Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-07-01

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dramatized tonight, and pretty effective
ly too, 1 hatter myself. -
"What do you mean % asked Everett,
staring.
"Why, you see. told my servants
few days ago that should be away from
home tonight, and my cook naturally
seized the chance of getting leave for an
evening OUT consequently, the whole
house will be under the sole charge of
that worthy man-seryant of mine, against
whom you're so unaccountably preju-
diced. It's quite possible that the two
honest gentlemen with whom you saw
him talking the other night, may be kind
enough to enliven his solitude with a
visit; and so"
Harry sprang to his feet, and cut
caper worthy Of dancing dervish, snap
ping his fingers by the way of accom-
paniment "Capital first-rate / see it
all now! But come now, Doctor; Why
on earth couldn't you tell me before that
you were up to the whole game, instead
of letting me make fool of myself by
preaching to man as smart as any six
of me ?"
"Never mind, my boy" said the doc
tor, laughing "Your warning was
kindly meant, all the same Eat your
dinner---youn want it before the even
ing's over, | can promise you---and then
well have our talk"
Dinner over, the doctor lit one of the
Incompatible cigars which were his sole
luxury, and proceeded to expound his
plan of action, "Pve locked up the
outer room that opens into my mysteri-
GUS chamber, which puts two strong
doors between it and the robbers. My
estimable servant will warn them OF this
they will try the window instead.
he'll let them in by the garden-door,
and give them the ladder that lies beside
it to mount by. Well hide in the sta
bic, whlch--thanks to my keeping my
brougham elsewhere-has been unused
so long that no one would dream of sus-
pecting it; but ! can open the door easily
enough. And then"
And then,' broke in Harry eagerly, |
"we'll go for them the minute they APP
pear. It'll be fine chance to Try my
new revolver"
Better leave it at home" said the
doctor quietly; "we shall want no weap-
ons for this job"
''Why, are you going to mesmerise
the fellows ?" asked Everett, completely
mystifed.
"Wait and see," chuckled the doctor.
" We needn't be there till eleven, for my
honest domestic will make sure, before
giving the signal, that I'm not coming
back; and besides, an experienced burg |
lar seldom hegings work till after mid
night. The only thing to be sure of is
that nobody sees us getting in.'
But in this fortune favored them; and
as the doctor had foretold the lock of the /
stable door, rusty as it looked, moved .
without difficulty, and the two conspira-
tors glided in, unseen and unheard.
Weary, weary work, orouching there |
in the darkness, with ear and eye strain |
ed to the utmost for the first sign of the /
coming danger. DR.. Bistoury's prac-
ticod nerves bore even this prolonged .
trial easily enough; but to the impulsive,
excitable Everett it was absolute torture. /
Like all young soldiers, he found the /
suspense before the action infinitely /
more trying than the fray itself. The !
stable opened ON the street close to the /
garden door, and its further window, at !
which the two watchers had posted them
selves, commanded the whole side of !
the house, the blackness of which was
relieved only by a solitary light in one
of the upper windows. Suddenly the /
light vanished, and reappeared moment !
later-a performance repeated three times |
in quick succession.
"That must be the signal" whispered .
the doctor. "Keep your ears, open,
Harry"
Courageous as Everett was, he felt his .
pulse quicken, and his hand went in
stinctively to the revolver which, des-
pite the doctors verdict, he had persisted
in bringing with him.
clark! Was that stealthy footstep
outsider"
The next moment came a low whistle, /
instantly answered from the house; and |
then a shadowy figure, issuing from the |
building, glided noiseiessly to the gar
den door, and opened it to admit two .
others.
"They've got the ladder" whispered |
DR.. Bistoury, as the three phantoms |
crossed the garden. "Be on the look /
out, my boy; you're going to see some |
thing worth seeing.
The ladder was soon planted against
the mysterious window; and Badger Bill,
after whispering to his comrade to
keep an eye" on our worthy confederate,
assembled, and, cutting out pane SO
dexterously that the sound was barely
audible, put his hand through and shot
back the hasp. His two assistants
mounted after him; and Bill, stepping
cautiously into the room, turned the