The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-03-23
She had locked the door behind the cashier,

the only friend seemed left to her by the Worlu,
and returned to the vault.
Her fingers FASTENED to try the safe, bu' II
welded not. and while she sank back with a
sigh darkness cane upon the town.
The iail stood almost directly opposite me
bank and It's Hard stone walls looked Ike tHc
closed portals of doom to the girl Ever ana
anon Amy tried the safe, each time with nope
in her heart, but ii sank after the effort
Suddenly a sound caused the Girl to start
Loud cries rcyerberated through the street
They grcw terribly distinct ard at last left no
no doubt is to their import
The mob were about to assault die jail.
Amy listened, tuggcd at the iron doors, then
dcsi,tcd. with u groan, to listen again.
All at once the door Of the bank was I'M
locked from without, and -,tn Nnran" to
Amy'S size
open yct?'
no.
My God, The mob is at tie Jail 1t is
armed with slcdgcs and picks. The sheriff
has fled with the keys. | told him to 90, and
the fiends will soon batter at the doors.
Before Amy could reply sharp, stentorian
blows fell upon their ears.
Listen" said the cashier, pale lis death.
They are at work. Holy Heaven why don
the mechanism save him."
With his last words Meredith flew at the
safe like a tiger, but the doors refused to
yield. e.
God help him - he calculated Watch it
all the time girl; | will report soon
He was gone, and for the second time the
girl was alone in the bank.
Louder and louder grew the blows OF the
slcdgcs on the jail-doors.
They could not resist long, for, as they were
the outer ones they were not very strong.
Hank! the strange noise and the wild cry
that followed told Amy that the door had
welded. She sprung to her feet, but the night
prevented her from seeing across the street.
But she pictured the mob swarming into the
iail eager to tear Orrln Walters from his cell
and perpetratc that crime which the cashier
had declared objectionable
Then back to the safe AGAIN
1t still defed her hopes, and met her with
new fears.
John Meredith suddenly reappcarcd
Amy, open yet?' he cried.
NO, sir. If it was | would not be here
The cashier sank back gaspng.
They are hammcring on the grated door,
A few more blows and they will be at his
cell"
NO, no, don't say that, Mr.. Meredith"
cried the despairing girl. Can't you do any
thingw
NO! They wouldn't listen to the voice of
God. The safe must open within five minutes
or he is gone"
The cashier sprang to the safe again. and
the next moment Il cry of cXultatlOn broke
from him.
The doors opened.
Amy lcaped to his side.
Let me at the papers | know the corners
of the safe as know my Shakespeare cried
Cashier Meredith, pushing her back,
Amy stood behind him breathlcsS, but smll-
ing.
Here they are" said the cashier rising,
and the papers which he held in his hand were
suddenly snatchcd away.
"lll save HIM" cried the girl, and, before
the man could restrain her she was bounding
toward the door.
Across the street she flew, the papers in one
hand, and something that glittered in the star
light in the other.
Make way" she cried as she struck the
steps that led to the battered portals. Il can
prove him innocent, and no one must refuse
me audience
She was recognized at oTCe, and the sounds
of the sledges suddenly grew still.
Let the girl have a chance" shouted dOz-
en- voices, rs the members of the mob fell back
and permitted Amy to pass to the front.
go on, It's but trick To gam time!" said
4 voice; and the bankers daughter turned up
on the speaker.
LIAR" she cried "You will swallow your
rowardly words when my dead father speaks
for the man in yonder cell
Orrn Walters heard the voice and started.
lie had listened to the blows and curses of
the mob unmoved, but the voice of the woman
he loved made him spring to the door of his
cell
With hammers lowered, the ringleaders of
the mob formed circle around the brave girl,
and the tallow-dps furnished the weird light
for the tableau.
THE safe is open,' Amy said to the mob.
These are the papers referred to in the doc
umcnt found in my fathers room. They are
not torgcrIcs. Cashier Meredith took them
from the safe with his own hands, As yet |
know not what they contain; but you shall
know"
That fair girl seemed to exert powerful in
hucnce over the maddcned men.
They listened to the reading of the first pa
per, and then skunk from the Jail, Convinced
that Jasper Trentham, the bank President,
was IA suicide.
1t was an hour of thanksgiving for the low
crs and the cashier.
The slcdgcs returned To the anvlls, the mob
dispersed, and Amy thanked God that the man
whom she loved was not murderer.
Major Mcdonald quietly left Liberty, TN
doubleday for It's good.