The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1880-07-30


"And yer know tn way in by tn
winderPs II
II lef' hit soze I could git right in
easy" .
"All right; wen fix hit fur ,em. Ger.
tin, an reckon ther'll be moin one
dollar gone tO-m0rrer mawnin'.'' .
"When yer gwine ter start, Damp
"Not fore n hour, though want to
git some sleep fus'."
Suppressed laughter was followed by
some whispered conversation which es-
capped me; but l now knew they were
planning to rob the lock-room at MIR.
Rice's, while and my husband were to
be let alone, because they had ascer-
tanned that we had nothing with US to
tempt their cupidity.
Presently they seemed to betake
themselves to repose. throwing them
selves on the floor; there must have
been four of them. at least. listened
with bated breath-not even whisper.
Then, all at once, l heard some one
say:
Hadn't I better look in agin mex
door?" A suggestion which caused me
to speed across to my bed in an instant.
l lay there in an agony of terror,
which eliminated as l heard Dan Turn
er reply:
"Lem me CO." and his stealthy step
advancing to my bedside, he paused
a moment to listen, and then crept out
again.
"Fas' ter sleep. Leave UNI lone an
Their good tell mornin'." He flung HIM
self heavily on the floor, and the room
became perfectly quiet. They were all
sleeping soundly now, but in an hour
or two at the farthest they would be on
their way to rob-perhaps to murder.
Could l do nothing to prevent it?
Nothing. If were to attempt to rouse
my husband might endanger his life.
His safety lay in our supposed uncon-
seriousness. / sat up in bed breathing a
voiceless prayer in my extremity. 1t
was a windy night; a gust just then
shook the house, causing the windows
to rattle loudly. i heard a dr6wsy
murmur from the next room, which
subsidized into silence as the blast died
away.
l shivered with cold; a sudden chill
came into the atmosphere. Looking
around to discover the cause, noticed
that the door had become Unattached,
and was then ajar.
Suddenly, like flash of light, came
the thought, II might go out of that
door and make my way to the R:ces'.
l can get there before they awake,
and save life, perhaps. l am al
ready dressed, and they have said they
will not come in here again before they
CO."
There was no time to be lost.
arose with the greatest caution, taking
care to dispose my pillows and my hus-
bands overcoat in my vacant place, so
as to bear some resemblance to a hui
man figure.
I then took my shoes in my hand,
threw my heavy travelling shawl over
my head, and crept toward the door. If
it should creak as stretched it open!
No, it opened noiselessly, and | de-
scended the few steps to the ground,
and made my way out of the shed in my
stocking feet.
The road once gained, I stopped to
put on and fasten my shoes; and then
sped away, running as fast as could
in the direction of the brick house. I
did not dare to think of my husband.
God take care of himp' I uttered
aloud once or twice; and once, re-
member, it occurred to me how fortu-
nate it was that they should have kept
the dog in the room with them.
1t was long mile, but reached the
house at last. reused them, and gave
The alarm. Then / remember no more.
Mrs. Rice says I told them as calmly as
if l had been asking an ordinary ques-
ton, but as soon as finished / fell into |
a dead faint, which lasted for hours.
When 1 came to myself the sun was
shining. heard q voice say, "She is
better now;'' and the reply came in
the voice loved best on earth, THANK
God.".
Thank Godp' echoed, feebly, and
opened my eyes to find my husband
bending over me.
For few moments I scarcely knew
it was real, or only dream.
They would not let me talk about it
then, but after ] had eaten and drank
and rested, they told me the men had
grouped themselves around the lock-
room window, and the party in the
house were watching them. and wait
ing for some of them to effect an en-
trance before they bore down upon
them, when Mr.. Rice,s revolver, ac-
discharging, gave the alarm,
and the robbers. escaped without even
being identiied-that is, except the
boy, COoney, half-breed, whom they
found shut up in the lock-room, trying
to climb up the window from the in
side.
They gave chase to Turner'S gang,
but they eluded them, and Mr.. Rice,
with two or three others, proceeded to
The cabin, where they found nv hus-