Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-05-20

the pane.
"Joe," said somebody outside. sup
posed it might be one of the section hands
and stepped across the room.
"What is it?' called.
"Open the window, Joe," said the voice
pushed it up little way.
"Is that you, Jerryp'' called.
There was no response. 1 put my head
through the opening and looked up and
down the line. Nobody was in sight. just
then heard slight noise behind me. l
drew in my head Something seemed to
crash into my brain. A flash of blazing
light blinded me. Then all was dark.
When came to, I was tied in my chair,
my head was sore and wet, and two men
with strips of black cloth across their faces
were looking down at me.
"He's all right" said the shorter one
The tall man nodded.
"Get the keys" he said in queer,
hoarse voice.
The shorter man felt in my pockets
"Not here, he cried.
"They must be- said the tall man in
his hoarse voice.
II tell you they are not. Bring the
lamp"
The tall man took the lamp from the
window ledge and came closer to me. But
their search was vain. The tall man placed
the lamp on the table, while the short
man put revolver to my ear.
"Come," he said, "where are those
keysP''
My head was beginning to clear little.
saw it all. My wife had taken the keys
from my pocket because it was her way
and because she thought I had no further
use for them until morning.
He must have left the keys at home"
said the tall man hurriedly. "Here, give
him sheet of paper and let him write a
note to his wife asking for them. The
short man looked up sharply.
"I'll get Them, said the tall man.
They pulled the table up to me and
spread out a scrap of paper. The short
man loosened the rope and let my right
hand Free I reached to my vest pocket
half blindly and drew out my pencil still
in daze tried to put my wife's name
on the sheet The pencil refused to make a
mark. looked at it. 1t was dull and hor-
ribly haggled about the point. 1 pride my
self on the fine point put to my pencils.
Again I comprehended that my wife had
borrowed that very pencil to write the
note to the operator wife. tried to scrib
BILE with the blunted thing.
Course you, hurry!" growled the short
ruffian.
I showed the pencil point With an ex-
clamation of anger the short man drew out
a heavy handled knife and swiftly sharp
ened the pencil. AS he passed it back my
wandering vision was caught by the lamp
on the table. Heavens! TWAS no longer in
the window! AS this thought struck me I
looked toward the ledge and saw there a
white, scared face pressed against the pane.
1t was my wife.
"Writen' growled the short rutfian.
My only thought was to gain time.
knew my wife was there. knew she
would bring help.
took the pencil In my nerveless fingers.
AS did SO q low growl caught my ear. 1t
caught the ears of the villains too. The
short man dropped his knife ON the table
and turned toward the door with his re-
volver extended. The tall man drew him
self up against the wall.
cts the dog" he hoarsely whispered.
"Shoot to kill, Jack
saw the door tre1nbIe a little, saw
the short villains arm rise, and my fingers
closed on the handle of the knife he had
just dropped. Then as the door slowly
opened l drew back my arm and thrust
wildly at the man in front of me. Some
thing yellow flew through the doorway.
There was wild scream, q heavy fall, and
l lapsed into inconsistencies again.
When l came around, was in bed at
home, with Minnie bending over Inc.
cts all right, Joe," she murmured.
"They've got them both locked up safe
and sound, and the money is all right,
and the mill directors have given you
81, 1000 Of it."
"And Jim?' asked.
"Jim!" she cried. "Why, Jim was the
tall man. 1t was all his plot to steal the
money and throw the blame on you. And
If hadn't taken your keys-don't scold-
they have had the money, and If it hadn't
been for the lead pencil dulled-the man
you stabbed told the whole story-I
wouldn't have got there in time with Hec-
tor. The dog almost killed Jim before l
could call him away, but amt SO sorry,
because the little man says they would
have killed you If you had by any chance
suspected Jim's identity"
reached out and took Minnie's hand.
"That 81 900 belongs to you, DEAR" I
said brokenly.
"Well, she answered, "if you take it,
Jim, you may rest assured I'll borrow it
sooner or LATER
Then she put her cheek against my hand
and laughed.
Then she cried. cleveland Plain Dealer.
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