Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1884-04-06
The Directors on Watch.

This letter was more mysterious than
the last. The only thing that was evil
dent was that the writer, Mrs. Ellen
Smith," was better writer than her
husband, who styled himself Jon
Sniff" Fhe detectives were shown the
letter, and acted accordingly. Of course
they were posted in the room. 10 the
morning they told a strange story. They
said that they saw light at about
twelve o'clock. 1t seemed to come from
a dark lantern, but directly they ran to
the spot from whence the light pro-
ceeded it went out, and the strictest
search had discovered nothing. Toe
bank officials became alarmed. They,
however, agreed to do what perhaps
would have been done at first, viz, to
depute few of their number to visit the
vault alone. So it was arranged that
three gentlemen should remain in the
strong room all night, and that no one
else should be with them. Every suita-
bic precautiOn was taken when night
came. The sentinel paced up and down
outside; the detectives were not far of |;
and after the most rigorous search had
been made, the gentlemen were locked
i'll.
At last one of them, who paced the
floor rather impatiently- beginning to
think that perhaps, after all, it was only
a clever trick, cried out: "Gou ghost,
you secret visitor, you midnight thief,
come out! There is no one here but
Two gentlemen and myself 1fyOu are
afraid, 1give you my word of honor a.
gentleman that the police are not here.
Come out, | say"'
The Burglar Appears.
II was more in jest than in earnest
dat Major c., for he WAS military
man, shouted out the absurd speech, for
as We have said, he begun to suspect
that, after ali, some practical joke was
being adroitly carried on, as had more
thar once before been perpetrated, and
he did not like being victimzed him.
self. His establishment, however, was
great when, in reply, he heard a strange
voice, saying: "If you have kept your
word, ] will keep mine. Put out your
light, for I've one and I'll come" The
Major and his fellow Directors did not
much like putting out the light, but
they were not towards, and after some
deniur, it was done. Where the voice
came from was, however, a mystery,
for there was no hiding place in the
room, every side being of thick, many
plated iron and steel; the ceiling was
also Of the same material. When the
light was out they waited in silence,
while the Major grasped firmly in one
hand revolver and in the other held
the lantern and few matches. For a
little while low, grating sound was
heard, ard then voice, evidently that
Of some one in the room, said:
care you alone, sure?"
The Major, who cared nothing for
bodily form, struck match, and in.
stantly crash was heard, and low,
smothered laugh. When the match
was lighted nothing could be detected
no one was there. Again the Major
called upon the mysterious somebody
TO come forth, and again voice was
heard, saying: How can / trust you
noww The Major was angry, and his
companions alarmed, aud after frying
in vain to trace the point whence the
voice proceeded, exclaimed: "Weil,
We'll put out the light again; only com 9
quickly and put an end to this bother"
So saying, he put out the light again.
The Secret Exposed.
A moment or two after the same
grating sound was heard, then the fall
ing Of some heavy body, and the next
instant man was visible standing 10
the middle Of the vault with q dark
lantern In his hand. OF course he came
from somewhere, but the puzzle was
how. A ghost could not have entered
more mysteriously. The man soon
spoke for himself, and the Directors,
VITO were still at loss to explain his
presence there, listened in astonish.
ment. 1t appeared that he was q poor
man, and obtained q precarious living
in strange way. When the tide was
low it is the custom of q certain class Of
men, unknown to refined society, to
enter the sewers to search for any srti.
Giles Of value which may have been
washed down into them. 1t is q very
dangerous task, and, of course, revolt
fng in the extreme, but they not infre.
quently find very precious things hid
den in the filth. This man was one of
those strange adventures. One night
he had discovered an opening leading
to some place above. There was q
large square stone, which he found
ceuld be easily raised. he listened for
some time, and finding sill was silent,
lifted up the store without much diff.