The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1874-11-13

wondered where would be the safest At
last determined uron dividing it, leaving
half here and the rest in my own room.
had not mentioned the matter at home, not
even to my wife, but plead headache
when reminded ofmy preoccupied air.
81 came in here and placed twenty-five
thousand dollars in that ottoman at your
feet. See the top is on hinges, and is
fastened by the hook on the side. This
ottoman pushed near Nap The balance
carried to my own room and put it in the
stove, thinking that would be the last place
where any one would look for it. went
to bed, but it was nearly midnight before
| fell asleep.
II was awakened to find mans hand
on my mouth, and to be informed that he
did not intend TO harm me i'll kept quiet.
My hands were then tied behind me, a
towel fastened in my mouth, and the muz
zle OF pistol placed against my head
Another man was treating my wife in a
similar manner. They had IL dark lantern
and wore masks.
After securing us they began to search
the room. First my clothes, then the bu-
reau drawers, und,r the bed-everywhere
but where the money was. | began to
think had outwitted them, when one said
to the other, Allows that stove ~ Another
minute and they were pulling out the
money.
"Imagine my feelings if you can. Even
if they left with this amount it was no
small sum to lose. l could almost have
cried right then and there. One ran over
the amount and said to the other, Only
half here My heart grew colder than be-
fore. They went to the easy chair and cut
open the stuffed seat; they picked up the
ottoman, examined it, and went out of the
room.
~ was trying to get up when one came
back-the other had the money; he pushed
me back into the bed, saying | had better
be quiet. | heard the other man walk
down stairs and | knew my money was
gone. They evidently knew how much
money | had, and from the way they had
ripped open chairs and cushions in my
room, they would not be long seaching for
that which was down stairs.
"The fellow must have come straight to
this door l heard him turn the latch, and
then-a most unearthly scream | knew
that Nap was doing his duty. In flash
| Jumped to the floor, and in doing so gave
a wrench to the band about my wrists that
broke it, and then before the man on guard
could fire, caught his revolver. He made
stroke at me, lodged it, caught him by
the legs and threw him. AS she fell he gave
up his hold on the revolver.
81 cared nothing for him, | wanted the
man who had the money; so | dashed down
the stairs, only to see him going out the
hall door. l fired, but missed him; fired
again and heard cry of pain, l fired once
more and broke his onkle and down he
dropped The other man jumped out of
the window and escaped.
"Of course | secured my man, recovered
my money, and old Evans had to admit
that hc had been wrong, for the robbers had
first gone to the office, and came to my
house only when they found the safe emp
tv. Another revelation that the morning
brought was confession from my prisoner
that our book keeper was one ftheir gang
and posted them about our affairs. The
book. keeper did not come to work that
morning, nor have we ever seen him since"
"And the dog2" asked.
"Yes, the dog had all the credit You
see, the thief supposed by the silence that
there was no dog about the premises, and
he thought he was done for when he open
ed the door and Nap sprang at him"
"But," said /, she was frightened rather
easily these fellows usually do not care
much for a dog"
II guess he never saw quite such dog
as Nap was that night" said Alick, laugh
ing. II had rubbed his eyes and mouth
with phosphorus, and put on the strong
spring. l don't blame the fellow for
imagining the evil one was before him.
"'Phosphorus' and strong spring y"
exclaimed "what are you talking about"
ellis eyes are glass, you know"
"Glass Have you been drinking, or have
Iw
"Why, old fellow, don't you see that
Nap is fraud!'
Jumped to the dog, and sure enough
had been badly sold-thc dog was Lnlia-
rubber! Alick laughed loud and long at
my sheepish face.
as the story as true as the dog 2" asked
"Oh, the story is true as preaching.
bought Nap when was in Paris. have
springs fixed on the door and in the floor,
so that when the door is opened the dog
stands up, and when lie is up there is an
arrangement in his throat that makes the
growl you heard. BY putting on that up.
per lever he is made to jump as high as a
mans head, and that jump was what fright
ened the burglars"
l sympathize with the burglar, and
hope he did not lose caste among his pro-
fessional brethren, for certainly the dog
was Misunderstanding brute as well as
most unmitigated swindle.