Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1888-05-10

III ITedcIe hoION- Al In6 HllOurN rOa
they got down. Pont crossed the roa
bent low.
"Skylark gOin' and comm None NOR
but one gone nOrd.''
"Trickle Holler!' said the Squire
''JeSt what l thought"
They started back, leading the horses
!. searching the road for tracks.
esquire" said Nell. III ride home
He may have gone there. I'll com
back"
She headed Driver North. struck int,
a gallop, and was off. Ten minutes late
: she turned the bend half Il mile from
home. She started and gave a ioyfu
cry. Out of the East window brigh
light shone A little farther on sht
heard sudden sound that drove tn,
hope out of her heart-the Whinny of {
horse in a wood to the right She got
down, tied driver to a tree and ran on
She crept in softly through the open gate
and round to the East side.
She looked, in, but she did not see
Prent. BY the safe in the corner a man
was kneeling, with a slouehed black hat
and suit of rough, worn clothes. His
back was toward her. Her own lamp
stood ignited on the top of the safe
With a drill and heavy mallet, padded
at the end, he was picking hole in the
iron door, Just above the lock- Into that
safe Prent had put, only the night be-
} fore, $1,000 and odd of taxes taken at
/, CarrOm.
On the table just behind him lay his
pistol. She saw the copper gleam of the
cap under the hammer. As she looked
the man stood up, threw off his coat
and raised the window He took a red
handkerchief out of his hat, wiped his
forehead and got down again to his
work. The pistol lay close by the open
window now.
She crept round to the window and
peered in. The burglar was picking away
at the iron plate. Moving very eau
tiously, she raised her arm, and then,
timing the motion by his regular stroke,
and holding her breath, she thrust in her
arm, lifted the pistol and drew it out.
She aimed at his head, expecting to see
him turn; but he did not hear-picked
away at the plate.
ed him. His drill went through the
plate as she looked. He worked it back
and forth-probing the opening inside.
1t was just above the chamber of the
lock. He picked out the hole a little
larger. Then he got up and took from
the pocket of his coat flask and a
Ilength of fuse. She saw him put the
flask to the opening and pour the cham
Der full of powder. He inserted the fuse
and let the end hang down.. Taking a
match from his pocket, he struck it. 1t
was time to act, Nell thought. The
match flashed and went out.
She ran round to the back The kitch-
en- door stood ajar. She passed in, silent
as death, caught match from the shelf, |
lit candle and stepped through the
passage to the door of the East room.
The door was open. She held the can
die outside in her left hand, stood in
the doorway and pointed the pistol.
He had not heard her. More matches |
had missed. He struck one now and |
held the flame down. 1t caught and
flared up bright He put it to the end
of the fuse, threw it down, and stood up |
He faced round and stared one instant |
A girl stood confronting him, with as
brave, calm face, white and set, as ever |
looked out on peril. He saw his pistol |
in her hand, aimed steady and true. He
stared one moment, then leaned quickly
and blew out the lamp. She saw the
spark glowing slowly but steadily up the
fuse. She brought the candle forward
and threw the light upon him. She
stepped forward into the room.
$50 back" she said; '.step backward
to the wall. If you turn or lift your
hand l will kill you!"
He knew that she would. He backed
away. She advanced step by step. She
set the candle down upon the safe. She
did not move her eyes from his face.
She kept the pistol steadily aimed, her
finger on the trigger. The spark had
half way along the fuse. She
bent down, drew out the fuse with her
left hand. With quick backward mo-
tion she threw it through the open sash.
Then she spoke, calm and deliberate,
her eyes never leaving his face, the pis-
tol pointed straight at his breast Take ]
off your hat"
As he stood against the wall the slouch-
ed brim shaded his face. She wanted to.
see his face when he answered her. He ..
put up his hand and took it off.
''Look in my face" she said.
He lifted his eyes and looked at her ;
with sullen, sheepish, villainous face.
"YOu are in my power" she went on.
Il will have two men here in fifteen min 9
utes. at most. You know the penalty !
Of this nights work-ten years in a l
prison cell. If you answer me truly I'll |
let you go your way. If you try to get {
away I'll fire, and | shall not miss" She
paused minute, then went on: "Where !
IS the man you waylaid?" She never
doubted that he knew =
Parsons got him." he said, in a low, !
loarse voice. |
"What do you mean? Speak plain /
I'll have no shamming"
Il amt shammin'. Parsons got J
aim"
'Who's the parson?" Parsons our i
zap" "Where is he now?" 81 dun q
nOw'' 'Where did he go!" "Said he t
vas goin' t. Caramore. c
She saw it all at a flash. ''To Bath &
WeStbury's store?" yes" 'He did =
lot know the road?" ."No." "He took =
lim to show it," "Yes." "Are there r
my more?" "One more" Did they
AXE him on horseback" "No." 'How?"
In the buggy, along of the Parson?" g
She felt sure he told the truth. \ man o
,an lie with a bold face, may lie with a v
ace more brazen than one who speaks
he truth. But he cannot look in your !, I
,yes and lie, however boldly, exactly as
he would tell the true. Nine times out y
If ten the lie viii show through, one t
way or other. l should like to see the
nan who could look my Nell straight in Il
he eyes and lie without some sign. l Il
should not like to see him. q
81 believe Won" she said "PaSS ont =