The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1870-04-21

safrf" inquired Mr. Houghto1, who
was pacing the roomssss fhz a4.s .sy
h.. Just have patience, Squire" said
Sllas Bixby. 81 thought It best TO pre-
pare you, and SO led you up kind O grsd,
IalF They have got false keys t6 yosr
house door and your bedroom door.
They are going to .comein at m. iniCht
or ap hour after, and gag you and your
wife, and force You at the mouth Of the
revolver to go over to the bank and
open the combination lock, Your help,
they say, has gone off and they seem
ed not 10 be afraid Of Henry" es,.a
"Henry has gone to Tinborougb," )"
said Mr.. Houghton, mechanically.
W 81 presume they, knew that too,
them" ssid lbe constable. "They cal
culate on forty thousand dollars in the
safe, government bonds and all. Their
team is to be ready on the Tinborough
road, and they mean to catch the owl
train. You they calculate 10 leave, tied
hand and foot, on the bank floor, till
you are found there in the morning"
Foster Hougbton stopped in his rap
id walk up and down the little room,
and took his boots from the closet
"Fair play, Squire" !" said Bixby, lay
ing hand on the cashiers arm as he
sat down and kicked off his slippers.
- "Fve told you the whole story, when
l might have carried out my plan with
out telling word. Now what are you
going to do?" ra..
"Going to have a stout bolt pnt on
my front door at once, and to deposit
the bank keys iu the safe at Felton's
store" .aa a.E .-g) nsu
"You will think better Of it if you
will Just sit still and hear me through" :"
replied the visitor Don't YOU see
that will just show our hand 10 the
gang who are on the watch, and they
will only leave Elm6eld and rob some
other bank and make their fortunes I
Moreover, the plot never would be be-
lieyed in the village, and such a way of
meeting it would make no sensation at
all in print No, Mr. Houghton, you
are cashier of the bank and it is your
business to prote ct the property. / am
constable at Elmfeld, snditis my duty
to capture the burglars. propose to
do it in such a way that the whole
State shall ring With my brilliant man.
agement Of the matter, and yours, too,
ofcourse, SO far as your part goes. The
programme is all complete, and you
have only TO fall in" sI, ss.lnag ,
well, Mr., 3ixby," said the elder
gentleman, again surrendsring to bis
coppanion's superior force and deter
mination Of character "and what is the
programmed" . ..r = -...,.
"As for as you are concerned, simply
to remain passive" said the rural con
stable. ''You are to show no knowl.
edge of expecting the visit. aud after
proper display Of. reluctance you are to
60 with the burglars, with your keys in
your hand. fl were to arrest the ras-
calls now, should have nothing to
charge them with, and could only fright
en- them out Of town. When the bank
is entered, the crime is complete.
shall be on the watch, with two. strong
fellows have secured to help me, -
men who served in my company, stout,
afraid ofnothing, and not smart enough
to claim the whole credit when the Job
is done. When you are fairly inside
the bank we shall pop out from behind
the bowling-alley, guard the door, flash
our lanterns in their faces, and over
power them at once. 1t sounds very
short nOwf but it will easily fill a col
umn in the city papersY sI o.
"Mr. Bixby," said Foster Houghton,
with good deal of deliberate empha-
sic, Il have always thought you 4 man
Of sense. think so now. Do you
suppose am going to stand quietly by
and see a couple of ruffians tie gag in
the mouth of my wife, at her age, when
I know andcan prevent it beforehand r.
mo, sir, I expect no such thing"
'sida Bixby, not at all embarrassed. II
expected like as not you would bring
up some such objection, so / have pro.
vided for it in advance. John Fletch-
cr's little girl is very sick; they have
gone the ounds of all the folks on our
street, taking turns watching therei to-
night they came to me and said, Blk
by, can't you find US somebody to
watehl' and | said / knew just the one
that would be glad to help a neighbOr
So l will deliver the message to Mrs.
Houghton, and you need MT have a
mite Of anxiety about her, up there as
safe and comfortable as if she were
twenty miles away" 7 '''' "' ~ '''.
#aa While her husband yet hesitated Mrs.
HoughtOn re-entered the room; and
Bixby, quick to secure an advantage,
was ready at the moment with his Pc
tition. ''' 900
''Good evening Mrs. Houghton.
Been waiting very patient for you to
come in. called to see If you fell
able and willing to set up tonight along
with John Fletcher's little girl. The
child don't get any better, and Mrs
Fletcher, she's Just about sick abed her
SELF with care and wory."tta y.l
s1i"You know ! am always ready tc
help neighbord in such trouble" said
the lady, graciously, with the prompt
acquiescence which people in the coun.
try give to such calls. "And now i
think oft, Mr.. Bixby, i have another