Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-05-29

OAoh ~ NC HlICe III the WOOD.
work. But, as I looked, 1 saw the point
or a tiny instrument appear in the crack
and then l realized that there were bur-
glars outside and that they were trying
to saw through the heavy lock of my
door. That would succeed 1 had no
doubt, as the saw was grating steadily
over the metal.
Selling a heavy cane-though for the
life of me I could not now tell for what
purpose stepped to the door; and in a
deep voice demanded who's there?"
The saving instantly ceased and there
was a scurry outside. Then came a
whisper Of several voices. Then a voice
said gruffiy: open the door!"
Terrified I made no reply.
There was another whispered CONSUL
tation, then the voice continued: 1--WE
know you're alone, Miss, and We might
as we'll open the door. We thought ye'd
gone away for the night-as We in
tended
Instantly I recalled that I had started
to spend the night at the house of my
cousin and had so notified my old woman
of all work. But had changed my mind
without notifying anybody.
You see,' spokesman continued. 1--WE
have come after some OF them jewels
we've got and after that money We
cashed at the bank today. Jest hand it
out and We'll go away. If We don't"
IF l DON'T l said through the door,
IN a voice as steady as l could COM
mand
IF ye don't Wen saw through. and it
| won't take us long"
my mind began to cast around for a
way to call relief. AS If divining my
thought, the voice on the other side
said Eye can't ring up he messenger
call, cause We had the line cut today.
An it's no use ter call out of the win
S1~x., %h~ l~~ ~n~I~
his round for an hour and there isn't
anybody living round here"
Cursing the fate that had led me to
select an apartment built in a business
part of the town, and with a wild throb
of pity for myself as a lonely bachelor
girl beset by robbers, I ran back into my
little parlor and threw up the window.
Not a sou was in sight. I started to
call for help. but the minute the cry left
my lips, and it was faint enough, the
saving began and with an energy that
told me it would only take a few minutes
to accomplish the work. l must stop that
awful saving for a minute!
Wait" I called out desperately.
What will you take to go away?"
CAN them diamonds
1 started back terrified. For not until
this moment had l recollected that I had
in the house, in a small safe screwed to
the floor of my little diningroom, the en-
tire collection of my grandmother's jew
els. They had been entrusted to my
keeping by an aunt who had taken them
out Of a safe deposit vault that day to be
reset and distributed among the family
She had said that it was a pity that they
should lie there.
My grandmother's jewels!
Yes, the thieves undoubtedly knew OF
them. Would I give them up? Not x
cept with my life. What give away
thousands Of dollars worth Of Grandma
Carson's jewels! Never!
The saving continued and l held on to
the handle of the door. Wait l said,
wait a minute. Suppose I send you
money-tomorrow, any time-anywhere
you say"
"Not much,'' came in a coarse, hard
laugh, while another voice whispered loud
enough for me to catch it, Were almost
through
Frantic with fear, yet determined to
save the diamonds, l sped to the dining
room. There in the corner was the tiny
safe. 1t was generally screwed to the
floor but / suddenly recalled that it had
been lifted that day for repairs to the
woodwork. 1t was loose, then. But
could l lift it! A tiny little thing of iron,
scarcely more than a foot spare, yet how
heavy it was. 1 tugged at 1t but could
scarcely move it. Yes, l knew a way, for
I had seen them roll huge safes that way.
Quick as lightning, for fear lent wings
to my feet, 1 flew into the kitchen and
brought back two round pieces of wood,
yes. they would help me! And in an
other precious minute l found myself
rolling the little safe along upon the roll
ers and making quick time. 1t was only
q. few feet from the dining room to the
kitchen and l had formed the resolve to
hide the safe. But where? In what spot
would it be safe. Could they make me
tell where it was! Never! But where
could l hide it! The black little thing
lay at my feet. I stopped down to lift it.
n it would be safe. They O never
thing of looking out Of the back window,
At thism moment there was a great crash
in the hall, followed by an exclamation?
The door had burst open! In a minute
they would be upon me! l o out,
a black f%orbidding looking face peered
through the opening. But, no, the chain
still held the door and it would be the
work Of some seconds to break its heavy
iron links.
A perfect agony OF fear took posses
sion of me. / looked around frantically,
when my eyes fell upon the dumb waiter
door. 1t was one of the long kind that
extend to the floor. Just the thing! ]
threw it open and, with all my remain
ing strength, l threw the little safe down
the opening, and had the joy of hearing
it go crashing down the shaft into the
cellar.
1 had just time to close the dumb
waiter door and replace the sticks when
the chain yielded and they came through
the hall looking for me in every room,
cautiously lest l should escape. I won-
dered whether they had heard the crash
but it came at the same minute that the
\ chain yielded n they had not.
/ l threw myself dow in a chair faint
ing, for I felt sick as death-as well
1 meet them seated as any other way, for
I knew that life must pay the price of the
silence which / intended to keep.
Here she isl called out ma
What has she done with the safe; ii
ain't here y said another.