Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1885-07-01

ana nad begun TO think OF sitting In tina
room till heard sounds, outside, when
just as twelve struck and was looking
drearily through my eyelet-holes, | saw
to nay amazement, the night bolt slow
ly rise OF itself and the door open.
There had not been sound. II there
had, L should have pulled the alarum.
Happily | was so aStonished that, in.
stead of doing so at once, watched the
door IN silent awe. There entered
VIII Wheeler, his mother, and the bell
hunger. Tn helirst-Will-made step
towards the bed, but, with warning
gesture, his mother drew him back.
She believed that under the influence
Of the opiate the old lady slept. And
|, when L perceived that robbery only
Was intended, judged it prudent to re-
move my hand from the alarum-rope.
was really startled however, when
the bell-hanger, at sign from Mrs.
Wheeler, taking hold of the tapestry
close to me, threw it back over chair
and displayed the door with richly
carved bordering round it. L held my
breath and gazed eagerly.
Mrs. Wheeler pressed a knob in a
bunch of roses, and suddenly the door
fell back and actually struck my left
! shoulder. VIII and the bell-hanger in
stantly disappeared, and Mrs, Wheeler
followed them. They had gone into
the closet!
In an instant remembered the spring
and with the swiftness of the thought
itself | threw my whole strength on the
door and pushed it to. 1t shut with a
clang, the spring closing at once; and /
heard a wild scream from Mrs. Wheeler
and the cry, ''Great Heaven. We can
never get outI'' in the housekeeper's
voice.
The robbers were trapped Greatly
excited, L seized the rope of the alarum
and pulled it. 1t came down upon my
head, covering me with dust. 1t had
been partially cut through, and touch
| severed it. Bnt one single stroke new
ertheless was given by my frenzied
strength on the great bell-One awful
boom sounded on the night air.
Then l rushed from my hiding place
and from the room, locked the door
outside, and went to Aunt Helen, who
was sitting up in bed, pale and tremb-
ling. She had heard the one stroke on
the alarum and thought had been
murdered ere l could sound 1t again.
She clasped me in her arms, weeping,
and murmured thanksgiving when she
heard what had done.
They cannot get out, my love, " she
said; lit is impoSsible.''
/ left her after while, and returned
to the drawing room, in order to see
if any one would answer that one stoke
on the alarum. A foolish hope it seem
ed; yet. wrapped in large shawl, | sat
at the open window and looked eagerly
down the avenue. At length a sound
struck on my ear-the gallOp of l.orses;
and soon after saw two riders, distinct
ly defined against the snow, APP roach
ing the hall door. l leaned out and
cried "Who comes?" and uttered glad
cry when Mr.. Denham's voice answer
ed.
L ran down and, with eager tremb-
ling fingers, unfastened the hall door
ana admitted hini. He grasped both
my extended hands and exclaimed
''Thank Heaven that you are safe!
Oh, Lottie, L have had terrible shock!
Why did the alarHm stOp?n
The rope was cut and fell upon my
head" said, laughing Historically;
and then l led him upstairs and told
him all that had happened, his man
holding his horse at the door.
felt quite abashed, he praised my
courage and presence of mind SO much;
and learned then and there for the
first time that Cecil Denham loved me
He explained that the snow had delayed
his return, the road having to be clear
ed, bnt he had arrived in the course of
the evening; his hOusekeeper however
forgot to give him my note till just rs
he was going to bed. As soon as he
had read it. he gave orders for his horse
to he saddled, and for his man to ac-
company him. They had ridden off at
once. and had reused the villagers and
hidden some of the men and The police
men to follow them; then they hurried
on. Mr.. Denham had been greatly al
armed at hearing that one Sullen boom
OF the alarum. He feared that further
ringing had been stopped by violence.
When we had thus mutually explain
ed matters, Mr.. Denham thought he
had better see if the robbers had any
accompliceS in the house, and babe me
go and announce his arrival to Aunt !
Helen. Meantime he and his servant !
searched the house.
BY the time the search was conclud- |
ed, the rural police an some men from |
the village arrived; but il was thought |
best, as the conyictS were known to lie |
desperate characters, 10 keep them in !
the safe custody of the spring till day
light.
Ben Hill, the bell-hanger, was amongst |
our friends who came to help, and was
very indignant at finding he had been
persOnated. The policemen informed
us that Will Wheeler was out on ticket
of leave, and that the bell-hanger was
out on ticket of leave, and that the bell
hanger was probably ''pal' of his, and
had come down from London for the
Job.
When day had fully dawned, the
police assisted by Mrs. Keith, opened
the closet door, and terrible spectacle
presented itself. Mrs. Wheeler and the
two men lay on the floor in a heap, un-
conscious. Then first we understood
why their shouts and cries had ceased.
There was no ventilation in the closet,
and they had consumed the air. They
were removed at once; but the old wo-
man WAS past mortal aid-she was dead.
The men were restored 10y the wise
means used under Mr.. Denham's dire,
tions, and by the time medical aid caL-e
had recovered Consciousness. They /
were taken away to gaol. VIII Whee-
Ter afterwards confessed that he had IN
duced his mother to consent to the rob
berry of Mrs. Keith's boards, on condi-
ton that no harm should be done to the
old lady-though, if any alarm had
been given, that promise would not
have been kept,
am now the Rector's wife, and my
aunt's declared heiress, on condition
that we shall live with her at Boarhunt.
Nv husband has consented, as his poor