McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-08-07

guard GOT up also, evidently suspicious
of my slightest movement.
I'LL have to ask you to keep quiet.
miss" said he with harsh determined
voice.
turned upon him Indignantly. Il
suppose l may change my seat If l
like" said l. So
And without waiting for his permits
sion, l walked deliberately over to the
desk and sat down on the revolving
chair that stood before it. AT the same
time l threw my work down on the
desk in such way as to cover COM
pletely the battery, which instrument
my companion had probably not no.
ticed at at. Perhaps he would not have
known what it was if he had.
l sat there a moment, listlessly twist
ing the chair back and forth, and try
ing to make up my mind what to do.
Just then there was a slight noise on
the hall stairs and the man became
uneasy, stood up and looked at the
library door as If he was about to 60
toward it. Then he turned again to
me, and with threatening gesture
said:
s'You just set there while step into
the hall a bit. And if you stir or make
a noise it will be the worse for We. Do
you mind that?'
He went softly into the hall.
Feeling that now was my opportun-
ity, l put my finger on the knob, and
as silently as possible sent my signal
over the wire into the nj ght, down to
the mills and Harry Randall.
Harry, are you there?"
In another instant | was leaning
back in my chair and moving an ink
stand on the table to make noise
How my heart was beating, and my
ear was strained to catch the sound
that-if l might in Gods goodness
hope it-might possibly come back to
me
Almost a minute-it seemed an age
I listened; and my heart sank as no
answering signal was heard. Then
click! click! click! came the sound
sweeter to my ears than the sweetest
music, and / knew Harry was there.
These sounds were to some extent
covered by the drumming of my
thimble, but to me, were as plain as
spoken words.
Instantly sent back my answer
two excited words, run altogether:
'sRobbers! Helpr'
The total silence that followed as
sured me, after a 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.
1 did not look at the clock, and so
cannot say how long l sat there in
silence. 1t seemed to me that it was
hours.
Then there was a sound of whisper
ing in the hall. The next moment
there appeared in the doorway a sec
ond stranger, rougher and more des-
perate, if possible, in appearance than
the first; and close behind him to my
great surprise and Indignation, was
our man Joseph. They both advanced
into the room, the one looking angry
and disappointed, and the other with a
sheepish air as he caught my eye.
eve have found the key of the safe, )"
growled the second stranger, ''but all
for nothing. The money wasn't 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, and
he thinks" looking fiercely at me,
''you know where. It's no nse, Miss
-; we haven't any time to spare and
we won't have any nonsense. l 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. [
arose from my chair, fearing Shat he
meant to lay hands ON me. And at
that Instantly ears painfully alert
to any noise-I was certain l caught
the sound of football outside the win
dow and l gained fresh courage.
'sAnd why have got to tell?'' [ 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 caught me by the wrist,
uttering at the same time fearful
oath.
s.You make another sound above a
whisper" he cried in voice hoarse
with rage, ''and Tll-'
He did not finish his sentence There
came a loud crash at both windows at
once and the next instant Harry Ran
dali with two watchmen from the mill
burst into the room.
The rescue was complete so far as
saving our lives was concerned The
robbers attempted no resistance:
In an instant, before a word could
be said or blow struck, the man
raised his hand and dashed the lamp
from the table. In the darkness and
confusion the burglars, Joseph among
them, made their escape And al
though every effort was made, both
then and after, to secure their arrest,
they never were taken.