The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-10-27

I We're opened very wide indeed ana star ms
+ al great tall, dark man, VINO slooq az
the front of the sofa. ] heard Joe's
I voice, though munied. and saw aim Win
/ MS face cut and bleeding beng dra5esea
Z into the hail. ] gasped ana closed my
/ eyes. Yes, that is just what dldi /,
/ Eleanor Lawrence, who have always nad
i theories on the subject OF conqueFlns
/ burglars by outwitting them ana shoWins
4 no fight! She'll make US no trouble
T her heart Is in her throat already, e.ie
tan man said, looking toward the otherss
who held Joe firmly bound in the door
/ Don't you dare touch a hair Of her
self
BE quiet, unless you want to be
/ the woman. Tel us where you put tne
! money, or II will be worse for you, said
/ the, tail man again. i saw ne was the
Il never brought no money" Joe an
/ swered; only books in the hail where l
! More words and the click of a pistol. All
this time I had seemed frozen TO the sofa,
/ but l had breathed a prayer ana Tor an
/ swer a sense of protection had come over
me, and l realized that Mr.. Gaskeu
might even now be on the way to aid me.
never thought of his exposure to danger
/ by coming. ! felt he was equal 70 emer7
/ like a flash my old resolution came over
I me, and fear that l had exposed poor
Joe TO the awful danger and was respon-
sible for his life With that thought !
I was Eleanor Lawrence, spinster, and in
3 my sound mind in a moment.
I / rose from the couch suddenly, and
I said Leave the young man alone, ne is
/ telling you the truth-he brought no
money"
/ And 1 stood by the library table and
+ did NOT so much as lay a finger on 1t
I for support. The man guarding me would
/ not have been more aston!shed II corpse
/ had spoken, 1 believe. He Jumped two
+ feet at least, and the other TWO fellows,
4 coarse-looking rough fellows. both grinned
I broadly as they looked at him.
N-irh
+ one of them. coarsely.
Cant you hand the lady chair, Jim p
said the other
quit your fooling" answered the dark
I man, CURLY w ell bring the lady 10
terms without any trouble, l guess
/ we know, madam ne continued, turn
! ing to me, that there was money in your
/ safe last night; we know either you or
+ Mr.. Gaskell saved it; he hasn't got it.
/ so hand it over
! He hasn't got it," How did they know
/ that? For just one second the room swan
4 before my eyes. Had they robbed Mr..
+ where the fire would obliterate every trace
+ of their crime? All this in a moment OF
/ time flashed through my mind. 1t takes
/ long in the telling, but it was quick in
! the thinking.
Give the lady plenty of time, do, Pard,"
I sneered one of Joe's watchers "we'H have
/ to put the thumb screws on the boy to
/ make her speak" added the other. That
4 recalled my thoughts to Joe, the other
thoughts tried to vanish. l must save
Are you fends?' 1 asked the leader.
/ that you harm an innocent MANI"
/ Wen not harm you, madam he an
4 swered quickly, but the money we wiz
i have"
/ But I had seen my advantage This
/ man, the leader, had once been something
/ better than he was now. He seemed to
/ dread violence, and he had enough of the
1 instincts of a gentleman left to hate to
annoy lady. | saw that, and on that l
i determined to work
Threats are useless" 1 said; search
\ the box for yourself and / pointed to the
/ hall. The box is all right lady" one of
/ those at the door called out, but it's MAX
4 ing things hot for this boy you are with
4 your waiting"
/ | gave Joe a quick look and / saw they
I We're twisting the rope around his arms.
! DON'T mind me. Miss Lawrence" he
/ said bravely, but his lips were white.
/ LET my boy alone," / said sternly. mo
+ one shall suffer to save money for Law
1 renee" l turned again to the tail dark
! leader, as | saw they obeyed his signal
4 and released joe Il suppose a man might
/ still be a gentleman even If a thief" q
i saw him finch as ] flung the word at him.
/ If | We're man / would rob some one
+ the fire had not already robbed-follow me
i and help yourself, / added scornfully.
/ IT'S not job to my liking" he NUT.
4 tered as he complied.
! 1 moved as quietly and slowly as l could
/ toward the next room. ! had an awful
feeling that there would be a reaction to
+ all this, but ! would not think; what was
! safer
/ Joe gave me look. I knew his thought
/ as Well as if he had spoken. IF Mr.. Gas
1 kell were alive he must be here soon" The
I thought gave me courage, but / think /
i acted out my old day dream of bravery
4 simply because had rehearsed it so many
4 times mentally. ] passed into the dining
/ ROOM the gas was lit saw. l opened the
! door into the buffers pantry. l held the
/ door in my hand, and as 1 closed it put
4 down the spring lock. The dumb waiter
was lowered part way. 1 pointed to the
/ covered box 1T contained maggie always
put the silver there for hiding) and / said:
/ Take it," As he bent to reach it / rushed
! out the opposite door and closed it. Be
/ fore he could rise / had shut the bolt. l
/ heard his muttered curse as he flung him
4 self against it. Ut was stout oak and II
4 held. / shot the bolt on the cellar door. /
1 had my burglar prisoner now, unless he
should dare the frail waiter. A prisoner
! al any rate until he could find way out
/ of the cellar.
1 knew l had only a moment. l must
ma help before those in the library sus-
! pected treachery. l opened the outside
! door cautiously; there might be accom-
4 pieces outside; what / saw was four men
/ coming on a run. / tried to call, but my
lips refused to move. At last nature had
/ her revenge. / could not utter a sound.
! There was no need. / was caught in Mr..
! GaskelPs arms and / heard his voice,
| Thank God, Eleanor, you are safe" 1
! did not faint. knew perfectly well when
the others rushed by me that we were
/ saved, but l could only hear a rushing
| and roaring as if the fire was in my head,
! and power to move or speak l had not.
! Presently l was conscious that 1 was
/ once more on the library sofa and that
! bending over me and speaking my name az
! no other had ever spoken it was the voice
4 l had feared l might never hear again.
| Joe was coming out at the foot of the sofa,
"Oh, my brave Miss Lawrence, you've
| saved us all, and much more in the same
| strain. until Mr.. Gashell persuaded him TO
! go with Maggie for a cup of coffee.
! We have two of them in safe custody
/ Miss Lawrence" he said presently. lone
/ escaped, but Joe flung himself bound as
/ he was on the second and we have him
/ The fire is under control and you must let
| me bring you some coffee and try to rest
| Weren't you robbed and murdered
| managed to say
Murdered! My dear girl" he answered,
| taking my hands in his, cant you realize
1 that l am quite safe and here? Robbed
/ was and left stunned in the alley back of
the office, but rescued. and my frs,
! thought was of the danger you must be
| IN. We won't speak of it any more now"
| he added soothingly, for here comes
| Maggie with the coffee, which 1 must see
/ you drink before l leave you to her care
! l tried to please him, and Maggie for
/ once FUSED over me and petted me to
! her hearts content, but l seemed in
| dream of unhealthy.
/ BY afternoon / was quite myself again