The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1884-07-11

I started from my seat. ! wanted to
rush to the drawing room door and warn
Mr.. Rayner, but Laurence prevented me-,
whispering gravely-
"My darling, you must leave it to us
now.o
Every word, every movement had been
SO quiet that the music still went on whilo
they opened the schoolroom door and
crossed the hall. | stood watching them
breathlessly.
The three men, Laurence, the most stall
wart, foremost, placed themselves against
the d~rawing-room door, and by one mighty
push burst it open. | ran forward to the
doorway just in time to see Gordon, MIR.
Carruther's servant, fling down the violin
and rush to tho opposite window, the shut.
tors of which were unfastened. But
heard. the crash of glass, and at the same
instant two policemen dashed through the
shattered French window, seized and
handcuffed him. Then he stood between
them, white and immovable, without q
struggle.
"It's no go. We know you're one OF
the gang" said the middle-aged man.
"Game's up. We've got your leader"
What leaders" asked Gordon, calmly.
"James Woodfall."
otis n liel" snapped out the immovable
Gordon. "James Woodfall wouldn't let
himself be nabbed by such as you."
"Why nots We've got him"
The man did not answer.
sAll his fault for getting soft on a girl.
Wish l had her here!" Gordon muttered
presently.
He caught sight Of me at the doorway
and shot at me a sort of steely look that
- -I.lIo,, p,,t T did not. pOnnnpt
myself with his words. l was too bewil-
dered to think or to understand clearly
what was going on until saw him, hand
cuffed as he was, quietly draw a tiny re-
volver from his pocket and, without raising
it. point it at Laurence. With a scream |
rushed forward into the room and flung
myself in front of Laurence, and l heard o
report and felt something touch my arm-I
did not know What at first-and Laurence
sprang forward with almost a yell. But he
was encountered with my form; and, be-
fore he could put me down, Gordon had
wrenched himself away from his captors,
and. snarling, "I meant to awe lone for
herl" had dashed through the open window
out into the fog and darkness.
I knew by this time ! was shot in tho
arm, for the blood was trucking through
nv sleeve; but the wound did not pain me
much yet-I was too much excited for that,
and too much occupied with Laurence's pitt
full distress. He did not attempt to join III
the hopeless chase of the escaped Gordon,
but put me on a sofa, tore OF the body OF
nv frock, and bandaged my arm himself.
"Tell me what it all means, laurence"
| said r "I am not badly hurt-I am not
i~ndeed--and I want to understand it all.
Did You catch the thievess Who were
thew Have they really caught James
Wrodfall? And l hope-oh, l hope poor
Tom Parkes has escaped" | whispered;
for the middle-aged man had not Joined IN
the pursuit, but stood on the watch. balf
in and half out of the window.
atom Parkes has been caught, and
James Woodfall has escaped, | am AFRAID,
said Laurence.
"Then he was there? Tell mo all about
it," I said anxiously.
"Won't tomorrow dos" pleaded poor
Laurence earnestly. "Fm afraid II you
get so much excited, your arm Will GET IN
famed, and I ought to be setting Oil Tor
the doctor now"
Ono, no; you couldn't get to Beacons-
burgh tonight, you know you couidn1
Ii wouldn't be safe," said l. Your band-
aging will do quite well until the doctor
comes as uSudl W oCC ooioh
morning. Now tell me quickly all about
the robbery. Did you find the policemen
in the parkg" Then suddenly | sprong up
from the sofa. "Where is Mr.. RaynerF
WHY was Gordon here instead OF hilns
Oh, Laurence, my head seems to be going
round! l don't understand it at all. 1
am getting quite bewildered. Why was ltf'
"Let me tell you about the robbery. You
will hear and understand it all in time
said he very gravely and gently. 81 found
the policemen in the park and stationed
them in the %shrubbery, and I stood myself,
with that man over there and one other, as
close as possible to the back entrance OF the
house; and there we waited until nearly
half-past seven, when a man came up
through the fog Inc raped at the door.
One of the maids opened it, by appoint
ment as it turned out, for she was expect
ing him, though l don't believe the poor
GIRL suspected what his real business was;
for il was Tom Parkes. And, when they
went inside, Tom went last, and left the
door aiar. A few minutes later another
man came up and slipped in so quietly, SO
quickly, that we could hardly have sworn
in the dense fog to his going in at all.
Then presently Tom and the girl came out.
He said good-by to her without as much
DELAY as She would nave liked, walked a
few steps away until she had shut the door,
then returned and crept alongside the wall
of the house until he was under the strong
room window. There were four OF our
men stationed very close to that, and their
chief. who was with me, crept along easily
under cover of the fog, which was as thick
as ever, to join them. l followed with tne
other men. In a few minutes we heafd a
soft whistle from the strong-room window,
as we guessed. Tom answered by announcer,
and we saw a third man come up and JON
Tom. was SO close that l saw a bundle
let cautiously down from the window by q
cord. Tom handed it to the third man
whom VIC allowed to walk off with lt-fol
lowed however by two policemen-in order
to watch the further proceedings OF the
other thieves. Another bundle was lei
down. which Tom carried of himself; ano
then we watched anxiously for the mex
movement of the man in the house. Ih'
room window is about twenty lee
from the ground; but the man Jumpe1
down and landed IN his feet. In an instant
five of us were upon him, he eluded us al
and got clear away, and in the fog ESCAPED
us. But that man at the window tnere
who has been SO many years on the force
recognized him and identified him as Jane
Woodfall, and recognized him too"
"You, Laurencel / didn't know yon ha'
ever seen him." l cried.
At that moment the elderly man left tn
window.
.sIt's of no good, sir, Pm afraid. III
one rogue's got off as clear as the other
Can YOU tell me where Maynard is, misss
got up from the sofa and led the wa!
into the dining room. Mrs. Rayner wa
still sitting, pale and upright, with starln'
gray eyes, Maynard still sleeping. IN
other detective shook him, and glanced a