The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1890-10-31

up, and could see that the sky mad
thickened and was very black. did not
wait for the noise to be repeated. was
just as sure that some one was in the
store as if l had already seen him, and !
crept softly out 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
stair. intended to go there and listen
down the stairway.
AS I was moving across the room,
which was then pretty clear of goods as
far as the trap door, suddenly recol-
lected this opening and changed my
course to reach it. 1t was terribly dark
in the room, and one unfamiliar with
the place would not have dared to move
foot. Half way to the trap got down
on hands and knees, and as reached the
opening 1 settled down ON my stomach.
There was dim light down stairs.
That settled the fact that some one was
in the store. After minute I heard
whispers, then the movement of feet,
then certain sound which located the
intruders to foot. They were at the
safe in the front of the store.
1 drew myself forward and looked
down the opening. 1 could see a lighted
candle and two or three dark figures at
the safe, and I could hear the combina-
ton being worked. My first thought
was to drop my hand down and open fire
in their direction, but remembered that
we had SO many articles hanging up that
no bullet had chance of hitting the
men. Twas wondering what to do, when
heard one of the men whisper:
sits all ID nonsense. We might
work here week and not hit it."
''But told you to bring the tools and
you wouldn't" protested another.
P"Oh, dry upr' put in a third voice.
"What we want to do is to go up and
bring that counter hopper down, and
make him open the box"
"rn give the cussed thing few more
trials" said the first man, and heard
him working away again. My eyes
could not have told me the number of
robbers, but my ears had. There were
three of them, and they were no doubt
desperate and determined men. They
spoke of bringing me down to open the
safe, as if no resistance was anticipated
or taken into account. Indeed, they
might well reason that they had me at
their mercy. The rain was now falling,
the night was very dark, and pistol
shot in the store could not have been
heard in either of the dwellings,.
II they had reflected that I might be
armed they would have Offset it with
the fact that I was q boy of 19, with a
girls face and probably a girls nerve.
don't deny that was a bit ratified, and
that my lip would quiver in spite of me,
but 1 was at the same time fully de-
termined to protect the store if it cost
me my life. How to get at the fellows
was what bothered me, but that trouble
was soon solved.
"There," whispered the man at the
combination as he let go of it, ~ won't
fool here another minute. That kid
knows the combination, and we can
make him work it. Come on"
They were coming up stairs The best
place for me would be at the head of the
stairway. The stairs had half turn in
them, and I would fire upon the first
man who came within range. 1 heard
the men coming back to the stairway
and my nerve gave way. 1t wasn't from
cowardice, but the knowledge that was
to kill a human being upset me. de-
cided to retreat to my room, and if they
persisted in coming that far I would
shoot. The trio had rubbers on their
feet, but they came up stairs without
trying very hard to prevent making a
noise.
The one who came first had the candle,
and as he got to the head of the stairs /
saw a knife in his other hand, They
made no delay in approaching my room,
and with a great effort braced myself
for what 1 saw must happen. They
could not see me until within three or
four feet of the door, and their first init
nation that was out of bed was when
they heard me call out:
''Stop, or I'll shootr'
had them covered with the weapon,
and for fifteen seconds there was dead
silence. Then they got a plan. The
man with the candle dashed it on the
floor, and suppose they meant to rush
in on me in the dark, but I checkmated
it by opening fire. They then either
meant to retreat down stairs or toward
the rear of the floor, for / saw the three
together moving off, and fred at their
dim figures. Three seconds later there
was great shout of horror, followed by
the tremendous report of the double bar
relied spring gun, and then there was alb
solute silence.
think stood in the door shaking like
leaf for fully three minutes before the
silence was broken by groan. Then it
came to me that the robbers had fallen
through the open door upon the cord
leading to the gun, struck a match,
lighted my own candle, and going to
the opening saw three bodies lying be-
low. Running back to the bedroom to
recharge my revolver, then went down
stairs to investigate.
1t was as / suspected. The three had
pitched down together. The top of ones
head had been blown off by the shot, q
second had q hole in his chest as big a.
your fist, while the third, who was re.
sponsible for. the groans, was severely
wounded in both legs. 1t was three
months before he could be put on trial,
and he then got four years in prison.
The whole thing was put up job. The
''drover" was a Chicago burglar called
''Clawhammer Dick" and he had hidden
himself in the store that night, and then
let his pals in by the back door. They
had horse and wagon in the rear Of