Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1891-11-21

then the movement OF feet, then a certain
sound which located the intruders to a
foof. drew myself forward and locked
down the opening, | could see lighted
candle and two or three dark figures at
the safe, and | could hear the combina-
tion being worked. My first thought was
tS 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 reaching 10 the
safe ! WIS wondering what To do when
/ heard one of the men whisper:
Its All d--d nonsense. We might
work here week and not hit it''
But told you to bring the tools and
you wouldn't" protested another.
"0h. dry upsa put in a third voice.
What we want To do is To go up and
bring that countcrhopper down and make
him open the box
II give the cussed thing a few more
trials, ," said the first man, and / heard
him working away again. My eyes could
mot 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 IL
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
might be armed, they would have Offset
II with the fact that was boy of fs,
with girls face and probably girls
nerve. | don't deny that | was a bit
ratified, and that my lip would quiver is
spite of me, but was mt the same time
fully determined TO protect the store IL IL
cost me my life. How 10 get at the fell
lows was what bothered me, but that
trouble was soon so,ved.
There" whispered the man at the
combination, as he let g. OF IL, II won't
fool here another minute That kid knows
the combination, and we can make him
work 1t, Come on. "
They were coming up stairs. The best
place for me would l.. ut the head of the
stairway. The stairs had half turn in
them, and would fire upon the first man
wh" came within range. ! heard the men
coming back 10 the stairway, and my
nerve gave way. Il wasn't from coward
ice, but the knowledge that was To kill
human being upset me. decided to
retreat 10 my room, aud, IL they persisted
In coming that far, would shoot The
Alit laAsA EAHutIN OH NHtlf fnFy
/ came up stairs without trying very hard
to prevent making noise. The one who
came first had the candle, and, ns he got
to the head OF the stairs, saw Il knife in
his other hand They made no delay In
approaching my room, and with great
effort braced myself for what saw must
happen They could not see me until
within three or four feet of the door and
their first intimation that was out of bed
was when they heard me call out:
stop, or I'll shoot your
/ had them covered with the weapon,
and for fifteen seconds there was dead
silence. Then they got plan. The man
with the candle dashed IL on the floor,
and suppose they meant to rush in on
me in the dark hut eheckmated 1t 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 fired at their dim figures.
Three seconds later there was a great
shout of horror, followed by the tre-
mcndons report Of the double barreled
spring gun, and then there was absolute
silence | think | stood in the door,
sinking like leaf, for fully three
minutes before the silence was broken by
"a eroan. Then II came 10 me that the
robbers had fallen through the open door
upon the cord leading to the gun [
struck match. lighted my own candle,
aud. going TO the opening, snw three bodies
lying below. Running back To the bed
room to reeharge nv revolver, | then
went down stairs to investigate II was
as | suspected. The three Ind pitched
down together. The top of one's head
Ind been blown off by the shot, second
had hole in his chest rs big as your fist,
while the third, who was responsible for
+ the groans, was severely wounded in both
legs. 1t was three months before he
could be put ON triai. and he then got
! four years In prison. The whole thing
was u put mp job. The '.drovern was q
/ Chicago burglar called ''clawhammer
Dick, = and he Ind hidden himself in the
+ store that night, and then let his pals in
! by the hnck door They had horse and
wagon in the rear of the building, and the
i plan was To rob the store of goods as well
as II get nj the money in the safe. 4 bit
| of carelessncss on my pnrt not only saved
the store and probably my life, hut wiped
out very desperate gang.-New York
/ sun.