Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-01-28
out the th,cycs hnve nan

an hour = start. You must
Here the voices stopped suddenly
and completely. Even the hum of
electricity was cut of. 1t was III
vain that she rang the bell and call
ed Hello" No ono answered. Jen-
ME felt once moro the old sense that
she was out of the world WCyCCStCr
| seemed all at once hundreds of miles
! away. But what was it that she
must do Why had not tn" ConneC-
! ton lasted minute longer. when
! her instructions would have been
, completed When We're the robbers
eXpCCtCdi
Jennie made a little calculation.
If there had ben some 30 minutes
before any one started in pursuit,
that would carry them, by fast driv-
ing, half way to the tollgatc. If ten
minutes had gone 10y before the tel
ephone bell had runE, she might OK
pect them within half an hour.
What was She to dO}
The conversation which she had
overheard came to her mind stop
them at the tollgate," one of the
voices had said.
Very likely they would have told
her what to DO if the Telephone had
kept on. But how could little girl
arrest two armed and desperate
| men,
BY this time she began to feel he
wildcrcd She could not go to bed
with this responsibility upon her,
even though she did not know how
to meet it SO, dressing herself, she
opened the front door and looked
and listened
The night was darker than ever.
a little space about tho gate was
lit up by the warning lantern. 1t
would not help in stopping burglars,
she suddenly thought, to illuminate
their way; SO, going over to the
light, she blew it out, leaving the
road in total darkness. That was at
least one step toward the desired
end
All at once she thought of the
gate.
How stupid of me-" she said to
herself. why didn think of that
beforel'
The gate was fastened back
against the front Of the house, but
in moment she had unlocked it
and swung it round, until it stretched
completely across the road. There
was only II latch upon it, and going
into the house she brought from one
place n paddock and another d
chain, with which she fastened the
gate 80 securely that no ordinary
strength could force it open.
'Thcy cant get through that, "
she said to herself, and there ism t
any way of getting round it
Then she went into the house,
locked and boltod the door, pushed
heavy chest of drawers against it,
fastened all the windows, pulled
down the blinds and waited in the
dark for the sound of wheels.
1t was not long before the sound
came, but to Jennie every minute
seemed an hour, while every rustling
leaf outside sounded like man
stealthy tread. When at last she
heard the robbers coming, far up
the road, her heart stood still.
Nearer and nearer they came.
dered.
The horse kept on; there was a
sudden exclamation outside, n crash
as though something had come into
collision with the gate, the sound of
splintering wood and the noise of a
plunging horse. Jennie did not ven
ture to move She dared not go to
the window, but sat in the middle
Of the room shaking with fear and
listening for what would happen
next. Presently steps sounded on
! the pavement outside, and in n mo-
menr there was a rap at the door.
Jennie remained perfectly quiet,
though her heart beat 80 loud that
she thought they must hear it out
side. In a moment the knockin"'
ceased.
Folks asleep" she could hear
! ouc VI VIC lilcll say.
Asleep or dead or run away, "
he other man growled.
Shall we try the Window"
Yes"
Jennie trembled all over, but the
sash, when tried, held firm
"Oh, come on" exclaimed the
companion. Don't let us waste
time. We can splice the shafts our
sleeves with the halter.
They moved off again and jennie
breathed more freely.
If the shafts were broken, it would
take some time to mend them, and
the pursuing party might yet arrive
In time. Mr.. Allen, whom Jennie
knew to he the manager at the
WORCESTER bank, had the fastest
horse i'll the country, and ought to
be able to make up ut least ten min
utcs in ten miles
For awhile there was quiet out
side. The men were evidently work
ing at the shafts, and only the
trampling of a horses feet gave any
sign of life. Jennie began to got
nervous, and to listen more intcntly
for the pursu"rs' approach. By this
time surely they could not he far
off. Finally, unable to sit still any
longer, she crcpt up stairs, and, sit
ting down on the floor near the open
window at the attic, venturcd to
| look out