Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1893-10-30

One thinks rapidly at such mo-
ments, fancy, and all this took place
in much less time than it requires to
tell it; but there was time enough for
the burglars to learn I was not in the
room, and with their quick eyes see
the window through which had es-
| capped and I heard some Of them COM
| ing along the course had taken, and
one going down towards my beat
landing TO cut me off there.
Then aimlessly again and utterly
dazed, I began to circle the little is
land, running on the beach. They
could not see me and my bare feet
made no noise in the sand and [ rush
ed madly ahead, when all at once
went down with terrible crash over
something on the beach. They were
near enough to hear my fall and one
of them shouted:
ssHere he is, Bill; we've got him;
him for givin' us so much trouble,
Veil fix him now.''
I thought about as the burglar did,
but as I tried to get up found was
in boat drawn half way up on the
sand.
I almost shouted with JOY when
made this discovery. 1t was their
boat and once in it and on the water
I was safe! By this time could hear
their footsteps along the shore, which
was quite rocky and rough here, ex-
cept the little bit Of beach where the
boat lay, and they could not make
such Roadway as [ did as they did not
know the way through the rocks.
But they were coming fast enough
and cursing at every step, and with
the energy of despair, I caught the
boat in my arms and with wild strain
l tried to shove it into the water. But
it would scarcely bulge. Again and
again [ tugged; the blood almost
bursting through my ears by the ex-
ertion and the skin tearing from my
hands and bare arms.
So near I thought to safety and still
the danger increasing every second,
then as I heard an oath more wicked
than the others, as one Of the burg
lars fell over a stone, felt the boat
move, and little wave rolled in and
lifted it so that with one more push
it slid off into deep water. I jumped
in, caught the oars, and as the burg
lars dashed down through the dark
ness to where they heard the noise,
the boat shot out into the water and
I was safe.
They might have shot me from the
shore, but they had either left their
revolvers in the house or had none,
for burglars as rule.
Whatever the cause, they did not
fire, and I did not wait for it, at least
close. A hundred feet out, began to
be myself once more and I stopped
rowing.
"Why don't you come on?' shout
ed back, half Historically.
''Hold on" they yelled, and I could
hear them running up and down the
shore in the darkness.
ooh, you're all right" 1 laughed
shrilly. I'll come back and take you
off in the course Of few hours" and
then fearful that they might get their
guns, I rowed away as fast as I could
for the mainland.
I think made that three miles in
half the record, and when I found the |
first policeman, he was for running
me in as lunatic or a sleepWalker,
but he knew me, and as 1 told my
story, force Of ten men boarded a
tug and we returned to the Island By |
this time the first gray streaks of |
dawn were showing in the summer
sky, and as we cautiously ran up to
my wharf, it was almost light enough |
to see the house.
We saw no burglars, however, nor
any signs OF them, though T knew I |
had them penned up on the island and |
escape was impossible. We waited |
until daylight, and then, deployed as
skirmishes, the policemen began to
move across the island, expecting any
moment to flush a burglar or get a
shot from ambush.
GAS we came to the house one of |
the burglars appeared in the doorway
and was covered on the instant by a
dozen guns.
""Come in, gentlemen, come right
in he said cheerily. we were ex-
pecting you and we've got nice
breakfast ready.'o
'sThe mans GOODNESS almost gave
me the Mysteries, for I know by the
L: l.
fellow who wanted to fix me.