Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-06-12

Joseph hear away out in the wing of
! the house as he was? Alas, | knew
that / could not, even had not this man
been sitting there by the door-he had
/ taken a chair n0w-eyeinr me fiercelv
as though he read my thoughts. Ah.
if | had only done as father wished and
telegraphcd for Harry Randall to come
up! And then with this last thought
another thought came TO me. WHY
could | not summon Harry even now.
if perchance he was still at the Office?
l arose from my chair, mechanically
grasping my work in my hand. NV
guard got up also, evidently suspicious
of my slightest movement.
'I'll have TO ask yer to keep quiet,
miss" said he, with harsh, determin
ed voice.
turned upon him Indignantly. 81
suppose may change my seat if like, :"
said l.
And without waiting for his permits
sion, | walked deliberately over to the
desk and sat down on the revolving
chair that stood before it. At the
same time / threw my work down on
the desk in such 4 way as to cover COM
pIetely the battery, which instrument
my companion had probably not no.
ticed at all. Perhaps he would not
have known what it was if he had.
| sat there moment hstlessly
twisting the chair back and forth, and
trying to make up my mind what best
to do
Just then there was slight noise
on the hall stairs and the man became
uneasy, stood up and looked at the Ii
brary door, rs if he was about to
90 toward it. Then he turned again
to me, and with u threatening gesture
said:
''You jest sit there while I step into
the hall bit. And if you stir or make
noise it will be the worst for ye. Do
you mind that!"
He went softly into the hall.
Feeling that now was my opportun-
ity, / put my finger on the knob, and
as silently as possibly sent my signal
over the wire into the night, down to
the mills and Harry Randall.
Harry are you there?'
In another instant | was leaning back
in my chair and moving an iBkstand
on the table to make a noise. How my
heart was beating, and my ears were
strained to catch the sound that-if l
might in God 5 goodness hope it-might
possibly come back to me.
Almost minute-it seemed an age
i listened; and my heart sank as no
answering signal was heard. Then
click! click! click! came the sounds,
sweeter to my ears than the sweetest
music, and [ knew Harry was there
4 to
cred by the drumming of my thimble,
but to me were as plain as spoken
words.
Eyes"
Instantly L sent back my answer.
Two excited words, run all together.
Robbers! Help!'
The total silence that followed as
sured me, after minutes anxious
waiting, that Harry had comprehended
my message, and that doubtless he
would come at once to the house. For
tune had favored me, for | had heard
the man creeping up the hall stairs,
and thus had escaped the results OF
any suspicious he might have had had
he heard the clicking of the instru-
ment.
did not look at the clock, and sc
cannot say how long [ sat there in 81
lence. 1t seemed to me that it was
hours.
Then there was the sound of whis-
pering in the hall The next moment
there appeared in the doorway sec
ond stranger, rougher and more des-
perate, if possible, in appearance than
the first; and close behind him, to my
|
man Joseph. They both advanced in
to the room. the one looking angry and
: disappointed, and the other with a
sheepish air as he caught my eye.
1--WE have found the key of the safe, :"
growled the second stranger. ''But
all for nothing. The money want in
it, and we have looked high and low,
and can't find it. But Joe here sticks
to it that it's somewhere in the house;
nd he thinks" looking iercely at me,
you know where. It's no use, Miss
-; we havn't got any time to spare
and we won't have no nonsense. / see
it in your eye; you know where the
money is. And you've got to tell"
He had advanced while he had been
speaking and was now quite near I
arose from my chair, fearing he meant
to lay hands on me. And at that in
stant-my ears painfully alert to any
noise-I was certain | caught the sound
of football outside of the window, and
: I gained fresh courage.
''And why have | got to tell?' I de-
manded, purposely raising my voice so
it could be heard outside the house.
"What right have you to break into
| this house this way
The man suddenly caught me by the
wrist, uttering at the same time fear
full oath.
You make another sound above o
whisper" he cried, in voice hoarse
with rage, land Pill"
He did not finish his sentence. There
came loud crash at both windows al
: once, and the next instant Harry Ran
dali with two Watchmen from the
, mills burst into the room.
The rescue was complete, so far as
saving our lives was concerned. The