St. Landry democrat., 1891-10-03

able amusement in quizzlng the little
fellow.
Two years went by, and Sandy had be-
come an institution in the house and
otiice Mr.. Wilmington raised his salary
and trusted him more and more III his
duties, without putting temptation in his
way. Sandy had become dcyotcdly at
tached to both his employer and Miss
Wilmington, and that lady often told
her brother that she had no fears TOR
Sandvs future or any doubts OF his hon
esty if put to the test. The bad intlu-
cnces Of the boys former associations
had seemingly passed away.
Late one afternoon the settlement i'll
transaction about some property was
made for client who lived in the little
town where Mr.. Wilmington made his
home. The payment was in cash, and
the client, a tinicky old woman, had i'll
sisted upon it, and it was necessary, SO
Mr.. Wilmington said, that the money be
carried home that night and locked up
until Monday morning, when it might be
delivered to Mrs. Adams. Mr.. Whit
tington knew that he would be delayed i'll
town late that night. So be went with
Sandy to tie depot and put into his hand
small satchel.
"Don't let thu, satchcl out of your
sight for an instant,' he said to Sandy,
as they stood for q moment alongside the
train. ''Rcmember, there ten thousand
dollars in it. Put it in the panel. Twill
not be home until nearly mornings
Sanpy nodded in his quick way, and
boarded the train as it moved out. As
he swung himself onto the platform, a
man stepped out from behind a pillar OF
the station, followed him, and turned
into the next car. Something in the in
dividual's figure struck Sandy as familiar,
| but the car door had closed and he had
disappeared ere the boy could look
again.
Sandy left the train at the little subur-
ban station and started off briskIy for
home. Once as he sped through the
quiet street he thought he heard foot
steps behind him, but on turning he
could see nothing, for it was dark. He
attributed this idea to the fact OF having
the money with him, which made him
apprehensive.
lie reached homo and found that John
| the servant, had left supper waiting. Tie
| took the precaution to see to the fasten-
inrs of the doors and windows before
sitting doYn to the table-alone, for
! Miss Wilmington was away on visit
TO New York. He put the satchcl in
front Of him, for he did not wish it out Of
his sight until he could safely place it.
The house in which Mr. Wilmington
lived had stood for many years, and had
been owned by an old miscr. In it there
had been discovered q panel in the wall
Of the library, closing quite a deep ori-
! flee. 1t had been found when the button
for an electric bell had been put in just
a little to the side This was what Mr..
| Wilmington had referred to in his part
ing injunction.
Going to the library the boy found the
spring and deposited the satchel in the
oritice Then he breathed q sigh of re-
lief. He did not fancy being burdencd
with ten thousand dollars.
Try as he would that night, he could
not sleep, and two O'Clock found him
wide awake and tossing rcstlcssly. All
sorts of uncomfortable thoughts flashed
through his mind. He wished Mr.. Whit
tington was home. Nonsense. What had
he 10 fear?
Hark! What was that? Sandy sat
bolt upright in bed, his heart beating
furiously. He listened, but heard moth
ing. He left the bed and stole to the
head Of the staircase. His sharp cars
detected steps below, and the sound of a
voice in a monotone. Sandy's blood was
up. He forgot the danger, and began
to descend the stairs like cat. The
! sounds below ccassd. The boy crcpt
down to the foot of the stairs; all was
dark He took step into the library.
In moment he felt hand ut his throat,
and before he could realize it, he was ly-
! ing on the floor. A lantern was flashed
in his face, and q voice, which he recog-
nizcd at once, and which painfully
thrilled him, muttcred,-
"Umph, it's Sandy. knowed it when
| saw yer ternight. Don't loler, or Ill
shut off yer air. So yer gin us de slip,
didn't yer? Smart fcl!cr. but yer played
inter our hands this time. Now, since
yer hev kim down hyar ter make us a
special visit, spose yer tell us how ter
git dat money ye brought wild yer Speak
quick, cause we've got er pressin en-
gagemcnt in another direction arter we
leave yer"
Sandy was badly scared and made no
answer. Its all up with me now," he
thought. He was trying to gather bis
wits. The men lifted him to his feet
He glanced furitivcly at his captors and
saw that they meant business. He knew
what these men were, too. They were
waiting for him to speak now. He must
gain time somehow.
"Come, hurry up now, git ter bust
ness" said the elder of the two men, who
seemed to do all the talking. "We've
been foolin' round long enough. We're
onter yer, cause we seen yer put dat
money in de hole We've been lookin'
fer it, but dc combinations too much fel
us. Guess yer know it. So jest open
her up"
Sandy's courage was slowly returning
He was in tight place, and he was
racking his brain for some means OF
getting out without losing the money
He tried to temporize. The burglars
grew impatient.
EYER little idjit," said the spokesman
making movement as if to choke the
boy; "wot's de matter wild yer? Can
yer open yer mouth? L then sud
denly he changed his tactics.
Say, my boy" assuming wheedline
tone, i" tain t no use yer tryin' ter beat us
we've got yer dead. Come now, we won'1
harm ye, if yer'll do the squa' ting by
us. Let us inter dis pannel business
an well scoop de Doodle, an take yel
away wild US. Well give yer a gooC
share Of de stuff. It's cash an We'll gel
away wild it easy. Come now, yer don't