The Delta independent., 1897-12-31

then total darkness. The candle was
shattered in my hand. There was the
smell of burnt powder. and my lungs
told me of the smoke which filled the
cellar. Hall stunned. l CROPPED about
for the stairway, but it was some time
before l located IL and ascended.
The soft. pure air outside partly re-
vived me. and managed to drag myself
across the yard to the main building and
so to my room. On the first occasion,
terror had lent feetness to my feet; now
they seemed weighted with lead. A
numbed indifference to my surround
ings was over me. was heavy-head-
ed and drowsy, 20 much 30 that fell
asleep.
awoke suddenly, with q start that
brought me to a standing position. A
glance at my watch told me 1t was
past nine o'clock, and that I had slept
two hours. When l put back my coat
for the purpose of replacing the watch
in my vest pocket, a rustliDg of paper
attracted my attention.
This brought to my mind the piece
had picked up in the cook-house eel
lar and hastily thrust into my coat
pocket. I took 1t out and examined it.
Among the securities lost by the bank
in the robbery was q batch of Morgan
county refunding bonds. There had
been 100 of them issued, each of 81 900
denomination, and the bank had pur-
chased the entire issue.
The paper picked up in the cook
house cellar. and which l now held in
my hand, was one of those 81 900 bonds.
CHAPTER XIV.
How did the bond which was stolen
over a year ago get into the Gel
lar Of an old country house be-
longing to a former ernploye of the
bank? Who could have dropped IL
there, and where were the rest? Was
q trap laid for me?
Sonntag. Skinner, Jackson, the un-
explained and curious relation between
these three, the walled-up cellar. the
underground passage undoubtedly lead
ing to 1t, and 30 safely guarded-what
could IL all mean? Was il possible
that my old house was the receptacle Of
the stolen property, and Sonntag.
Skinner, even Jackson. the gang, or .
portion Of It, bad perpetrated the rob
berry?
If this was true, then there was an
attempt being made 70 furnish some
proof which would throw conviction
upon me.
Was this the mystery which sur
rounded me? single-handed. how could
hope to cope successfully with Il?
Jake Hunsicker and his wife were to
he depended upon as far as their judg-
ment and ability went. I Thought Of Mr..
Morley, who, being q trustee of the
bank. would naturally be interested in
the affair. But that gentleman's own
evident troubles, and the unwilkngnesa
to add n greater load to the already
overburdcned man, turned me from the
idea of aid from that direction.
There was another one, and the
thought had no sooner come into my
head than I proceeded to follow II up.
Stealing cautiously from the house.
I went out to the barn and saddlsd ths
horse. mounted, and was soon tearing
down the Sidington road.
The conversation which SonntaG and
myself had noted this morning n our
endeavor to solve the mystery Of the
voices in my bedroom and up In the
attic seemed Of the greatest signih-
cancc. Some property was TO be re
moved this very night, and II the ref
erence was to anything hidden in the
cellar the removal might take place
while was absent on my present er-
rand.
Tic thought caused me 70 urge for
ward the horse TO his greatest speed,
and very soon l drew near the station.
Stopping a short distance away. I tied
the horse To the fence, and then eau
tiously approached, being careful to
keep in the shadows - much - pos