Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-08-13


fright, l raised myself, and then,
quick as lightning flash, came the
thought-my money! My clothes
were thrown across the bottom of
the bed. L searched the trousers
pocket-the gold was there.
Then | heard voices in soft con-
Versation coming up from below.
Noiselessly l opened the door and
listened.
''Sure he's all serene?" queried
one voice to which another respon-
ded, "He wont wake till six, at the
earliest"
every good" said the first voice.
"Mind if he wakes whilst you're
doing it" the sentence was runc-
tuated by the unmistakable click of
a pistol, and l shivered-not frym
cold.
"And at six or seven, or when
ever he does wake," continued the
voice, "tell him you picked him up
drunk and carried him in here out
of compassion for safety, and you
will easily convince him that he was
robbed out of doors. But mind,
have done my part in plying him
with drink, and in decoying him
here; see you do yours in gracefully
relieving the poor fool of his twenty
pounds "
Here step on the stairs warned
me to close the door, and l got back
to bed. Hearing the knob Of the
door turn, | began to breathe heav-
lily, after the fashion of a drunken
man, and the next instant, shading
the candle with his hand, there ap-
peared the form Of strange man,
who was soon peering fiXedly into
my face.
Satisfied apparently with his ex-
animation, my visitor searched my
pockets, pounced upon the gold, of
course, and quickly transferred it
from its erstwhile resting-place to
where do you guess? He went 10 a
bird cage, which now, for the first
time, 1 observed hanging up, drew
out its sliding floor, quietly emptied
my gold into it, replaced the slide,
and d-undressed and lay down beside
me. He was soon asleep, and hope
sprang up within me; but alas of
all the light sleepers, he was the
lightest / ever knew. Whenever /
moved he appeared to be on the
alert. 1t was impossible to crawl
out of bed without his being con-
scious of the fact. Besides, under
his pillow knew was his pistol, and,
in despair had, reluctantly, to rest
on as calm and unconcerned as !
possibly could.
All wakeful passed that horrible
night, and the slow hours dragged
on interminably. But at length q
project presented itself to my now
sharpened senses, which project /
put into execution when six O'Clock
struck.
" Failure" said ] to myself,
" means simply death; success
means saved reputation with my
employers and vow of strictest So
briefly"
Everything being perfectly quiet,
/ simulated a gradual waking up,
and my first yawn opened the eyes
of my bedfellow. The second had
the effect of raising him from his
recumbent position in the bed, and
when / slowly and painfully awoke
he was bending over me, all solici-
tude.
Daylight was now stealing into
the room.
"My poor fellow" exclaimed the
assiduous one, "how do you feel
now? You will wonder, no doubt,
at being in my bed, but the fact is
you were Ill last night, were you
not?"
"Ill?" l said, "Ill?" and put
my hand mechanically to my head.
"Well, l think / must have been
my head aches sol"
He smiled and replied: "Well,
my dear fellow, not to put too fine a
point upon it, found you late last
night in the gutter, just little bit
the worse for liquor, and two some
what disreputable looking men who
were with you asked me if 1 could
to look after you for the
night"
/ expressed my profound thanks
to my good friend for his unselfish
but he modestly waved
them aside, saying, deprecatingly
Duty, sir, duty! l cannot neg
lect genuine case of human
suffering or danger without some at
tempt, however slight, at succor."
/ thanked him again.
"I am ill.," l said. 81 had too
much brandy, yesterday. / must
have hair of the dog that bit me
/ must have a nip now. 1t is the
only thing which will put me right.
If you have any brandy in the house,
for Heavens sake, sir, bring me
drop!"
He hesitated a moment, then re-
joined:
"Certainly lie there, and I'll be
back in moment" and disap.
peared.
Much quicker than l can relate it,
/ sprang up, went to the bird cage,
drew the sliding tray, transferred all
the contents into my handkerchief.
and thence into my coat pocket, fl
nally replacing the tray. Not mo-
ment too soon was / back between
the sheets, for in an instant my
good Samaritan arrived with the
brandy. drank, and professed to
be much better. 1 dressed, so did
he.
Would / have breakfast No!
I most reluctantly asked to be eX-
cused, being in haste to catch the
first train / possibly could back to
town, and l pointed out to my noble
host that either breakfast or that
train must of necessity be given up.
Would he forgive me if / felt COM
PEELED to choose the train?
searched in my trousers pockets
for my money; gave gasp Of sur