The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-12-18
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his RsCendency over me that, after q re
monstTanCe which began high and storm
and ended low and feeble, sat down an,
Q took q glass with him, Yes; wa
actually assisting to drink up my patron
choice old poft This was all the NOR
l. base in me, not only because | was be
3 traylug my trust and partaking myself Q
!, o thing had been set to guard, but bs
cause Squire 0ldboys had betIisndsd m
In ways which made me feel that l owe
my present advantages and future pros
+ poets all to him, Oh, wss an uICon
8 Roionsb!e calf in those days
n Meanwhile, had got 10 think less an,
less about houHehIeRkerg, and my re
, volVer had ceased TO be q novelty. 'ThR
|, night even forgot TO put It under M
pillow In fact, forgot several thing
which | might have remembered II /
hadn't been for the port.
A little after midnight l awoke with {
raging thirst, and lay thinking what {
miserRbly weak mortal was, and trying
to summon resolution to get up fcS gIaSs
Of water, when 0 nolse somewhere ID thC
bed in mbnent, atFaIping my ears To
listen.. the room was dark, II was a
good'siSsd bed chamber up one flight Of
stairs, with adoor opening out on q wide
landing, and two side windows. One ~
the windows was up, but tho blinds were
al cloPpd, ~ plea9s Horstlo, who didn't
lie 10 be troubled with the morning
light, But the blinds Of the entry win.
dows were opsn, and the door leading into
the entry should have been. Hitherto |
had carefully looked out Tor that, for the
advantage Of hearing any strange noises in
other parts OIL the house, But THE night
my preCaution had besa neglected :
looked IN vain ior any pliGmsr OF light
from the bal! Nindows, and knew that he
door was shut.
Then suddenly the noise began; indie.
serihable-impossible 70 tell Just where 1t
was or what 1t was IKE. HoraIio was
breathing hard on his side Of the. bed /;
l reached over and Ahook him:
There's somebody IN the house."
Whispered, Rs go0u as he gave signB OF
waking. At the same time l put my
hand under my pillow. ."Where ia my
reyolver!' l gaBped out-my hand shaE.
ing as ! fumblej, o soIt d panic terror
poaseeping mo,
"Bs quiet" no said. "There can't be
anybody. Isn't II under your pillow"
"Nol I'm sure | heard somebody
twice. don't remember taking II yhan
We came 10 bed" Still | fumhied about,
under his pilloV and niue. % '
vt must DO In the drawer, then" he
said. "But for heavens cake, DO tareiulS
You'll be shooting PhObe, Ii you don't
look outl"
lgot up and found the pistol in the
drawer, and laid it ready for my hand
TheD, while + CROPPED and listened got
hold Of q pair Of lrppsyre, and pulled them
on, AZ was slipping tho sugpeR1sIl
over my shoulders, heard t4s noises
again. IA dull metallic VlinE, aud a sound
as Of 3 door pushed bach. 90 as TO strike
the wall, AV
"! NUT be PhCbp," HorStlo whispered
"Or II 1t isn't, you'll get shot the moment
you open the door. Don't open It," he
entre9Eed.
1held tho revolver In my right hand,
my left was already on the door.knob, |
wRG scared, | confess, but my resolution
was getting the better Of my iears.
wouldn't have cared to live and have Il
said afterwards that heard burglars in
the house and made no attempt to pro.
tect 1t. My contempt for HoraLio'sap.
parent CowardICe served also as q tonic to
my courage,
turned thelknob cautiously, and atep.
ped out into the entry. 1t was dimiy
lighted by the starlight shining through
the open blinds; and In order not 10 be
seen, l dropped down upon my knees and
one hand, and erawled TO the staircase.
To my CONSERVATION saw that tho front
door stood wide open. At that moment
all was still, Had the burglars escapsdP
/ started TO descend in great haste and
trepidation, when heard light whistle,
and two figures Immediately rushed out
through the hall. never knew how l
went down those stairs, but ! was at the
door Just as the lsst one passed out. When
frat had anything like good sight oil
them, between me and the faint outdoor
light, ] fred once, at not more than two
paees, with the broadcast and fsirest mark
Of man'a back before me in the door.
way; second time on the porch; and a
thlrd-1 following ~ they aed-at the
foot al the steps. My spirit was up / for.
got al about fear; l meant that II they got
Gwey they should at least carry some Of
my lead with theme
AS they kept on running, Iran too,
with nothing but stockings on my feet,
calling on them to atop OF drop their
lplunder; and Aired again OF the gate,
They had gained on me by that tin6, iof
lost speed in making each shot. They
crossed the street az Ii undecided which
way to 60, then turned and ran towards
the city. pursued, regardless Of tho
pain to my tender soles, determined TO get
In another sheti ! had my pistol raised
and was making shorter turn In the
street than they In order to head them
OF, when the earth rose in billow and
then suddenly dropped from under me-
stumbled and pluugod-and that was
the last remember,
When returned 10 consciousness a
recollection 81 the terrible adventure
Slowly came TO mo and my lrBt impression
was that had been shot. had q dull
pain In my head and niCkness at the
heart fell cold and numb. l tried To
rise from tho ground and found there
wasn't any ground 10 rise FROM, or rat or,
luhb Lue RTuuuu IuH0 WIN Iu6 lut0 HOIt
Of rough wall, which / felt with my hands.
That / was somewhere below the surface
Of tho earth was evident. could account
for the fact that had on no clothing
except my nightshiyt and thin FoCkH as5
trousers but the mystery Of my situation
was tot the moment too much for my
shattered wits.
While l was feeling about, bewildered
and not yet able to stand, | Heard stranpt
sound, a. Of some grating aud RtindlnI
/ object burfowingiu the earth beneath me
II seemed TO come from cave or soml
\ sort Of pit beneath the pit / was In. Tha
lnlenslA sd the mystery. Twas maniieBtly
/ In q hule--a narrow, deep hole--ior coult
, see the iaintll light OF thasky over the edge
! Of II, few feet above tho rough, but yer,
solid, bottom where l CROPPED. Gradually
my mind became strong enough to praBj
4 the fact Of my own position and the sort .
} accident that bud happened to me but th
noiles | hoard were still inexpliCable, Il
/. the midst Of tho grinding came heay
I airing thud, "A ol some object throw
l Ifotn. d height, OF q man Jumping down
IIhad NnfttlnNak ahla haat,dH - IaaAaIz...