Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-07-11
night, even if we had known the

u.
caught the brilliant on her finger
when she raised her coffee-cup.
| happened to glance out o. the
window at that instant. and, to my
horror, saw a man with evil black
eyes and grizzled hair staring intently
at Nab and me with wicked look
about him which | could not forget.
As caught his eye he skunk away N
the darkness, and presently the rail
way porter came to escort US to the
waiting room.
''It is against the rules of the road
to allow the waiting room to be occu-
pied at night he began, but if you
will be content without light, and
with both doors locked on the outside,
| have no objection to your waiting
there for your train.
This was appalling, to be locked up
for five hours in a shabby little
Italian waiting room in total dark
ness. By feeling the man we pre-
vailed upon him to ALLOW us to bolt
the outer door on the inside, SO that
we should feel little less like prls-
oners.
''The guard walks up and down the
platform till daylight, SO you can feel
quite safe, said the porter, consoling-
ly, as he wished US goodnight and
shut the door of the dark little den
upon US.
fortunately bethought me of some
wax matches IN the valise, and light
ing one for moment, we took IN the
situation-a mean little room, with a
door on two sides, hard benches round
the walls and long table. Surely
not an inviting apartment for repose.
We made ourselv as comfortable as
the circumstances would permit, and
tried to forget our position in sleep.
But became preternaturally wakeful.
Here were we, two unprotected
women, dropped down at this little
wayslde station for all the long night
hours. Suspicious characters were
lurking about, and we might be rob
bed and murdered without our friends
ever knowing Of our fate. In the
midst os my cheerful reflections IT
consoled me little to see the guard
pass by slowly at intervals, with his
lantern cleaning on the red band OF
his cap.
Suddenly, my ears sharpened by the
silence, | heard stealthy step APP
proach the inner door of our prison,
and the quiet grating of . key III the
lock was distinctly audible. My heart
seemed to stop beating with fright,
and then, to my unspeakable horror,
the door softly opened and the evil
looking man, with the grizAled hair,
whom | had seen through the window
of the coilee-room, crept in with a
dim lantern in his hand.
'I.isten!n he said in hoarse whis
per, fixing upon me his wicked eyes.
IF you are quiet | will do you no
harm, but if you scream or make the
least disturbance | know how to
silence you, | want Ike ring your
friends pretty finger wears, and what
ever money and other valuables you
have about you Make no resistance,
rs you value your life"
suppose | grew very white and
trembIed, for Mabel said, IN sur,
prisngly firm voice
Don't faint, Ellie, but give the
man the yalise to search; our lives are
worth more than The trunpery it con
talnS
The robbrr set his lantern on the
table and began undolng the straps Of
our valise, placing it on the floor be
fore the door at which he had entered.
Where was the guard outside that his
light did not shine again through our
window? He might have rescued us
but he did not come.
"Enic, said Nab, in a whisper to
me she need not have whispered, Ior
the robber could not understand our
language II am not going to give
man evidently thinks the other door
locked ON the outside and safe against
our opening it; otherwise he would
not lei us Stanc So close 10 it, have
my hand on the bolt now; there J
have slipped il! | ann going to dash
the robbers lantern from the table
with this bundle of shawls; in the
darkness we can rush out upon tho
platform and call the guard. Don't
lose your head or try to detain me,
for | am quite resolved. BE ready tC
ny "ltli SlNt lIlt SlS hftl.
Before could recover from my as
constituent at this bold plan, there
was a crash of glass upon the floor,
darkness, IA voIley of Italian oaths
and my sister aud | We're tearing mad
ly down the platform.
Guard, guard - we shrieked, with
all the energy Of despair, but from
some nexpIicable cause he could not
or would not hear us. though we saw
his form quite plainly in the dis
tance.
Steps were heard in pursuit of us
and the angry curses of the burglar
reached our ears, when an inspiration
seized Mabel. She put her little sill
yer whistle TO her lips and blew till It's
peculiar note rang out like a clarion
on the still air
The sound of hasty footsteps APP
preaching from another direction be.
came audi BILE; but whether they were
for good or i'll we could not tell. M
had lost her courage and was leaning
on me, half falntlng, when a voice
in English Halo! What is the mat
ter! What are you rascals doing2'
seemed to put new life III her
Two men ran toward us, one of
whom, to our smazcment and delight,
we recognized us Sidney Weir, our
travelling companion.
We chung to him, and lowered over
him with tears, hysterical laughter
and ncoherent thanks, and did not
notice that during our explanations
both robber and guard disappeared.
MIR. Wen said that he had felt uneasy
ut leaving us alone in the little station,
and finding another belated traveller.
they had whlled away the night Smok-
ing and walking up and down upon
the road near at hand. He had not
told us of his change of plans. think
ing 1t might annoy us. When he saw
the rough lot of men who collected
about the coffee room, he was very
glad he had waited, for he thought we
might be subjected 10 annoyance, if
nothing worse. The sound of Mabel'S
whistle had reached his ears as a signal
of distress, and he would never feel
sufficiently thankful that he had given
her the little toy.
What | fail 10 understand is this
raScally guard deserted his post SO
shametullr, said our rescuer ringing
a huge bell which hung near.
Presently an aStCnlshed group OF
walters and porterS gathered around
us with lights and began asking a