The daily gazette., 1876-09-30

premises ourselves. Don't be alarmed :;
l shan't hurt you. NV chum's outsid,

premises ourselves. Don't be alarmed;
chant hurt you. My chum's outside
on the watch. I'll call him, ::and it
won't take a minute"
"Stop" said Mabel, who hal grown
very pale. "You need not gag me.
Ii you are really determined to have
the money, can't help it: I'll tell you
where it is, only-only," trembling
like leaf and averting her eyes,
you must give me half"
II knew you were a ump," said
Fernauld, pprovingly. ''Didn't I
say so to? of course, we'll do the fair
thing-no fear of that. Now. loo's
alive. There's no time to lose"
He keeps it in the funniest place
you ever heard Of" said Mabel laugh
ing Historically.
These old misers are as queer as the
ldeuce," said Fernauld, with the air
of an amateur. Nothing, you can
tell about 'em surprises me-. Down
cellar perhaps ? Or under board in
the garret floor ?"
"No said Mabel, 'It's-it's In the
oven back of loose brick"
''Ah !" said Fernauld, opening his
eyes. "And what the mischief keeps
it from general conflagration every
time you bake black berry pie ?"
I'VE never use the big oven nowS
a-days," said Mabel. at hasn't been
eated for six years. We always
bake in the cook stove. l know he
keeps 1t there, because IL watched
one night, ana saw him take it out and
count it. Eleven one hundred dollar
bills %
''Sly little puss I'' cried Fernauld,
patting her cheeks again with the same
air of offensive patronage. "You'H
make the wife for man in my line
of business New. then-show us
where your old oven is. Stocks |" in
a stage whisper out of the window,
keep lookout up and down the road
tuntil you hear from me I"
I "An tight" Stocks answered, ID the
same tone-and MabIe opened q huge
iron door of the oIdsfashioned brick
loven, a sort OF ,mausoleum OF the past,
full of cobwebs and dust,
| Fernauld started back with a reson.
ant sneeze.
"It'sa regular black hole r. said he.
1.-THE last place in the world fellow
would think of crawling into" .
81 suppose that's the reason lie nut
l 1t there" said Mabel striving to speak
lindifferently. 4.. ..
| How in the mischief did he get
lin. It
He crawled in on his hands and
lknees-just as you'll have to do. You'll
see the loose brick at the farther end,
if you strike match when you are in.
side."
81 don't half like the looks of it,"
said Fernauld, doublously. How
lever, I've done more disagreeable
things than that, in the way of busi>
ness, so here goes" And with wonder>
, full agility, Mr., Fernauld precipitated
himself headforemost into the yawnS
ing chasm.
''Straight ahead !" cried Mabel
Don't you see the loose brick ?"
"See? l see nothingW roared Fer
nauld, "What have you that shut door
for? Open it, quick, open say"
But Mabel Winston had no such
idea. She had swung back the big iron
door, latching it safely on the outside.
and Furthermore securing it by wedg-
ing old Miles Jessup's iron crowbar,
which stood in the corner, across it.,
one end against the chimney piece, the
other braced in the opposite angle OF
the wall. And then flying, like light
ming to the door, she called out to the
other man, who stood with his shoulder
against the gate post:
"Run! to the railway track, down
through yonder woods. Fernauld will
be there before you, with the bundle!'
SIS it all right?" gasped Stokes.
Eyes, all right, only run! Run for
your life!"
And as Stokes vanished through the
woods, Mabel, regardless of the smoth-
cred shouts and execrations of the hui
man rat in her trap, caught up her
broad d-brimmed hat, and flew across
the field, to where. against the blue of
the summer sky, she could see the
reapers at work in Farmer Russell's
hay field.
Job Tressaly dropped his scy;he as
Mabel iluttered up to him, ,pantlng,a and
with large eyes luminous and dilated,
like those of some hunted animal.
"Mabel!"
"Oh, Job, come quick" she gaspcd.
"Call the men! I've got him safe-the
burglar. the thief"
"Felix Fernauld! Oh, don't stop to
ask questions, but come quickly? The
money is safe-ohr thank God for
that"
They followed her, without quite
knowing why, but when they reached
The house and found Mr.. Felix Fer
nauld half stifled in the brick oven,
they began to comprehend the reason.
And when Miles Jessup came home.
they told him how Mabels courage
and presence of mind had saved his
eleven hundred dollars.
Mr.. Fernauld was promptly lodged
where he deserved to be-in States
Prison-and the simple country people
: discovered to their infinite surprise
that they hsd been entertaining. una
wares, not exactly an angel, but very
notorious confidence gentleman. Stokes
unluckily effected his escape.
Old Jessup made up his mind that it
, was not safe to live alone in these bur-