The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-09-08

messengers books and few old pa
pers of little value.
He sleft for half an hour longer
when he awoke and rubbed his ewes.
His first action thereafter was to
consult his watch.
Were approaching Grafton he
said to himself, and drew another
cigar from his pocket for quiet
smoke.
A minute later the fragrance Of a
prime flor del fantda filed the car.
and the messenger was half envclop-
ed in smoke.
Grafton was yet nineteen miles
away.
All at once Gleason heard his
name pronounced, and turned
! quickly in his chair.
lie sprang to his feet the moment
atterward, and as the halfconsumed
cigar fell to the floor. his hand flew
to the pocket that held revolver.
For there stood before him two
men whose dark masks hung far be-
low their chins.
Don't draw, Mr.. Gleason" said
one of the strangers, and the young
messenger saw revolver covering
his head. "We don't want to be so
ungentlemanly as to slay you here.
the road can't spare you, indeed it
can't.
Gleason's hand shrunk away from
the pocket it had touched, and ne
looked at the men for Il moment in
silence.
What do YOU Want?' he said.
"What most men earnestly desire
money.
Il have none"
But the safes have
Then open them if YOU can, said
the messenger, with a smile.
with your assistance we viii,
answered one of the masked men.
who until that moment had not
spoken. Mr.. Gleason. we didn't
come here to parley, and as we
mean business, we will proceed to ii
at once. You have the keys and
will oblige Us by producing them.
The young messenger looked
twice in the eyes of the men and
once into the muzzle of the revolyre
before he displayed the keys.
Here they are" he said, extend
ing them.
NO, no, Gleason" was the re
sponse, and the twinkle of the dark
eyes told our messenger that the
face beneath the mask was smiling.
1t is a combination lock, YOU see.
and we happen to be ignorant of
the cabalistic word-your sesame. .
Open the door for us, if you please" /
Gleason saw that pleading would /
avail him naught. There was stern /
determination in the robbers tone, |
death in the depth of his black ewes.
He had often read Of such burglar /
les how cashiers were made to open I
the safe of their own banks. and /,
throw thousands at the feet of the /
robbers. lie had never dreamed .
that such an event would happen in /
express ear No. 56, much less that .
he would be compelled to assist in
robbing the patronizing public
But he was at the mercy OF the T
villains, and his life was in startling
He came forward with
pale face. and stoopcd before the /
safes.
BE lively about it," said one of
the men. you know the locks like /
a book, and we know how to treat a
man who obeys our orders with |
We give you two minutes
grace in which to work. If, at the
end of that time, the doors do not
swing open, the p. c. d St /. will
lose her best messenger =
The imperiled man did not reply, /.
but fell TO work on the locks. The
combination was quite intricate, but
Gleason was familiar Herewith, and
in less than q minutes time he open
cd the first door.
Now for the packages said one OF
the men.
The messenger put forth his hand
unlocked an inner door, and started
back aghast.
The money pocket Of the safe was
empty
WHATS up, Gleason?" exclaimed
a mask, looking at the messenger
with astonishment.
Gleason pointed to the empty re
amost too amazed 20 speak,
and the robbers exchanged strange
glances.
"Open the other safe command
ed one.
The messenger obeycd. 1t, too,
was moneyless.
George Gleason, we want no
trihing. You know where the mon
ey Is
How should | know?' cried the
mystified more than the
robbers. Did | know you were
coming, and secrete the matter? If.
so, who betrayed YOU? Here are my /
at them yourself. |
swear to you that there were seven (
tv thousand dollars worth OF ex-
press matter in the safes when We
left Coshocton. / haven't left the +
ear for one moment. though | have /
dozed, but like the cat. \ footstep,
however soft, viii rouse me. You /
ask me were the money IS; throw
the question back at you" Upon .
pain of death | could not tell you"
He ceased and the formost robber F.
said:
This beats me. / believe, you, /
George Gleason. Somebody has /,
robbed the safes before we struck. /
They did it while you slept. VIII !
YOU slacken the speed of the train !"
The messenger seized the bell I
rope, and the speed of the tram be |
gan TO diminish.
''Now good night, Gleason said !
the disappointed robbers, moving to /
the sliding door. I'VE hope the I
Companv won't DISCHARGE YOU for 1