on fire. Il : l;r)j.I g EENI.
The few people that were about made
q rush, and Coventry, driven by an awful
curiosity, went in with them, for why
should no be suspected any more than they!
He had not gone in half a minute when
Dir. Ransome arrived with several police
men, and closed the doors at once against
all corners. 70"
Strange to say the lust explosion had
rung the bell in the police Office; hence
the prompt appearance Of the police.
THEY'VE orsix persons who got in with
Coventry knew nothing, and sFan hithcr
and tliither. Coventry, better Informed,
darted at once to Liltlc's quarters, and
there bchGld an awful sight; the roof pre-
sentetl the appearance OF q sieve: Of the
second floor little remained but few of
tho iOists, and these were most Of them
them broken and stood on end and across
each other, like a hedgehogs brfstles.
In Little's room, n single beam in the
centre, with fragment Of board, kept It's
place, but the joists were all dislOcatcd or
broken in two, and sticking up hero and
there in all directions: huge holes had
been blown in the walls of both rooms,
and much of.the contents Of the rooms
blown out by, them 81 80 vast were these
apertures, that It seemed wonderful how
the structure hung together; tho fog was
us thick In the dismembcred and torn
building as outside, but u large gas pipe
in Nttles room WIS wrenched into the
form Of II snake and broken, and the gus
SGT on fire ind tiaring, so that tho devus.
tation was, visible; the place also hung
on heaven knows how.
Coventry cast his eyes round, and re-
cOiled with horror at what he Ind done:
his foot struck something; It WIS the let
ter-box, full Of letters, still attached to the
broken door By some instinct Of Curl
osity he stopped and peered. There was
oneletter addressed "Gnce Garden"
He tried to open the box; he could not;
he gave 1t wrench, It was a latticed
box; and came to pieces. he went
down tile stairs with the fragments and
the letters in his hand feet approached,
and he he heard q voice close to- him Say,
"This way, AIr. Ransome, for Gods sake!"
4 sort Of q panic seized him he ran
back, in his desperation jumped on to the
ono beam that was standing, and from
that through the open wall, and fell on the
soft MUD by tho river bank. Though the
ground WINS soft, the descent shook him
and imbcdded him so deeply he could not
exticate himself for some time. But ter
ror lends energy, and he was now
Thoroughly terrified he thrust the letters
in his pocket, and, being an excellent
swimmer, dashed ut once into the river
hut he soon found It choked up with mas
Onry md de6Fia Of every kind he cOasted
this, got into the stream, and swan across
to the other side. Then taking the lowest
and darkest streets, contrived ut last TO
get home, wet and filthy, and quaklng.
J Ransome and his men examined the
shattered building within and without; but
no trace could be found Of any human be.
ing, alive or dead. I
Then they got to tho river side with
lights, and here they found foot-marks.
Ransom set men tO:gllard these from being
walked over
Attention was soon diverted from these.
Several yards from tho torn building,
woman was found NIL huddled together on
q heap Of broken masonry. She was in
her night dress, and counterpanc half
over her. Her forehead and head were
bleeding, and she was quite insonsible,
Tho police recognized her directly. 1t
was JAel Dence.
She was alive, though lnsensiblc, and
RansOme Ind her conveyed at once to the
inhrmary.
Bring more lights to tic watGr.side,"
said he "tho explosion has acted in that
direction.
Many torches were brought. Keen eyes
scanned the water. One or two police
men got out upon the ruins Of tho CHM
ncy, and ankIC-deep in water. But
what they sought could not be found
d.. 1nt1 ltu f,1N,I 10 10 E,ynp,V