The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1888-08-29

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| sullused the air with moisture and the
night-birds began TO wheel about the
luXuriant branches Of the old tree.
But presently zeruiah came out with
a tin pan of water and platter Of bones
to break Casar's fast
''Is it all right, Ruey2" said Mr..
Brown, in sort of stage-whisper, from
the kit hen door.
GAN right, sir % Zeruiah answered.
And then, in lightning flash, as it
were, Hubert comprehended it all.
He was entrapped. That weazen-
faced old woman and the malicious eld-
erly uncle of his beloved were in league
to be his jailers. He whistled softly
to himself.
ca sar, from below left of cruuchiug
his bones, and uttered deep, thunder.
Gus growl at the sound From the DIS
tance, the echo Of voices reached him
careless laughter and stray sentences here
aud there.
ats Bolton and Ralph Weir, coming
back to the inn after their days shoot
ing" he thought. IF could only get
word to them"
He tore leaf from his pocket-book,
scribbled line or two on it as well as
he could in the uncertain dusk, and
wrapping it around his watch, flung it
as far as his aim could reach toward the
swamp.
MATTERS are getting serious, he said
to himself.
But the missivc had not been without
its use.
"Hellom said Weir; "a shooting
STAR"
"a white bi1d!" exclaimed Bolton,
checking his long, swinging stride. "No
| it isn't, either-it's watch with q let
ter wrapped around it,"
| And then, in the swampy Businesses,
by the light of few matches, they de-
/ ciphered the cry for aid which had come
from the plum tree.
"Whew-w-wl" said Weir. "Let's 60
and shoot the dog"
"Let's do nothing of the Sort" said
Bolton. "What would we-or poor old
| Wynton, either-gain by declaring dI-
reet war in that sort of wayl Let's be
polite, or nothing"
And he fired his rifle three times in the
air, sort of signal recognition of his
prisoned friend.
"What's that" said Mr.. Brown, who
was computing the interest on promis-
sorry note at the sitting-room table by the
| light of kerosene lamp.
81 Dunno" said Rue, "unless it's Dea-
con Hall shootin' wease!s in his hen
roost."
"Oh, Uncle Brown" cried Bella, with
clasped hands. 81 hope there are no
burglars around"
"Never heard of such a thing in all
Bean Hollow, my DEAR" said the old
man.
In the dead of that same night, how
ever, two masked men appeared mysterI-
ously in Mr.. Browns bedroom.
"Gour money or your life" said one.
"Miser, unhand your treasures" shout
ed the other.
Old Mr.. Brown lay quaking there,
quite helpless, when, in an instant, a
1.-THE form sprang through the open win
dow, balancing itself second on the
sill, aud then fastened to the rescue.
A brief struggled ensued; but at last
the masked burglars fled precipitately.
Casar barking wildly at them, and
( straining his chain to the utmost, in his
efforts to wreak his vengeance upon
them.
young fellow" cried the old man,
scrambling out of bed, you've saved
my life besides the government coupons
that were under my pillow. What can
do to reward you?"
He was very pale and trembled vio-
lently.
'I'd like something to eat, if you
please. SIR" said Wynton. "To tell you
the truth, I've just come out of the plum
tree"
eyes, I know" said Brown, recover
ing himself little. "You're the fellow
that is in love with our Bella, amt
you"
81 don't deny it, sir" said Wynton,
boldly.
"Well. you deserve her." said Mr..
Brown; ''and you shall have her. 1t was
/ that ordered the dog chained up to the
plum tree. l meant to balk you if
could, but I've changed my mind.
should have been dead man, young
fellow, if it hadn't been for you. Come
right down stairs this moment Moth
ing in this house is too good for youm
And he wrung Wynton's hand until it
seemed as if it were grasped in an iron
wise.
A strange midnight collation. it was
the coffee and cold fowl, the biscuits
and tongue, eaten with Bella nesting
close at his side, and Mr.. Brown heaping
all sorts of indiscriminate dainties upon
his plate, while old Zeruiah's face glow
cred out Of the darkness of the kitchen,
like badly-lighted polyopticon. But a
happy one-yes, very happy one.
The constabulary force of Bean Hol-
low were promptly notified the next
morning, and search instituted; but to
no avail. Nothing was ever heard Of
the two masked burglars.
But when Mr.. Wynton came back to
the Bean Hollow Inn, the following day,
TO order his portmanteau removed to the
Brown farm house, and bid his late col
leagues adieu he wrung Belton's hand
alternately with that of Weir.
81 don't kBow how can ever thank
you, boys" said he. "Not for the res
cue from a rather sorry plight-brute
force could have dore that with a blow
on the dogs head-but for the manner
of it. Pm a great man now in old
Browns estimation. and Bella thinks |
am a hero. And it's all owing TO you. 4"
ooh, don't mention it, old fellow Z"
said Weir. "How did you like me as a
frst-class rufian"
"By-the-way," added Belton, 'T've
burned the masks. Circumstantial evil
dence, you know. They might get us
into trOnble -