Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-11-10

u y
.Nfv brofler slipped into the passage
lust after we started. while you were
looking at the cabin door. he was con. con,
cealed under the saloon taDie. A Anu {oa a
do not know Red Jem, SUI; ~ nus
master keys that will tit any lock-
| i WINS nngzled sorely. / felt as sure as
man couid feel that no one could nave
passed into The passage without my see
ING him And again II there was some
one IN the gold room tampeflng WIN tne
boxes how was Il that the captain 5
boasted electric bell had not warned him
up on the bridgef ,...,,,. 7
| However. my duty was obvious. Il
| must unlock the door anu see LOT th'sell
| IL anytime WAS wrong. / drew the key
| from INV roget and approached the door,
followed by the weeping girl. who now
began 20 show signs OF repenung her con-
"He's only lad. sir; only lad.
| Spare him n you can, and remember
that /. his sister. prevented the robbery.
/ nut the KEY in the lock and the
| heavy door swung back opening inwards;
/ There was no light in the place beyond
what reached il from the saloon, aud in
the dim corner ! could see the boxes
just as we had left them. But there was
no robber.
/ took a step farther to look behind
the door. In case. perchnnce, he was lnrk-
ing there. and then In Il moment knew
that ! was done.
1.-the arms stole around my neck and
pressed filthy plaster Of some substance
over my mouth. several pairs of strong
hands crippled NE from behind and cast
me 10 the hOor.
As | fell the door of the gold room
swung TO and oil was darkness.
But only for a second A silent match
blazed up and candle was lighted which
shone on strange company.
Kneelug on nv chest and binding me
with n vigor which IN assorted with her
assumed character was the sick count
css,' whom had seen carried on board,
Helping TO hold me down was the tall
maid who had walked by her side, while
covering me with the shining barrel Of
revolver was the girl who had induced
me to open the dOOrs-H horrid grin on
her fnce in place Of tears.
There you are, friend Dntton,n said
the countess" who was no other than
Red Jem himsclf II think you will do
now for the few minutes we shall re-
quire you. Whit n pity it is that your
people have been so smart. You sec that
nice new lock compelled us TO get you to
be 50 Ohliging as to open the door for us.
Look alive with the pigments, Bill, and
get on with your makeup"
| was half dazed with the suddenness
Of the attack, but my senses were rap
idly clearing, and l was beginning to ap-
preciute the value Of Can't TEMPLES
electric bell. Whatever happened 10 me.
thought, the boxes would be all right
the alarm would ring directly they were
touched.
! was soon TO be undcceived. was
held against the wall BY the powerful
hands Of Red .Jem, looking strangely
fnnlnstic In his female dress.
Inc tall maid. who had been dressed
as Bill rapidly Invested herself Of her
top clothing. Then my clothes were In
ken from me and Bill pnt thom on. stand
ing revealed at last in his proper charac-
ter oil a neatly built young man of about
my own height.
As soon as he was dressed In my clothes
he took up an actors paint box. and pro
ceeded 70 make sundry alterations in his
face. lit BY BIT the likeness grew, till
In front of me stood counterpart Of
niyself--a counterpart that NV own
mother might have mistaken for the
Now. Mr. Dutton." said Red Jem.
you see onr little game, perhaps. My
friend BIZ here will -olisr~ vc- - r-ur
duties. an viii H thy ben 9 10
ashore, ish..g taE7 fH4 HI.a
will cse6rI
Brune. h3r. 3d. nor ...I. H.U fe.
coast Is Ciga-, .,cat. ~ a.,
Yes l soid; but what are you GO
ing tu do with me?"
'''Ahl my dear friend,' he replied, with
hQrid grin ON his painted face, that
is the sad mart Of It, on have got 10
die Dutton. I'm sorry, but 100000
u worth n mans life, Bill, where's that
knitef Nobody would be likely to hear
the, pistol down here, but its best to
make sure.'
Ny counterfeit drew rlttering dag
ger from the clothes he had removed
and gave it TO Red Jem.
There was but one chance for me,
and that WIS to ring the electric bell.
To shout would be to incur certain death,
and the odds were that In that out-of-
thc-wuv place. nmid the rush Of water
a'7 - nsfG - the paddles, no one
would hear me cry.
vat Low @ 81, rec In time?
~ suppose you will give me two min
utes to make my peace / snid.
"Oh. yes, II you think It worth while
TO prsuug the agony, said the thief,
"only be quick about It.
ut may seem odd to you. but | have
scruplcs about these Matters" | said.
Would you object 20 luosing this
strap round my legs so that | can knecl Z
You see 1t is impossible to escape with
the door locked and three of you here
I'm the hcst-nutured fellow in the
world replied the hlOndthlrsty scoun-
drcl, and he stopped and unbuckled the
strap. There, get TO your prayers, aud
don't be long about IT, You can use
your precious bond-boIcs as desk, II
You Ike"
In those last words he sealed his own
fate and that Of his companions.
OutwHrdly calm, but In reality trem.
bling with excitement, / assumed de-
vodonal attitude In the corner Of The
gold room, resting my elbows on the
top OF the upper-most box. With INV
knees l gently pushed the lower one
SO MS To bring strain on the wire.
Once, twice, thrice | pressed Il; and
then knolt OH In prayer which 1t Il
very certain was not all make believe.
Red Jim and his companions wore
whispering by TIE door. aud from the
scraps Of conversation that reached me
| learned that my body was to b.
thrown overheard,
Now, young man, times mp" snid
tue principal villain nt Length. adj,
Nahelhg TO where l knelt but as he did
30 | knew that | was saved
There was hurried rush OF many
feet outside, the door wns thrown open.
aud Capt, Temple, pistol IN hand. ana
followed by half dozen men, burst
For moment he'was puzzled AT the
likeness between me and Tho rnli,ar
known MS Bill but he soon rrasned H.
situation. Red Jim and his gang ,-;il
not trouble the Dover mail boats fo,
many day, and / have since hoard
that his wife, the "Katey," who ~
eieVerly imposed upon me In tbe ~.
uta1 A. l.