Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1891-04-21

therc. ~ a. to give us plenty u warning
II any one CONES up-iairs."
II cant; the stairs are enclosed and
the door lockcd," replied the Shadow.
II had forgotten that, said Tom.
"Pick IL. cant your said the chief
"IIerc's a - u skeletons.
The shadow took them and disap
pared
"Now. aid Tom. Ito place the tabl,
and chairs where they were"
When this was done. he added,
Now. TO your places, and out With
the light
They were la total darkness; what
light there vas came from the dormer
windows and the broken skylight
They waited som. time In silence. ~
licycl only by the Breathing ~ the men.
Presently they heari light tread ou
tie ugi.ide of the door: then scratch
ing sand.
4. YOU. shalowl- Askei Tom.
"Yrs~
Alright Conceal yourself and don
H., the man s-c you when be ccmes.-
"Ill make suv 81 that"
Then there ~as longer walt and a
longer silence.
Thl. was broken by the quick paiier
~ bare feet on the roof. aud voice:
Hes aoomin' up lie street now. Give
II to i'm g,s-l.
II was the imp. Who hal constituted
himsslf a skirmishcr on the outside, al
the skylight
Tom could not restrain laugh. All
public service l. performed through sclf'
ish consideration. hc thought
In moment more a scratching was
l.ari on the door
'Somc ones cunning. Whispered Tom.
Watch luih doors.
Then they heard hasty stumbling on
the stair. heavy step In the hall. tho
dor oI-ning into the rar room VA.
tficd. and then further STEPS and the
fruni ruom door was tired.
Il must have left that stair door open
myself va. heard In rough voice.
with an oath
\ Icy vas Inserted. the bolis drawn
and the dor oI-n.d.
The owner - the voice advanced into
thr nom. clo.ins the door brhind him.
AMI shutting hnlt fran the insidc.
-. m, adybirl. Yer diln't light the
lamp I-fyijc,l yer with. hcyY
\ lieht ha.hci IN hi, face from the
chisrs hull. .,r. and th. barrel oi ~
yol,er was presented fall Ia his fac.
"Down un your kn~s' cri~l the chief
"Daih aud d.. crici thc man.
starting lack
Iir tuned With the evident purI.-n oi
..irins something. for his arm Sas oui.
stretched in a wilI reaching oui.
Anothsr bull. eye was flashed IN his
facc. AMI anothcr revolver presented at
h,s taaI
That. What u u u you don't drop.
,aid the man Who prr-.uic,l the SECOND
hull'. eye.
Tie swept the revolver - this man
aNay with quick moiion u hi. arm,
and mad. a vili ni.h At the chief
Tom. y hD bad entered from the al
s.ining room. fellel him to the flcor by
a qu,ek hluw on lh. head with the butl
rnl oi hi. revolver
liOrc th. man. who was stunned 10y
the Lluw. could rco,cr him.-li. one ui
the assistants. at worl from the chief,
clapt--,l a pair of hAndcuii. upon him.
''s-aUh him. .lid the chief
\ pair II dsft hand. vent through hi.
clothes Nothing 81 consequence VA
takru from him except Zip u paIsr
on which Sas written IN a plainly dis'
gui.sl hand the words;
At half past 10 H. ready. Give ths
drug at ~ II no, taken quietly. MAKE
sufr Want 10 chance for scr,arning
u, surr the right amount. not too much
Mu,t h, ~ injury done. Want M acct
dents.
Tom pukElcl over H. Tho man siiting
on lhc tioor looked at him sullenly. buI
dill ~, speak.
The meaning ~ the words flashed upon
Tom. Somc one va. coming at half
past ten. and sho VA. a. H. druggcd -
that sli. cOuld not make a disturbance.
lie ls.okcd at his watch. IL was nearly
ten.
Where 4. the dnigf' he asked.
The man VA. taken OF hi. guard. and
hi. eye. turned to shelf In ia. ooner
of the rom.
Tom crU,-cd 10 the place thus indi
catc,l. BEHIND Pile of paper. be foand
a bottle. II was illcj With colorles'
liquid.
"Ah. ha!- be cri~l. We'll. my tins
fellow. you won't make SURE tonight
will youi She. not here. She ha, left
Nevertheless, well IT, ready"
The man turned upon him look oi
b.iter malignity. and opsned has mouth
n II to sp.ak. when hc was prevented
by a cry of surprise from the chief,
llanfOpl
Hello. Hello. Why. boys. this Is a
capture indccdl And who do YOU think
thi, - bending down aud pcering int
the handcuhei mans face.
"wboy' asked Tom.
"Sar Top Johnny. of all men in the
world. This Is COOL nights haul.
Twenty I've hundred dollars reward for
this bird. Hes bo.ii wanted these eight
EN- months for the stealing u the child
% that rich man near Hartford" !"
With this he took the mans head In
bl. han.ls and parting the hair showed q
deep scar on u
"An old acquaintance. Tom. ! gave
him this scar myself ak years ago, when
he and a gang were robbing expires cars
In the west"
The man had evidently determined
that. whatever else might occur, speeVh
from him would not. and he contenied
himself with bending n look of deep
hatred ON the jubilant chief.
Tom. who had been looking on this
scene with great interest. said TO the
man;
'You didn't abiuct thi. girl ON your
own accord You were hircd 10 do itf'
An expression on the scoundrers face
showed him that be had hit the truth
closely. This time he spoke.
II diln't abduct her"
"oh. you didn't. You simply took
care of ber after abduction"
This time Ten had hit the truth
squarely, and the mans face showed It,
"who was the man who hin Il your
Scar Top Johnny regarded Tom with
a oontsmptuous sneer.
well" aid Tom. "you can answer OF
not as you please. We can wait for the
half.past ten man. He'll tell"