The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1878-10-25


wouldn't he'd any darter now"
And the declaration was confirmed by
all who had seen the heroic act.
Where Is the brave fellow? want
TO see him. Will some Of you bring
him IMP"
Several started to summon the res
cuer, but he was not 10 be found. He
had risen TO his feet and disappeared
without word. When his horse was
again in proper mood for driving, Mr.
Bent started homeward, calling at the
house Of Mrs. Jones, but her son was
not there, and after leaving a very earn
est message of gratitude s.for the young
man" when he should return, the hap
py father drove to his home.
That home was pleasant one, some
two miles from the village, with beau
tiful farming region about the house
and grounds, in pleasant contrast with
the humber farm-houses in that vicini-
ty; for Mr.. Brent had by careful thrift
and moderate inheritance made him
self the master of comfortable little
property. The money he had that day
drawn from the bank was not to be used
until the following afternoon; so he put
il carefully in little iron-bound trunk,
placed the key in a private receptacle,
and at the usual hour sought his couch,
quite exhausted with the duties of the
day and the severe nervous trial through
which he had passed.
He slept heavily; but some time in
the night what seemed an unusual pres
ence of some sort in or about his room
reused him, and thinking first of Ellen,
he called her name. An instant hush
followed, il indeed il had been any
thing more than fancy that woke him,
but he repeated the name, this time
louder than before, and rising in bed.
The next moment brilliant flash of
light struck full in his eyes, almost
binding him by its intensity; but he
could see, only few inches from his
face, the deadly CLEAN Of a revolver
and three dark forms in his room.
"Another yell like that III be yer last
Back into bed with yerl'' Kissed saw
age voice, and the point of knife was
pressed to his breast by way Of en-
phasis.
Quite helpless as he was, there was
nothing for Mr.. Brent to do but to sub
init. Possibly few moments would be
consumed in parley, and in that time he
might learn the object of the burglars,
and perchance devise some means of
thwarting them. Evidently they we're
white men, though the faces of all were
by way of disguise.
"Who are you, and what do you
mean by this outrage?" he demanded. (
A laugh-a devilish, Kissing laugh,
close in his ears, was the first reply.
Then the spokesman Of the party bent
over the PROSTATE man and muttered, \
n tone that could not have been heard
en- feet away:
s'Never mind any questions, boss.
We don't belong here, nor hereabout.
But we know you hev got lot o. money
n this hyar house, and we want that.
Vel hev il, too. Tell US where II is
md make no noise, and Wen use We
veil, and go bout our biz. Come, now,
mt with it afore count ten, or well
TX you and all the rest in the house, so
W Ain look It up at our leisure One
wo--" and the villain counted slowly
i'll the word "ten" was spoken.
" All that man hath he will give for
rs life" Mr.. Brent, though he did not
ack firmness in the hour Of trial or ply
ical courage. felt that it would be bet
er to surrender the money in his pos
ession than lose his life in fruitless
truggle.
|" will tell you where the money is
ii that l have. 1t is not much-at
east not for the means you employ
0 obtain it,"
Watch him close, fellers; no trick
owl" the leader Of the gang cautioned |
Is assistants. Il
so intent we're the burglars that they |
I'd not hear movements behind them, |
or were they appraised OF the presence I
another party till q heavy club de- /
cended upon the head of their leader, /
tretching him like an OK upon the floor. l
! second quickly followed, smittcn
own by the same heavy weapon; but I
he third, dropping the dark lantern, {
prang upon the single assailant who |
nd dealt the blows and plunged knife q
his breast. The lantern still burned,
nd by its beams Mr.. Brent could see I
ne knife withdrawn and raised for an
Their stroke, but before it could descend i
g had leaped from his couch and '
iught the arm. The wounded man 9
lined in the struggle, the knife was b
rested away, and the baflled william,
reaking from them, dashed through b
indow and disappeared in the dark n
sss. As the scoundrel fled, deliverer II
~ delivered stood facing each other,
ID the latter, for the first time, recog- a
zed who twas that had come to his n
sistance. b
What, Wash Jones?- he exclaimed. i
What in the world does all this II
camp
:" III tell We, soon as cam" Wash n
piled, with manifest effort; = but that o
Her give me beautiful dig with his n
q lIlfc hnr. rifa u..d I -. ". -. :.