Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1878-07-08
Did you shut the door, Smith 2"

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 l had entered, and returned
without closing the vault door.
l 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 l could
only conjecture it was Tom, for l could
not see distinctly.
There I was nicely Gagged, forit would
be impossible for me to draw those heavy
bolts without attracting notice. And the
bank was being robbed, that was evil
dent. How could l prevent it? |
could not get out, 1 could not reach
Tom. Suddenly remembered the tele-
graph Office on the second floor. If l
could summon help from c.. 1t was
only five miles, and there was long
job for the burglars before they could
open the safe.
Could creep around the staircase ?
If one of those busy men turned his
head 1 was lost l softly crept out on
all fours, slowly, watchfully, and gained
the stairs. Up 1 darted, blessing my
India rubber shoes, till I gained the
door of the telegraph Office. All dark
there, and 1 dared not strike match.
listened, and then leaving the door
open, groped my way to the well known
desk. and gave the signal at c.. I
could hear my own heart throbs as l
waited for the answer. 1t came Still
working in the dark. sent this mes
sage:
Burglars in the Baysville Bank
vault! Watchman gagged and bound !
Can you send help ?"
Again the agony of suspense in lis
tening, but at last the sound reached
me:
"Will send help immediately
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 on the long
stretch of road leading to c.. was
numb with cold, wishing heartily that
had not left Toms basket under the
staircase, thinking regretfully of my OWL
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 th,
alarm
The building made corner of tw,
streets, and l saw eight mounted mel
dash up the road, separate, and whil
four dismounted in front, four went t.
the rear.
. The burglars were unprepared 70
this flank movement, for while the po
lice in front were laundering at tn
main entrance, the robbers rushed t
the rear basement door, right into tn
, arms of the police stationed there.
l could hear the hubbub, pistol shot
fired, the scuffie of feet, cries. oaths am
| general confusion, and I slipped dow
} stairs, out of the now deserted main en-
} trance and home.
| Everybody was abed, and | went t
my own room, had good crying spell
and comforted my half frozen body i
= double blankets where l soon fell asleeI
All this was on Friday night and
. had no teaching to do until Monday, S
E l slept late but coming down, foun
. all the family prepared to make a here
l inc of me.
: 81 never knew until mother told m
i, this morning." said Tom, .that it wa
not grandpa who sent the telegram
a C. By Jove, Olive, you're spunk
if you are little"
t 81 gave up when four of them poun'
ed on me from one of the upper room
: They must have got in through the da
4 and hid there"
l tried to make the Knights promis
n not to tell of my adventure, but coul
u not. Before night all Baysville kne
how Olive Hudson caught the burglar
d 1 was in the Office with grandpa, wht
t over the wires came this message:
"What does Olive Hudson look like
e Everybody in Dryden is talking abo
her great exploit"
| flashed back:
t, "What do you suppose such woms
e would look like? She is nearly six fee
y broad shouldered and loud voiced, pc
l. feet Elephant
d "Was it really yourself, Elephant
UDear ion If rnallu uaa -,