The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1880-01-09
THE WOUNDED HAND.

''~'rAN'~ @ANA w
was on the first floor. and had but OF
window, which looked out upon the yar
(. Her confidential friends had often advise
e Frau FriedoW to keep her gold, at least,
t sisted such counsel, and put no faith
banks or bankers. AS to safe. she ha
t aVcrred that if robbers did ever modest he
! unless her trusty dog and faithful Frede
: lex, and the only male person upon he
little property, were present, an iron DO
: would avail little beyond, perhaps. delay
: ing the thieves III laying hold Of what the
wanted.
On the night of the 7th Of May the poe
lady was suddenly awakened about lively
O'Clock. Her room was illuminated. Be
: fore her bed stood tall, thin man, with
lantern in his left hand and hatchet i
his right hand.
In rough disguised voice he threatene
to knock out her brains if she so much a
ventured to utter a sound. The unfortu
nate Frau was already voiceless from alarm
This speech could hardly make her quiet
but she used her eyes, and did so for tn
next few seconds while her visitors re
mained with her. She saw that the speak
er wore black hose, blue blouse, and
mask; and that two men were busy in tn,
background breaking open her chest q
drawers. In the farthest back division
covered over by stockings, yarn, and flax
lay round til case in which she kept hel
movable treasures. She was just recover
ing herself sufficiently TO begin thinking
about risklng her life by calling for help
when the smothered yelling of dog was
heard without. The thieves had foun(
what they wanted, sprang with it to the
window, one sash Of which was open
They threw themselves upon ladder
without. and descended to the ground,
while the third man still kept guard beside
z.sssfT, 5.s=fffI s.t1#zsst
on may y'se1eam as long as you ike
now, y he muttered, turning away, and
following the others from the room.
Frederick appeared at this instant, hay
ing been awakened by the noise. He
found the ladder still in its place, and be-
low, was just III time to save the life OF the
house dog, which had been almost choked
bv cord twisted around his neck, fasten-
ing him to his kennel. The man-servant
reused up the neighbors, but all pursuit,
then or later, by friends privately, or by
the police publicly, had been in vain
Not the least clue had hitherto been ob-
tanned as to the identity Of the house
| breakers.
This was how tie matter stood when
arrived at T. When had privately
communicated with the magistrates, my
second visit was naturally paid to Erat
Friedow. / sought everywhere for specia
indications which might put me on thu
right track, but what | found was very
little. Like those who had gone before me
/ concluded that the robbery had, at Al.
rate, been accomplished by persons wei
acquainted with tns locality, as the en-
trance to the premises had been made D,
a small door in the yard, Of the very eXls
tence of which many Of the neighbors Wer
unaware. The ladder made use OF ha
been dragged out Of nook in which it ha
long lain concealed. A pane OF glass tia
been smashed in the window OF the be
: room in order to enable one ofthe assistant
: to sIip back the bolt A few foot print
had been TRACED, but there was nothln
remarkable about their appearance an
| they had been lost upon the high road {
' street upon which the little courtyal
opened.
: One thing seemed alone certain ami
/ the mass of perplexity; the ho1sebreake1
: must be sought from among the neighbor
j servants. friends and relations. Now, Il
5 neighbor theory. upon investigator
4 seemed utterly futile, and one glance
n Old Frederick was enough to make OF
! dismiss all thoughts connected with Il
), sccond term in the list, There remaint
thc friends and relations III the habit
visiting. the villa. The widow had not II
. faintest suspicion Of foul play in any
> These: nevertheless [ made her desert
y and closely particularize them all to N
= took up half dozen imaginary scents
= ran hither and thither. felegraphed
u various directions. [ worked, in fact,
= the sweat of my brow; but, alas the
: suit was simply nothing, nothing, nothln
- [ never had been 80 utterly puzzled al
: hopelessly at fault.
ie On the fourth day Of my residence
" I---I went again to tue villa, Whe
: the widow greeted me with eyes OF espe
;, tationt
'sFrau Eriedow, I I said, lit seems
me hardly possible thar g9u are ntte!
- without suspicion in every quarter. Eht
=. must surely be some one Or other IN VIII
- your mind is fixed, if it were but a secol
= Confess if SO, and eonfide in me. =
g II assure you ] have not even shade
y thought such as you describe, she
piled, in Q. much disappointed tone.
9 ttA1ld has nothing more struck yoa ab
'se those men you saw in your room than
!. have already mentonedS One RENE
- bers on due consideration which have 2
iis overlooked before Did you notice ;
I popularity about any Of the scoundrel
= lii the voice for instance; the way of sta
y ing; the hands Of him who held the a
9 g Had he ring Did he look rough,
the others?
~ ~ aTbere is one little thing may not b
e. {, told before, 4 she replied, slowly 'It
=, =, scarcely worth telling. When the Two
~ lows ran off down the ladder With i ny Y
- ease. the window slapped down as they
y, - appeared, The third man pushed i
b, gain to go after them, bHt " % DON
., o. think he must have put his hand tliFo
sar r the broken pane and have hurt i with
IL glass in his haste. | certainly beard
=. y nutter to himselfas ifhe were ~ dikfFe
~ 49, ssgVas there no trace Of blood leffss
asked anxiously.
III ..None, whatever.
-.s - / began my investigations anew ana
IN 4 time with the doctor ot tne qlstfles'