The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1870-05-02

bad sent me that morning. Before re-
tired had unshOa,hed the sabre, SO that
10 case of emergency, it would make no
unnecessary insise. z .5,r
1t must have been near midnight
when | awoke. The storm was still ra-
ging, and the room retained but small
degree of heat from the stove. was
about to rise to replenish the FIRE, for We
did net want our large stock of ink TO
freeze, when | heard noise as though
rat was gnauing for dear life. ! listened
aud soon discovered TINT the noise was at
the front and double door. ii rose aAd
cautiously struck light, and donned my
pants aud stockings. The lamp | turned
low, and grasping the old sabre, lap,
preached the door. i. ,g-st
enough Tho noise was on the
outside, and ! knew man was cutting
hole below the atroug, large iron bar.
The work accomplished, lie could insert
bis hand, noiselessly remove the bar, and,
push the door open. With bated breath
and wildly beating heart ] listened to the
saving. = The sabre was poised above ny
head and along'ide oftllt door. Palmer
. n -
and palmer grew the noise, and at last .
circular picco Of tue dootawis pushed q
little inside. Then I saw two fingers
grasp aud draw it cut. .t.,l b
~ waited for the insertion OF the hand,
for | had determined to sever it with the.
sabre. sI;heard no noise outside, and
supposed the robbcr was alone. Notlong
did I wait, however, for tho reappesr-
ancc Of the hand. was,thrust in, and
the fingers moved toward the bar. ]
struck with all the strength Of my right
arm. The robbers hand foil at my feet.
and tic bleeding stump va, quickly with.
Drawn. .ii tlr tI
"Thcu,. above tho war .of tho storm,
which seemed to increase OF every mo-
mcst, heard words and noise diaper
son forcing his way through heavy drifts.
al can never use my right hand
again. l heard the nan grosa. OBJ
God! Knight have known that that
stripping was fully armed. Curse my
follyw ,SIGT d
II picked up the severed member and
examined it in the light. I. locked as if
it belonged to . man ii tho meridian Of
life, and the little finger was encircled by
o heavy gold ring. with solitaire dia-
mond setting. It vas d right hand, and
and tho tip Of the thumb was missing.
wrapped The hand in cotton, laid in the
desk, and rsplenishing the Ere, watched
thu door until, through the fatal opening,
l saw limbs bending under their load Of
snow. q df4.A 49,
II spened tho door, but saw no tracks;
it had showed all night and covered up all
traces Of the robber. When Devices came
-he alvay, reached the store half an hsar
before Day-I showed him the hole and the
hand. OF courss be was astonished.
"By George, boyF he exclaimed, 'yeur
fears we're not grOundless. You may keep
that old sabre till it rusts; and from this
hour your wages STAND increased. e
"Ofceurssboys, ! was thankful, because
be had knocked under to me, and because
my wages were increased. Great search
was made for The robber, bat he was not
found and l remained in possession Of the
ring and the hand. Five years later lief
Dalton, which had not been disturbed by
robbers since that memorable night. Il
kept tho robbers hand in spirits for near
fifteen years, when, ueglse,irg it, it
spelled, and l buried it in my lot"
"But what did you do with the ring3"
asked the traveller, when Mr.. Worden con-
Ieludsd.abI had noticed bis agitation.
"K.pt it. Nothing could have induced
meitopartIwi,h it," s&tN ~ /"
"Wsuld you not return it TO tie svn-
err -nsT r,sE sj.s .R- SWA 10 i
"Perhapshc did not come by i. honestly
he was . rObber, you knowi" M
The traveller blushsd.
, ..'lls did, sir" be said.
"What do you know about the ring and
the robbcr?' said Mr.. Wordeu. sci
"A good deal. Look thore" and turn.
ing up his sleeve b. displayed to our :az.
a handles wrist. T. NJ, ,.' ~, T. W
"T6e rsbber" the ex-nerchan! and
half dozen Of our party exclaimed. Ill
for one, could not keep back the word
"roLber - r-nTaY "
sir," said the stranger. "robbsr