Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1876-02-24
GAIIIPoLIs, TTIURsDAY

withdraw his body through the win
dow, aud disappear rather more sud-
denly than he came.
The stage door was opened a min
ute later. Happily my ruse had sue
eeeded. BY the light of the lantern
carried by one of the new arrivals |
recognized Mr. Martin and Abram
Lake.
.Nothings missing, Abram," said
Martini can see his tall manly
figure and pale, bearded face before
me now-holding up his lantern and
giving quick glance round, till his
eyes rested on me with kind of puz-
zled look. s'But what the dickens
does Dolph mp there"
aWal, l guess Master Dolph has
been having akinder rehearsal all to
himself, aud he's just fired a volley,
/ bet, to iouse us, the young varmint
Anyway, is's kinder freezing in this
hyre places and / move we tracks
back to my friend Jaker's stove"
mot yet Lake; depend upon it.
Dolph's not done this without good
cause. Look. that windows open.
Let's reconnoitre outside! Down,
Dolph, down, si,...'
They were not absent long. The
first thing that Martin did on his re-
turn was TO pat me on the head and
hand me second bountiful supply
of fish when / was comfortably in
stalled in my tub, Lake the mean
while making it plain to me, from
what he said to Mr.. Martin, that
they knew almost as much as l did as
to McDougali's designs, and as to the
attempt that had been made by Burt.
Calculate" he said, an just have
shot at the burned thief if he tries
his little game on tonight. Durn
me if thet warn't the cleverest per-
formance thet fish has gone through. {.
It's clear thct the thief crept up the
lane like cat--ain't We seen his
trail in the snow?-got up to thet
window with ladder, and was Jest
going to sneak in when Dolph kinder
scared him and reused us at the same
time. I'll let all Henryburgh know it
before noon. And allthe week you'll
hev crowded houses, Mister Martin -
SAY, but you're reckoning without
McDougall. He has the audacity to
claim the show as his own. Imay as
well tell you my position in few
words, Lake. Dolph was originally
the property of my governor, Mr.
Bailey, an Englishman. l came
across to the States as his manager,
and found that Mr.. Bailey had en-
tered into partnership with this
scoundrel McDougall, who professed
to know all the inns and outs of the
show business in this country. Bal
ley being suddenly called back to
England, lelt me as manager. and by
deed of attorney entitled me to re-
ceive half the profits of every exhi
bitiun ON Hr5ehalf Bat, no sooner
had he sailed than McDougall tried
all he knew to get the show entirely
into his own hands. He used his own
name in the bills and in the adver-
tisements. Over and over again he
has tried to get possession of the
treasury in full. Over and over again
l have only frustrated his tricks by
virtue of magistrates order. We
had few words after the perform
ance tonight, and from the threats
he let drop, 1 feel sure he will make
an attempt to remove Dolph bodily
before morning. Hence your aid is
very welcome, indeed, Laker'
"Wal, sir, 1 won't stop to tell you
now what made me offer you the help
of Abram Lake. If you'll fol-
low my advice you'll jest come
back along with me to Dick Jaker's
over the way. We shell be warmer
than we are hyar. We will leave the
door ajar and ketch the burned thief
eff he tries it Oh again.
So | was somewhat easier when
they departed, for l knew keen ears
would be listening for Burt's return,
and felt could have 4 quiet doze
in safety.
1 must have slept some hours.
Seven o'clock struck when ! awoke.
A little after heard door slam in
the lane, and CHEEKY good morn
ing, Dolph," in Mr.. Martins familiar
voice, stole in at the window, telling
me his watch was at IN end.
There could be nothing to fear,
surely, now. 1t was daylight. The
people were out and about in the
main street of Henryburgh. The
sleigh bells were ringing-ringing in
Christmas, mayhap, for that evening
would be Christmas Eve, and don't
mind confessing the anticipation of
a good glass of Christmas punch had
something to do with my doing off
again--not for many minutes though!
l awoke with a hazy notion that
some one had broken into the hall.
The next moment was in complete
darkness. Something had been
thrown over nv tub. In vain ! at
tempted to thrust my head through.
The tub, enveloped in mating, was
lifted from the stage and borne out of
the hall in spite of my struggles to es-
cape. There could be no doubt had
at length fallen into the hands of the
Philistines, and was being carried off
bodily-whither l could not i'm
agine.
We must have been fully two
hours drive from Henryburgh when
an oath escaped my driver. Beyond
question Burt was my captor. He
lashed his horses into mad gallop.
The sleigh seemed to fly over the
snow. Was he pursued? l listened
intently, but could hear nothing but
the smack of Burt's whip and the
thud-thud of the horses hoofs and
the whirring noise of the sleigh.
A shot! Fresh curses from Burt
Rescue seemed nigh; but, alas! our
speed did but increase.