Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-09-01

III euc TOuUef cOutu hot UNNECESSARILY
our language-ssI am not going to
give up my ring without a struggle.
The man evidently thinks the other
door locked on the outside and safe
against our opening it; otherwise he
would not let us stand so close to it.
have my hand ON the bolt now:
there-I have slipped it l am going
to dash the robbers lantern from the
table with this bundle of shawls; in
the darkness we can rush out upon
the platform and call the guard.
Don't lose your head or try to detain
me, for / am quite resolved. Be
ready to fly when give the signal"
Before / could recover from my
astonishment at this bold plan there
was crash of glass upon the floor,
darkness, volley of Italian oaths
and my sister and / were tearing
madly down the deserted platform.
"Guard, guard! p we shrieked with
all the energy of despair, but from
some inexplicable cause he could not
OF would not hear us, though we saw
his form quite plainly in the distance.
Steps were heard in pursuit of us,
and the angry curses of the burglar
reached our terror-striken ears, when
an inspiration seized Mabel. She
put her little silver whistle to her lips
and blew till its peculiar note rang
out like clarion on the still air.
The sound of hasty footsteps ap-
preaching from another direction be-
came audible; but whether they were
for good or i'll we could not tell.
Nab had lost her courage and was
leaning on me, half fainting, when a
voice calling in English: ''Hallo !!
What is the matter? What are you
rascals doing seemed to put new
life into her.
Two men ran toward us, one of
whom, to our amazement and delight,
we recognized as Sidney Weir, our
travelling companion,
We clung to him. and lowered over
him with tears, hysterical laughter
and incoherent thanks, and did not
notice that during our explanations
both robber and guard disappeared.
Mr.. Weir said that he had felt uneasy
at leaving us alone in the little sta
ton, and, finding another belated
traveller, they had whiled away the
night smoking and walking up and
down upon the road near at hand.
He had not told US of his change of
plans, thinking it 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 to annoyance,
if nothing worse. The sound of MabePs
whistle had reached his ears as sig
nal of distress, and he would never
feel sufficiently thankful that he had
given her the little toy.
s'What / fail to understand is this
rascally guard deserting his post SO
shamefulIy." said our rescuer, ringing
huge bell which hung near.
Presently an astonished group of
walters and porters gathered around
us with lights and began asking
thousand questions. One of the new
comers stumbled over something ly-
ing in dark corner.
''What is this?' he cried; "Moser.
the guard, in a drunken sleepl He
will lose his place for this, and de-
serves it, tooi'
1t was afterward discovered that
Anton Moser, the real guard, had
been drugged by two ruffians, one of
whom had stolen his lantern and cap,
while the other made his daring at
tempt upon Mabel and me.
We lost all interest in the fete at
San Vito, and, like frightened, dis
obedient children, our only wish was
to return home,i the little hotel that
we had left could be called home.
Sidney Weir accompanied us; and,
when Uncle Wallace returned, he
found a suitor for MabePs hand
awaiting his approval. The approx
al was not withheld, as Mab's face
betrayed that her heart had found its
idol.