Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1876-04-08

thought. sbut not until I;get ready TO re-
tire.sa and then she fell to the mover wnlcn
she,had brought from home am py-
and-by silence reigned IN the i''ie pa'
lor. =, os orau heavy
and her watch told her that the city CLOCKS
would soon strike the eieVentn hour.
LIE Startled at the lateness of the hour,
sad then she put the book aside and rose.
Ar that moment a strange sound fell
| unou her ears.
II seemed to come from a remote part
of the building and resembled the gnaw-
ING of rats. The girl listened for many
minutes, but at last smiled at the thought
that she would tell Ben that the bank
was hauHtesl. and piokesl ap the little
night linterfl: s@
She intended to carry out her idea of
inspecting the bank before composing
her limbs for sluIhber.
The craving ceased rather suddenly
and the silence that followed. so palpable.
so dense. frightened Kitty Ransom, till
she set the lamp down and listened for
another noise TO reassure her.
After all somebody might be at work
on the great safes; the gnawing sounds
might be the noise OF steel instead OF
hone. and when Ben came to release
her. there might be an empty safe.
But when the girl thought OF the pc
cnliarf constrdcti0ng OF THE great steel
Guardian she smiled to herself.
Once her fl her had taken her TO the
vault and explained how the explosion OF
nowder i'm the lock would force unseen
bolts at the burglars. end how the intro-
duction of drills into the door would I'M
peril the life of the felOnious operator.
While Kitty thought. and WAS about to
start forward again, when there came a
rumbling sound Accompanied by s-sh"ck
that shCOl the furniture i'm the room, and
almost sent the lantern from the table.
Kitty's face grew deadly pale, and her
eyes seemed ready TO start from their
sockets.
She felt that the shock had been caused
by the explosion of powder i'm the lock of
the safe. and secretly hoped that the hid
den bolts of steel had effectually perform
ed their deadly Otfense.
The shock lasted but moment.
Kitty felt terrible and ominious ST.
.ence fall about her like the shroud of
night. and fora momeht she seemed
ready to sink to the floor in fright Il
But she mastered thee fear with a
strong effort, and resolved to inquire into
the affair.
Ben had left the keys of the various
apartments of the bank i'm her care. and
had babe her inspect the institution be-
fore going to sleep. 49, sls,.r.-...., q
She reached the door that opened into
the vault, and listened intently.
Not sound reached her ears, and she
pushed the portal open.
A strange odor greeted her as she step
ped across the threshold with the lantern
above her heal; butt was not Disagree
able, and she advanced. - 80 IS
| She first saw the pOnderous door of the
safe standing wide open but dark fig
ure lay before it, and Kitty was not long
i'm seeing that it was Il man.
He lay on his back rs he had fallen
when struck by one of the deadly bolts,
and not u muscle stirred when the rays
of light fell upon his face.
1.-The bolts killed him." murmured the
girl, drawn by intense curiosity TO behold
! the burglars features. Father said they
would slay-"
She did not finish her sentence, for a
wild cry of recognition pealed from her
/
man rs from apparition.
The burglar was Arthur SedSewick.
For a while the horror-stricken girl
gazed on the silent man from the door
then she crept forward again, and with
resolution held the lantern over his face.
/ She had not been deceived before her,
with drill in his cold hands. lay the
dashing man TO whom she had promised
to link her heart.
He was quite dead, and Kitty was
spared the sight of the gastly wound in
the left temple, for his face lay partially
on its side, and hid it from her view.
The contents of the safe had not been
touched. : oasS
The hole in the wall of the vault told
Kitty that Arthur Sedgewick had perfO-
rated it from the cellar of the adjoining
building, which he had filled with goods
to hoodwiihl the people while he toiled
with his tools
All was plain 10 Kitty Ransom now.
She saw the hand Of fate i'm the work
of death, and the reader may know that
she stole from the vault sadder yet
wiser girl.
Sleep came not to her eyes that night.
In the parlor she sat, yearning for the
day; and with the first sound of Ben's keys
in the locks, she sprang up to greet him.
Oh, Ben," she, cried, lido not tell papa
that staid in the bank last night" And
the watchman promised that he would
keep the secret.
But it was Kitty herself who could not
keep it. ~
She told her father the story of her
night in the bank, and the banker said to
his wife:
1T is the hand of fate, mother. Kitty's
idol has been broken ~
The death of Arthur Sedgewick caused
much surprise and excitement in the
city; and but few people knew how BIZ
Ter was Kitty Ransom's repentance.
By-and-by Shirley Dare returned to
her side, and kitty's wedding day was
the brightest of her life. - H.. = I.