Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-06-29

II
both of you shall der
"My heart sank within me: and he
fore | Gould find words for reply. tb,
man Withdrew from the safe, Slipped
noiselessly behind the bed. and So
creted himself in the small, narrow al
cove.
s. A second later your uncle came
into the room, and once more I seemed
to hear the burglar say: If you breathe
word, both Of you shall dier Asmy
husband approached the bed he noticed
how pale [ was, and said: Frightened
by robbers, / suppose, you silly child.
q [ tried to laugh and to muster {
great deal of courage. [ knew vel
enough that the success of my hazard
GUS game depended wholly upon my
own presence of mind. | tried, there
fore, to eVade his answer.
"' [ have headache" [ said, loud
enough for the burglar to hear. Al
the same time [ held up both my
hands, SO that they could receive the
full light of the fire, and said with nv
fingers: There's a man behind the
bedp
Without displaying the smallest
sign of terror, your uncle replied with
his fingers:
Where is your sal volatile? AL
right. Don't be afraidp
He went to the mantel to get the
small bottle that contained the smell
ing-salts. [ was not afraid, or at least
not half SO much as / would have been
if had been alone. [ felt that your
Uncle George would be more than a
match for the villain. I wished, how
ever, that my husband was anything
but banker A banker, [ reasoned,
is always tracked by thieves.
GO Your fire is getting low, my dear,
said your uncle. And, as he spoke, he
took up the long, heavy, iron poker.
i must get you good fire. he added,
before [ go. It's very cold night. ,
He pOked the fire, and left the
poker in. He kept his eyes on me.
g" BY the way he said, [ wonder
if Thomas has got my portmanteau
ready? I'll call him.
9 He did SO, and then enquired of me
where was the key to his shaving-case.
l told him, and he apparently made
every effort to find it, But no. He
declared that it was lost. Of course
this proceeding was all moonshine,
and, pretending to hunt after the KEY
myself, [ jumped out Of bed, gathered
together a few choice things on the
bureau, and then quietly withdrew into
the dressing-room which adjoined the
chamber.
Your uncle turned the key in and
locked me in. Just then tall, brawny,
stout individual tapped on the chamber
door.
Come in, Thomas I heard your
uncle say, come in. There's some
blackguard got into the house and be-
hind my bed, there! If he makes the
least resistance, don't hesitate to kill
himr
9 AT the same moment the bed was
pushed out from the wall, and the vii
lain, without his mask, and with face
as pale as death, emerged from his Sc
clusion.
Your uncle recognized him at once
as having been a messenger for the
bank, who had been discharged from
his situation upon suspicion Of dishon-
eSty.
''' Sir, said the burglar, no longer
in the menacing tone which he mani
tested on his first appearance, have
mercy on me, sirr
S. You want mercy, doyou? Before
we have any further conversation you
may as well surrender that life-pre-
server which you have in your pocket
"' And did the lady tell you that q
said the burglar. And I'm sure I
didn't hear her say a word about it to
you
Sc You're right, scoundrel,' said I,
through the keyhole. L never spoke
a word, but it's all the same to you
and all of us.
1.-The man was greatly astonished,
and could not possibly understand how
it happened that such a sudden inter
ference had ruined his nefarious
scheme.
g It's all up with me- he said It's
a Judgment on me, and it's no good
for me to fight against it. Move on,
Cap'nr
"'Not the least good responded
your Uncle George, coolly. I'm to
take the stage tonight, and | guess
that we might as we'll go to the lookup
at once
. In few moments they were ready
to start. The burglar took his depar-
ture in the custody of Thomas and
your Uncle George, leaving your poor
terrified Aunt Maria safe and sound
after ALL