Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-04-02

so far that he felt the hind tire slipping on
the icy edge, and barely escaped plunging
down the embankment; then the depot win
dows flashed into view
After that the bicycle must have chosen
its own course, for Sturgin was not con
scous of guiding it. For the sash was rails
ed, and against the yellow lamp-light he
saw the dark outline of a man crawling in
through the openings another followed.
The last figure had scarcely dsapp
when his wheel came to a stop in the deep
sand of the station yard. He dropped from
the saddle pulled forty -four caibre re-
volver from his hip pocket, and sprang to
the window.
The depot consisted of a single room; the
safe aud the Geographic apparatus were on
the further side. In the middle of the floor
stood Lena, defiant with clenchel hands
and glowing cheeks, looking straight down
the black muzzle of pistol that huge des-
perado was holding close to her face.
"Nou unlock that safe, right quick, and
no nonsense" he was saying.
81 won't; | can't" cried Lena.
The other intruder, a seedy little fellow
with thin lips and Ratchet face, was by
the safe examining the lock. He turned
toward the girl
''Ye might as well save trouble" he said.
eve know what's here, an we're goin' to
have it. This is biz, understand. We
shan't hurt ye, if we behave"
The girl glanced at him with angry CON
tempt Her blood was boiling.
"There amt goin' to be nobody to help
ye," the fellow continued "The road
bridge is down-swep' away by the freshet
and the felers from the Mills won't git
bar.a VI, 60, q
she amt no good anyway. We got to have
that key, fur we amt got no tools handy.
BE lively now. We kin be rough if we
have ter"
With a sudden motion Lena pulled the
key from her apron pocket. The big ruff
fan beside her snatched at it, lowering his
pistol as he did so; but with the quickness
of a cat she flung the little piece of steel
through the open door of the stove, where
it slipped down among the glowing Goals
The fellow caught up the poker and plunged
it into the red-hot mass, but the key had
disappeared With a cry of rage he sprang
toward the girl; but while his back was
turned she had darted across the floor and
jerked open drawer.
Throw up your hands, you scoundrel"
The command came in hoarse roar from
the open window. The desperate whe led,
saw a fierce, livid face glaring in from the
outer gloom, saw also leveled weapon
and suspected more behind He dropped
his pistol and obeyed.
Laying his left hand on the sill, John
Sturgin leaped through the window with
one bound. There is no record breaker
like love and anger in things athletic
Meanwhile the lesser villain was struggling
with the fasteniugs of the nearest window
but when he glanced over his shoulder and
caught the CLINT of another revolver in the
hands of Lena as she stood by the open
drawer, he desisted
Give it up" he said cooly. Eye got
me, sure, little girl: though how them fell
lers got acrost so quick beats me. Now
don't git nervous with that pepper of yourn
I'll rest easy, an | amt got no gun any
way"
GIVE me your pistol Lena, said Sturgin,
his voice still quaking with excitement.
Now you two brutes stand here face to
the wall, hands up. Lent, please send
message through to Grandport for a train
and posse"
She sent the message as she was hidden:
but the steadiness was gone from her hand
and the color from her cheek She felt
faint; she threw open the door and gazed |
up Oue TRACK Inc ulSnJ nau grown very |
dark, though a filmy veil of auroral light |
still fitted now and then across the starry
At length the rumble of an |
engine was heard,-a welcome sound to |
Sturgin, whose arms were so palsied with |
WEAKNESS and nervous tension that he could |
hardly hold the pistols. 1t was just as well |
hat his prisoners were so placed that they |
couldn't see him. Soon, however thev |
we're in the hands of the deputy sheriff, |
md the strain was over.
Sturgin sat holding both Lena's hands in
lis. 81 can't understand it," he said
How did it happen, dear that you tele-
,raphed me for help so long before those
'illains reached the depot?'
81 telegraph" she cried ''Whv, |
lid MT; l could MT. | had MT the smallest
after you crm-, Just in the
nick of time, and saved me, John.
"Ach!' exclaimed burly Mac, who ives
handing by. "Itll be them nol thern lights
lone it, likely. We know what a fiddle
addle they'll make long o the wires, an
et all the soun'ers clackin' An I'm think
n, Sturgin, somebody's within whams done
he rest"
1T was message straight from Heaven"
nurmured Lena
And doubtless both she and Mac were
light
Laurence Boone in Boston Transcript.