Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1894-01-26

now fOOu Can YOU suiH tnoh
csshP" asked Sears, as he drew the enVe-
lope from his pocket.
Tomorrow.
will there lie any danger?"
"Not the way III work it. Large guam
titles of these bonds are daily sold here.
My position and Unknown respect bill
ity will prevent the slightest suspicion.
I'll have the money ready by nocn to-
morrow"
-Goodl There they are."
Shall examine them?"
1T isn't necessary.
Il want it done, put in Bloom.
But we're in hurry. Lock EN- up n
your strongest safe, Max, and we'll be
off,"
Il want to see 'em counted, snid the
burglar, doggedly.
Without more ado the nker removed
the rubber band and oponod the en-
velope.
"Eere we are, said he, gayly as be
drew forth the contents.
AS the reader knows, this consiste l
only of worthless printed papers.
'Confuson!" cried Morris, while Scars
made use of much stronger worl.
looked from the banker to the Young
man, and then sprapg forward and caught
the latter 10y tie throat.
Help" wheeze1 the victim, as ne was
borne backward upon sofa.
Max Morris 1T once few to his assist
ance. but the strength of TIE two availed
nothing as against the powerful burglar
What do you mesn?" demanded the
banker Let him go!
Il me1n," answered the enraged man,
as he released Sears and rose to his feet,
that don't propose to be cheated out
of the honest fruit of my labor in no such
way as that l want my share, ond I'll
have it, or have his life, and yours, too
Max Morris, if you're in the scheme.
Its no scheme" said Sears, who was
on his feet now. I've been robbed
Stuff" sneered the burglar
Look re, Mart, we've been in many
deals together. Didn't | always tote
fair?"
$50 far as know, yes.
Would l be fool enough to try such
game on you?"
Hardly" admitted Bloom, though the
scowl did not lift f ON s face.
Il have it," cried Morris.
"What?" chorused the others.
We've ac'ed like children. That Co'e
Winters is just four times as smart as we
thought him."
What is it2 Do speak," urged the
young man, eagerly.
You put one $4,000 bond in his
pocket?'
Yes, yes"
He wasn't satisfied with tht."
Il don't unders and"
So he appropriated the other fifty
nine"
"Whewl"
And substituted lot of advertise
men,s he picked up at the Exposition
last night.
That's it," assentel Sc rs.
And the bonds?' asked Bloom.
Are down IN thlt cellar i'll one Of the
de mans pockets.
No one made suggestion, but all
acted on the one common impulse. In Q
moment the three had quilted the Office
the proprietor locking the door after him
At the fastest gait possible they hur-
ried down Clark street. They found the
coast clear, and we're soon peering down
into the cellar, whose inky darkness hid
from the eyes Of the world dark anC
hideous crime.
After little they could discern The
form of their victim.
Have you LADDER" asked Morris
eagerly.
There's one in front" replied Sears.
wait moment.
"Our goo luck hasn't deserted us,
id the latter, who was the first to de
scend
Have you found them?" demanded
Bloom from the ladder.
No, | Invent looked yet But I've
found something else.
What's that?"
He's no more dead than you are.
and his discovery here would have
convicted and hung the last one of us,
commented the banker, with shudder
But we're in time to complete the work.
The bonds first, urgei the burly buF-
glar.
This was an unnecessary suggestion
for Almon Sears was already in the act
of ranssckiug the pockets of the un-
conscious young mon.
Here's rum go" declared Morris,
when Cole had been searched and not a
vestige of the missing fortune discoy-
cred. What do you say, ALP"
That he found them before our arrival,
and hid them elsewhere.
L never thought of that. Let's search
for them at once"
Not now; it's too risky"
What then?"
well take the young fellow away,
bring him to, snd make him locate the
plunder. I'll find a way to force it out of
him
"Goodl" cried the others, asseningly.
Martin Bloom raised the form of our
hero in his powerful arms and bore him
up the rude ladder as easily, to all ap-
pearances, as if he had been child.
This accomplished, the ladder was
drawn up and the trap-door closed down.
Sears began search for the bonds,
which he believed to be secreied some
where in the long room, but nj andoned
it when the "cIacksm an" returned and
announced that he had secured a hack
and that il was waiting outside.
Bloom removed his overcoat, which be
wrapped about Cole; then he raised him
in his arms and followed his confeder-
ates into the street.
1t was beginning TO rain now, and few
people were in view. Anyhow, the TAX
ing away of sick man, as our hero sp-
peared to be- was neither a strange nor
unusual proceeding, and attracted little
attention.
Drive fast" said Sears, who was the
last of the party 10 enter the carriage.
"Safel" whisper, the banker, as with
a sigh of relief he sank back upon the
cushioned seat.
But he could not have been further
from the truth. At that moment himself
and guilty companions were anything but
safe.
From the doorway of the next building,