The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1880-01-30

my mind as felt the dread fear disap-
nearing. and found myself 81 sudden
grown strangely calm.
The clock struck 10. turned TO the
shelf. and. with hand that no longer
trembled. inserted the key. and wound
II composedly. Would il be the last
time that should perform that simple
ask? No matter. Happier than most
men. because content with my humble
lot. Il should never be said that Uld
Billy tlinchcd in the face II duty. For
that night il was my duty-my one "a
cred. ail-imp0rtanf duty guard the
treasure left 10 my safe-keeping. And
guard Il would while life remained
When | had finished winding the
clock. took down from the shelf an
old rusty pistol. which had lain for
years undi-turbed- Il was not loaded,
nor had either powder OF bullet any
where in the station. But the weapon
was ugly looking, and carried sort 81
silent force IN case Of too aggressive ar
gument. After examining the rusty
lock. put the pistol on the table. made
! fresh glass of teddy, drank Il, lighted
my pipe, and-closcd the door that
opened into the freighs-rom- Now
that / was thoroughly myself again,
foundit easy enough ~ shut out The
sight ~ that ominons obloDg box
III was not until The cloc struck again,
that i. eleyen-thag made MP my mind
to 90 10 bed. All his time fhe storm
held on. although the thurder had be-
gun to rumble more ii~lanlly- | threw
on my coat and slippers. put out the
( liyht in The iickes-Ollicc. and turned
that in my sleeping-room down
to a low flame. Then drew
The money-package from under the
mattress and pinned il securely T. my
wooden shirt under my vest. This done,
and with the table % placedthat ! could
reach both the lamp and the pistol.
opened the door into the freighi-room
some three OF four inches and then
threw myself upon The bei. Just =
nv head touched the pillow the instru
ment, which had grown quiet now
clicked off for the third tlme- loudly
distinctly, slowly. il words Of warning
WATCH THE Bon.
This time the warning was no
needed. had not gone ~ bed 70 sleep
but for the veiy purpose Of watching
, The box. Standing A. II did, with tn
head close Ia The door. and therefor
close 70 the box itself. the bed afforde'
the very best poiat from whir.i 70 kee!
, an eye on the suspicious freight iia'
! my faith in he telegraphic clicking beei
less. or had my own sense OF great re
sponsibilisy deserted me for singh
moment. should certainly hay
given up the job OF watch
inr as foolish: and, in thar case, y
not likely that this narrative would eve
7 have been written. But believed in n
!. thricc-repeated message. and did No
\ let drowsins.ss overcome patience
= Twelve. one. two how very slowly IA
2 hours seemed 10 drag themselves, In
low flame Of the lamp went ont as IN
oil had rg.a dry What a relief u wa
4 Ia hear tie clock strike? AT last. some
! where about midnight, the storm ha
y broken. | could see the stars a. the
y came out. through the window IN u
freicht-rOOm. which was on line I
:. vision with the box How straagel
still il seemed after the mighty roar !
the storm and the sharp clapS n thu
der. Not q click from the in~trumel
'v now. NDl "A ~BttAAH $40 tAN N-.--'-f 800
Il inc Of the clock Still ny listenlni
u watching. with faculties All alert ~
y my ewes always on the oblong box
= "A little past two--perhaps ten mi
: utes. The silence almost painful IN
a profoundness. Nothing but the tick-ti'
- Of the clock, which % my eager ear n
n taken on this sound. which i sept
m peaiing over and over
n .Watch-thc-box. Natch-the
- box,''
Il What was that?
"a Not the clock, not the telegraphic
q sframenf. No. ii was the sound a.
- the grating Of iron Faint, very fair
~ vet still audible 10 my ear Breathi
NJ regularly and deeply, a one breathes
N sleep. / LAY and listened Another
y, terval Of silence. and then the graft
An sound came again, this time tribe lot
~ er than before. The light Of the y:
~ shining through the window made I
objects in the freight-room just wish
49, Almost simultaneously with the seco
,at grating noise ! saw the cover Of
~ wooden box slowly from the z
IN furthesf removed from the bed. COZ
|. II feel my heart humping away, liks
~ sledge-hammer- but | continued
~ breathe heavily and 10 watch keen
81 Gently and noiselessiy the cover v
III pressed upward until il reached an
~ gle which completely shut out from
in view the window beyond. A NOM
lie later the figure Of man came out f.
al the shadows. while the box-cover '
ere let down as noisclessly as il had b
raised
This. then. was the burden Of the b
This was the meaning ~ the mysteri'
ter, warning which The sounder had spok
BILE with cat-like tread the figlre mo-
4 a toward the door Of my room. Sti
lrs. lay As IN deep sleep. On the thresh
me the figure paused. and moment IA
out single ray Of light like silver thr