Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1893-05-13

The Captain put the other box on
the top of the one to which the wire
was attached and, after last look
around, we locked the door, this time
with my key, to make sure that the
new lock answered satisfactorily to
both of them.
1t was fine night and the saloon
was nearly empty, most of the passen-
gers preferring the fresh air on deck.
One respectable old gentleman, evil
IDENTIFY clergyman, was immersed in
book at the table that ran down the
centre of the saloon, but with these
exceptions all the occupants of the
place were ladies and not many of
| them.
In my immediate vicinity only one
lady was sitting, and paid very little
attention to her, all my thoughts being
concentrated on the gold room door,
with just half wink now and then
toward the invalid lady's cabin.
But it soon came to my notice that
the lady near me was in trouble of
some kind. From my position could
see her without turning round, and l
noticed that she kept her head in her
hands and appeared to be shaken with
suppressed sobbing.
At length she raised her face and
looked at me. Her eyes were red with
weeping and there were tears ON her
cheeks. She was quite young and very
pretty-far too pretty to be travelling
alone, thought.
There was a pleading expression in
her eyes as she looked at me, which
half suggested that she required some
service at my hands, though / quite
made up my mind not to grant it,
whatever it might be, if it should take
me from my post for one single instant.
Beauty in distress was decoy not al
together unknown in the annals of
crime, and, at the risk of impoliteness,
] would avoid all chance of becoming a
victim
Hesitating and struggling with emo
ton, the girl opened her lips and es-
sayed to speak. The words seemed to
come with difficulty, and were almost
inaudibIe.
May ask you to give me your at
tention for moment p she stammered.
'Believe me, it is on matter of great
Importance.
Il am on duty here" l answered,
''and cannot come over to you. You
had better come little nearer"
1T is about your duty l wish to
speak" was her astounding reply, as
she moved over and took seat by my
side. "You are in charge of the gold
room, are you not?'
YES" l said shortly, not knowing
what to expect.
She paused for moment and then
went on, speaking hurriedly in a
whisper: 81 wish to save my brother
from the preparation of a great
crime" she said ''He is the dupe of
a wicked man-of Red Jem, the noto-
rious boat thief, and his gang
''There is plot on foot to steal the
valuables from the gold room tonight.
A thousand times better for my broth
err to suffer punishment at the hands
of the law for first unsuccessful at
tempt than to become a hardened Grim
inal Oh, sir, stop him in time, and
be as merciful as your duty will per-
NIT.
The young lady need have no appre-
hension lest l should fail to stop the
robbery, / said to myself. Then I
asked aloud: Where is your brother,
then?"
in the gold room at this moment, :"
was the reply, which took my breath
away.
Impossible, exclaimed, 81 have
not moved from this spot since the
gold room door was locked"
my brother slipped into the pas
sage just after We started, while you
were looking at that cabin door He
was concealed under the saloon table.
And you do not know Red Jem,
sir. He has master keys that will fit
any lock.
| was puzzled sorely. | felt as sure
as man could feel that no one could
have passed into the passage without
my seeing him. And, again, if there
was some one in the gold room tsmper
ing with the boxes, how was it that the
Captains boosted electric bell had not
warned him up on the bridge.
However, my duty was obvious. l
must unlock the door and see for my
self if anything was wrong. l drew
the key from my pocket and APP
preached the door, followed by the
weeping girl, who now began to show
signs of repenting her confidence in
me.
''He is only lad, sir; only lad
Spare him if you can, and remember
that |, his sister, prevented the rob
berry"
/ put the key in the lock, and the
heavy door swung back, opening in
ward. There was no light in the place
beyond what reached it from the sa-
loon, and in the dim corner l could
see the boxes just as we had left them.
But there was no robber.
took step forward to look behind
the door in case perchance he were
lurking there, and then in moment |
knew that l was done.
1.-the arms stole around my neck and
pressed filthy plaster of some sub
stance over my mouth; several pairs
of strong hands gripped me behind
and cast me to the floor
As fell the door of the gold room
swung to and all was in darkness.
But only for second. A slight
match blazed up and candle was
lighted which shone on n strange com
pany.
kneeling on my chest and binding
me with yigor which i'll assorted with
her assumed character was the ''sick"
countess 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 door,
horrid grin on her face in place of
tears.
"Ihere you are. friend button,
said the Countess, who was no other
than Red Jem himself. 81 think you
will do now for the few minutes we
shall require you. What a pity it is
that your people have been so smart.
You see that nice new lock compelled