Marshall County Republican., 1878-01-17

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leaves that open for grandpa"
az know"
grasped the handle of the basket.
hurried across the space between the
b,iilding and the house, and stole soft
ly in at the rear basement door, in pur-
suance of my plan to drop the basket
and run.
In my rubber shoes my steps were
noiseless, and had scarcely passed the
threshold when l stood rooted TO the
floor in terrified amazement.
Somebody was talkingl
crept forward and listened. There
were men in the bank vault, and glim-
mer OF light shone under the door.
While listened, some one said:
"There's confounded draught here.
Did you shut the door. Smith,"
"Yes, but the wind may have blown
it OPEN"
/ had just time to dart Under the
staircase and crouch down, when the
door Of the vault opened, and man
came out.
He crossed the entry, drew the two,
heavy, noisy bolts, fastening the door
by which had entered, and returned,
without closing the vault door.
could look in by the dim light to see
two men working at the safe locks, by
the stream of light thrown from dark
lantern.
There Was the outline of man bound
and gagged upon the floor. but could
Tom. Suddenly remembered the tel
egraph office on the second floor. If l
could summon help from c.. Itwas
only five miles, and there was 4 long
job Ior the burglars before they could
open the safe.
Could creep around the staircase?
Ii one OF those busy men turned his
head was lost softly crept o on
all fours, slowly, watchfully, and gained
the stairs. Up 1 darted, blessing my
india-rubber shoes, till L gained the
door of the telegraph Office. All dark
ehCAOs oho L OofCu hoe olAlhc IldlCu.
listened, and then leaving the door
open, CROPPED my way to the we'll
known desk, and gave the signal at c..
l could hear my own heart throbs as l
waited for an answer 1t camel Still
working in the dark, l sent this mes
sage:
burglars I'm the Baysville Bank
Vault Watchman gagged and boundl
Can you send help?"
Again the agony of suspense in lis
tening, but at last the sound reached
me:
"Will send help immediatelyln
crept to the head of the staircase
afraid the clear ring Of the instrument
had been heard in the vault; but no one
came up stairs. The window of the
telegraph office faced the street, so l re-
turned, bolted myself in safely, and
sat down to watch.
The town clock gave one resonant
stroke, breaking the deep silence, and
no signs of life were visible OH the long
stretch of road leading to c.. 1 was
numb with the cold. heartily wishing
that had not left Toms basket under
the staircase, thinking regretfully of
my own cozy bed. when l heard, afar
off, the sound of horses feet.
No sister Anne, in Blue Boards tow
er, was ever more watchful than | was
then. Would the burglars take the
alarm?
The building made corner of two
streets, and saw eight mounted men
dash up the road, separate, and while
four dismounted in front, four went to
the rear
The burglars were unprepared Tor
this flank movement, for while the po-
lice in front were laundering at the
main entrance, the robbers rushed to
the rear basement door, right into the
arms of the police stationed there.
i could hear the hubbub, pistol shots
fired, the scuffie of feet. cries, oaths,
and general confusion, and / slipped
down stairs, out of the now deserted
main entrance, and home.
Everybody was abed, and 1 went to
my own room, had good crying spell,
and comforted my half frozen body in
double blankets where l soon fell
asleep.
All this was on Friday night, and l
had no teac hing to 90 until Monday,
so l slept late; but coming down found
all the family prepared to make hero
Inc of me.
II never knew till mother told me
this morning, THAT it wasn't grandpa
who sent the telegram to c.. BY Jove,
Olive, you're spunky, if you are little.
1 gave up when four of them pounced
on me from one of the upper rooms.
They must have got in through the day
and hid there"
i tried to make the Knights promise
not to tell my adventure, but could
not. Before night all Baysville knew
how Olive Hudson had caught the
burglars. was in the Office with grand
pa, when over the wives came this
message:
l flashed back:
"What do you suppose such a woman
would look like2 She is nearly six feet,
broad shouldered and loud voiced,
perfect elephant"
WAS it really yourself, Elephant?"
''Dear Lion, it really was!"
'sDo you know l want to see you. / |
am going to New York to-day, but III
be back next spring."
If he came to Baysville he did not see
mel Iran away in fit of sbyness.
In March a wonderful thing hap
pened. My mothers brother, who had
been seventeen years, nearly all my
life time, in Cuba, came home to New