The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-12-25

~ WAN WIZ aAAAt 49, lNtAANNNN. assA
miltook-" That was oil HexiS could be
made 10 say. Ralph was disturbed and
wAkeful, and slept later than uaual the
next morning. He jumped up 10 q hurry
and made what haste he could with dreaS.
Ing and breakfast, but Il seemed as
though they never took 20 much time be.
fore; and Allithe while be Gle he was con.
scions Of stir and buBtle In The house,
which excited his curiosity very much.
Kuooking-thS sound Of ieet-Solnething
unusual was going on. sn
As soon As possible be clipped away
from nurse and ran TO the gallery. The
door WAs half open. He looked 10, and
stood still with terror. Men, In brown
uniforms and steel caps, were there
sounding The walls and tapping the floor.
boards With slaves. The gallery seemed
full Of them, though when Raie counted
there were bat Eve.
4This man Of iron wa, 10 likelihood
4 malignant Rlso,' he heard one Of them
say, striking the armor With, hll kSl.
NE 10 SomeBhRt old for that. Me-
thinks that Is itmoE Of the time Of that
man Of blood, Harry the Eighth; move II
eside, lothian, that they may search the
farther panel.n
So the heavy figure was thrust into
corner, and the men went on tapping with
their hands. Rafe groaned within him
cell when he heard them declare that the
wall sounded hollow, and saw them
searching for spring. Twenty times II
seemed that as though they must have
lighted on the right place. Twenty times
they Just missed Il,
eve were Ill adyised to come without
tools" declared the man who seemed
leader Of the party. "Come then 10 my
shop, Peter Kettle, and then, BArtimena
and ZsnsAbAbel, and we will fetch such
things as are useful. lothian, stay then
here, 10 see that no man escapeth from
the concealme nts behind The wall"
So four Of the men went away, leaving
Jotham striding up and down a. on
guard. Presently came shout from be.
meath the window: .... ...
lothian! Our leader hath dropped
his pouch, In which are the keys Of The
smithy. Hasten and bring il to the ouIer
door,"
"Aye. aye" answered lothian, and,
pouch 10 hand, be ran down the stairs.
Now was Ratea opportunity. Lake u
fash he waS across the gallery, his hand
on the boss. The door flew open, and be
fell into the armS Of HUMP hrey who,
sword In hand and teeth sst, stood on the
lower step Of the staircase, prepared to
sell his liberty Us dearly az possible.
"Raie little Ralen! he exclaimed.
"Hush! The man will come back"
painted RAfe. Come RWay-hlde-oh,
where% Then With y sudden ingpira.
tion he dragged his brother toward the
iron man. "Get inside, he cried. "They
will never think Of searching there! Oh,
Humphrey-make haste! Get inside %
There was no tipe to be Lost. With
the speed OF Desperation, Humphrey un,
screwed, lifted, stepped inside the Armor.
Rate slipped the fasIepiUg' together,
whispered, SHUT your eyes" and ileE
back so,hia hiding place. Just. in time,
Tor Jotham's step was on The stair, and
. the next moment he entered the gallery,
and resumed his march up and down,
little dreaming that the man sought furf
was peepipg through -ths.hslmeI holes al
him, DOT three feet sway.
Presently the other soldiers came back
with hammers and wrenches, and in q
short time the beautiful wainscot, split
into pieces, lay on the floor. Suddenly
there was shout. The secret door had
flown open and the staircase stood re.
vealed. Four Of the men With pipes and
pistols prepared 10 ascend, while Ihe fifth
gnardedthe opening below.
AT that moment Winifred entered the
gallery from the other end. She turned
deadly pale when she saw the open door
and the men.
"Oh! Heaven have mercy !" she cried,
and dropped half tainlint lntoa chair.
Rale darted across the door and seized
her hand.
"Hush," he whispered. "Don't say a
word, sister. he ia safe"
"He Who " Cried the amazed Wini-
fred.
But now voices sounded from above.
The men were coming down. Winifred
rallied her courage, rose, and went Tor.
ward. She was very white still, but she
spoke In steady voice. Hertwo brother,
Humphrey in his hiding-place and little
Rafe by her side, both admired her
greatly.
"What Is the meaning Of this, LOTHIAN
Green?e she demanded. "By what war.
rant do you enter and spoil our house '"
"By the warrant which all true men
have to search for traitors said lothian.
4 "You will find none such here" re-.
sponded Winifred firmly.
"We find the lurking place in which
one such haa doubtless lain" said Ger.
rubAbel. where holes exist, look ont
4 for vermin.' ! "'
"You are less than civil, neighbor. An
old house like this has many strange
hooks and corners, OF which the inha6i.
tSntsmay haye neither use nor knowledge.
II your search is done, I will beg you 10
make good the damage you have caused
as best you may, and with as little noise
as possible, that my brother be not alarm.
ed. lothian Green, you are good work.
man, l know. l recollect how deitlY you
once repaired that cabinet for us."
All the men knew Winifred, and her
calm and decided manner made its i'm.
preston. latham slowly picked up the
fragments Of the paheiing and began 10 &c
then together. The rest consulted, and
at last rather sheepishlY, with NUT tered
half apology about "wrong information"
went away, taking with them the injured
woodwork, which lothian undertook 10
repair. Rates. first words after they dis.
appeared were
."Wiaifred, you must dismiAs Deborah.
II h she that has betrayed u.s."
"How do you know that, Rafe" Then
tall came out, Winllred listened to the
tale with screaming tears.
"Oh, RATE, my darling, how brave you
we're You played the man for Us to.
day, and have saysd-I trust you have
saved-our Humphrey. The men will
not return to-day and tonight the lugger
sails"
And Humphrey was saved. Before
morning, we'll disguised, be had made his
way across the country 10 q little fshing
A port, embarked, and reached France with.
out further accident.
II So that strange Christmas adventure
ended happily. II was all long, long ago.
Humphrey and Winifred and Rate lived
their lives ont, and lay down to resL a
century and half since under the daley.
a,,tnklad Eralt.h snd Tt1,Ja ua.;o At i