Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-06-04

| '''N sSnSNt III a. W." NOlCc.
The men watched each other sus-
piciously, uncovered the coins.
It's you, Jem," said the land
lord, in voice of great relief.
Mind this" replied Jem, i'm n
shaking voice, we're all In it ones
as bad as the other" There was ST.
lence. "D'ye hear ?" Kissed Jem,
tiercely. We're all in it, l say.
Pm doing the dirty work, that's all. ;"
"Of course" said the landlord,
soothingly. "You shall have my
knife to do it with"
He's dropped i'm here all I'M
Known" said the landlady, speaking
rapidly. "It's right out of his way
to Hazelton. Nobody saw him or
spoke to him. There's moro than
five thousand dollars"
=" If he wakes and shows fight,
you've all got to lend hand" said
the man, again; "mind that.n
"Of course we will" said the
landlady. "Give him little while
longer. I'll go up and see whether
he's asleep"
She moved toward the door, and,
with my heart beating wildly, l
moved stealthily away from it, and,
noiselessly darting up the stairs,
gained my room and flung myself
down on the bed, with my ears
strained to the utmost. Things were
SO strange and quiet, that l thought
the terrible woman had changed her
mind, when / heard faint breath
ing outside my door, and with a
view OF gaining as much time as
possible, L cleared my throat slightly
and turned over in the creaking bed.
The breathing stopped, and l heard
slight rustic pass down stairs.
l waited a minute, and then got
off the bed and looked around the
room for some weapon of defence.
Ihere was not even poker, and the
filmsy furniture put all ideas of bar
Reading the door out of the question.
My sole weapon was tiny pearl
handled knife, my fighting weight
about one hundred and thirty-fiye
pounds.
For some minutes 1 was half mad
with the horror Of my situation as /
sought wildly for some plan of es-
cape. l tried the window, but even
If / could have undone the rusty
fastenings without noise and got my
body through it, should only have
tumbled on to the hard ground out
side the tap-room. Then | went to
the door and listened. All quiet be-
low. They were evidently waiting.
AT the risk of being detected by
anybody lurking at the foot of the
stairs, crossed the landing and en-
tered the room opposite in quest of IA |
poker.
The bedroom was as dreary as nv |
own, with huge four-post bedstead |
In the center, but large lamp was
burning, presumably to warm the |
room. Fire irons there were none.
AS L stood there, shivering with
cold and fear, heard them moving
In the room below, and set my teeth
as l thought the time had come
Then all was silent again, and as |
stood there. one desperate means of
escape occurred to me. ! crossed |
over to the lamp, and with trembling
fingers began to unscrew the top
Twice it squeaked. Another turn,
and the burning wick, protected by
the chimney, was loose in my hand,
and taking up the reservoir poured
the oil into the center of the bed -
Then l removed the chimney, and,
throwing the lighted wick on a dry
part of the bed, softly closed the
door and hastily retreated to my own
room.
/ heard the saturated bedding
catch with muffied roar, and from
my window saw reflection in the
darkness outside. Still, all was
quiet below. 1 went to nv door;
thin streaks of smoke were pouring
Out from the cracks of the door OPP
posite on the landing, and beneath
it could see red line.
Then l heard a startled cry from |
down stairs, and with no need to
feign agitation, raised the shout of
Fire! Fire!"
1t was answered from below, and |
the landlord and his brother ruf.
fans came rushing up the stairs
With powerful kick the landlord |
burst the door open, and dense vol
ume of smoke and flames came pour
ing out on to the landing. There
was no facing it. / rushed down
stairs the lamb with the wolves.
"Get some water!" l shOuted.-I
Where's the water ?"
They were all bewildered, but the
landlord caught up pail and, shoot
ing back the bolt of the door, rushed
into the yard to the pump. He
came back with it half full, but by
this time the landing itself had be-
gun to catch. The smoke filed the
house, and we retreated to the yard
as the flames bursted from the win
dows. Then the landlady clutched
her husband fiercely by the shoulder
and, glaring at me, whispered in his
ear. That her words boded no good
to me / knew, and trembling with
excitement / played my last card.
Help - / cried, wildly; "fetch
my overcoat! five hundred dollars
to the man who gets it 90
ran toward the house, followed
by them all, and, at push from the
landiady, Jem dashed up the stairs
disappeared in the smoke. | gave
myself up for lost, but the next min
ute he was back again, black and
scorched-a and empty.handed.
/ felt safe then, and safer still when
a sturdy farmer came galloping up
and drew rein in the yard. He was
Joined i'm short time by others, and
we stood in a knot watching the
blazing Inn. One by one the spirit
kegs burst and fed the roaring flames
and i'm marvelously short space of
a smoking, blackened ruin.