Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1874-09-03


"Do you want anything, sirs" asked
Marcelline, hardly conscious of what
she uttered, but using the phrase purely
from the force of habit
Yes, pretty one, do" the man re-
turned. q want AltZorfs strong box"
Mercy! sir, you would not rob US"
"Oh, no-not you. It's only those bau-
bles which belong to the convent we
want; so bestir yourself and show us
where they are"
81 shall shrek, sir! shall cry out
for help" exclaimed Marcelline, as she
essayed to start for the stairs.
"Oh, no, sweet one," the villain re-
turned, significantly pointing his pistol
at the girls head, and at that moment he
was joined by his companion, who had
just come from Lubln's room. Marcel
line first thought of resistance, but she
soon found that she could gain nothing
by that; and, besides, the robbers not
only threatened her life, but they vowed
that they would break in every door and
partition in the house until they found
the box Under these circumstances the
girl thought it best to reveal the hiding
place of the box, trusting, however, that
something might yet turn up to assist
her, and accordingly she led the way to
the bar room, at the back of which was
small apartment. Taking key from
the drawer she unlocked the door
of the back room, and pointing to small
closet in the further corner she said:
''There, sirs, in that closet, is the
monks box, but my master has the key
in his possession, and so, if you would
open it, you needs must force the lock"
"You are ready with your wit, pretty
one," said one of the robbers as he cast
scrYtinizing glance at Marcelline's face.
/ fear to trust you too far, so you must
excuse me if we just secure you till after
our job is completed"
As the man spoke he led the girl back
to the bar-room, and, taking from his
pocket piece of stout cord, he proceed
ed to lash her to chair. She stoutly
resisted, and even attempted to utter a
cry, but cloth soon stopped her power
of utterance, after which her hands were
dashed to the chair. After this the rob-
bers took few tools from one of their
sacks and proceeded at once to force the
stout closet door.
For moment after Marcelline had
been left alone she almost gave up in
despair; but her woman's wit soon came
to her aid and CLEAN of hope lighted
up her countenance. From where the
villains were at work they could not see
into the bar-room, and after listening for
q moment or two, to assure herself that
they were fairly busy, she moved her
chair noiselessly toward the table, upon
which candle had been left burning.
BY considerable eXertion she managed to
get hold of the candlestick with her
teeth, and then carefully set it upon
chair. A moment more she listened, and
then she turned her back to the candle
in such manner as to bring the outer
cord into the blaze. 1t required
not half a minute to burn OIL
the cord that had secured her to
the seat, and then, bending over, she
took the back of the chair in her teeth
and carefully moved it out of the way.
Then she turned again and placed in the
blaze the cord that bound her wrists.
The lashings burned, and SO did her
flesh, but with perfect selfdevotion she
heroically withstood the pain, and in
few moments she was free.
Marcelline now breathed more freely.
The key was still in the lock of the door
that opened the back room, and quick as
thought the heroic girl sprang forward
and closed it upon those beyond. The
key was turned, and Marcelline then ran
to the front door, unlocked it, threw it
open and sprang into the highway. 1t
was but the work of few moments to
rouse some of the hunters, and ere long
the two robber-travelers were in safe
custody They not only lost their booty,
but also their liberty; and on the next
day were safely conveyed to Trieste and
delivered up to justice. Lubin was found
in the room with his mouth bound up and
his arms pinioned to his chair; but the
satisfaction of being released from his
unpleasant situation made him forget the
indignities he had received.
That little inn is still kept open to
travellers, but old Altzorf keeps it no
longer. Justin, the hunter, is its host,
and the fair Marcelline is its hostess.