Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-02-17

store, set the spring gun anu went
to bed. had to pass within SIX
feet of the trap door as went TO
nv room, but l did not see II. IL
was a rather chilly night in Octo-
her. and we had no fires yet, ana
as got under the blankets the
warmth was so grateful that soon
fell asleep. 1t was the first night
had gone to bed without think
ing Of robbers and wondering how
7 should act in case they came ln'
I did not know when l fell asleep
7 suddenly found myself half up
right in bed, and there was an ecno
in the store, as if the fall of some
thing had aroused me. 1t was
o'clock, and [ had been asleep al
most three hours. Leaning on my
elbow, I strained my ears to eaten
the slightest sound, and after
minute / heard a movement down
stairs. While could not say what
it was, sort Of instinct told me
that it was made by some human
being.
Everything on the street was as
silent as the grave. My window
curtain was up, and l could see
that the sky had thickened up and
was very black. l did not wait for
the noise to be repeated. l was
lust as sure that some one was IN
the store as if had already seen
him. and crept softly ont OF bed,
drew on my trousers, and moved
out into the big room, having the
revolver in my hand. There was
no door at the head of the STAIRS
I intended to 90 there and listen
down the stairway. AS wasmovlng
across the room, which was then
pretty clear Of goods as far as the
trap door, l suddenly recollected
[ this opening and changed my
, course to reach it. 1t was terribly
, dark in the room, and one unfamil-
t lar with the place would not have
t dared to move a foot. Half way
r to the trap I got down on mybands
b, and knees, and as | reached the
e opening, l settled down on my
@ stomach. There was dim light
t down stairs. That settled the fact
o that some one was in the store
i After a minute / heard Whispers,
J.. then the movement of feet, then a
f certain sound which located the in
s truders to a foot. l drew myself
@ forward and looked down the open
n ing. could see lighted candle
n and two or three dark figures at
d the safe, and could hear the COM
k bination being worked. My first
thought was to drop my hand down
4 and open fire in their direction,
d but l remembered that we had SO
| many articles hanging up that NO
a bullet had a chance of reaching To
Is the safe. I was wondering what
v to do when l heard one of them
e whisper:
r. ats all id nonsense. we
a might work here a week and moi
le hit it,"
le "But told you to bring the tools
a and you wouldn't" protested an
G. other.
10 "Oh, dry up'" put in a thir(
7 voice. "What we want to do is t
le 90 up and bring that counterhop
q. per down and make him open tn
" box"
b. "rll give the cussed thing a fe7
ct more trials said the first man, ant
- | heard him working away again
n, My eyes could not have told m
70 the number of robbers, but my ear
k. had. There were three of them
le and they were determined men,
at They spoke of bringing me dow
to open the safe as If no resistanc
~ was anticipated or taken into az
h. count. Indeed, they might we
N reason that they had me at thei
no mercy. The rain was now falling
N the night was very dark, and pi'
T. tol shot in the store could not hav
l. been b card in either of the dwell
# ings. If they had reflected that
~ might be armed, they would hav
10 offset it with the fact that was
ID boy of IS, with girls face an
at proba bly, a girls nerve. | don
he deny that I was bit ratified, an
oh that my lip would quiver in spl'
cb of me, but l was at the same tin
on fully determined to protect IL
,se store if it cost me my life. How
AL get at the fellows was what bot
be cred me, bat that trouble was SOC
st. solved.
sd "There," whispered the man
he. the combination, as he let 60 of
N 81 won't fool here another minnl
, That kid knows the comblnatio
oor and we can make him work it.
fl Come on"
ed They were coming up stairs.
lar The best place for me would be
J., a. the head of the stairway. L
.bo stairs had half turn in them, a
ns | would fire upon the first man W
icb came within range. 1 heard t
ont men coming back to the staiIw wa
this and my nerve gave way. 1t W
.me not from cowardice, but the kno'
ard edge that / was to kill hum
n in being upset me. l decided to
treat to my room, and, if they p
. IN sisted in coming that far, | woI