The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1900-04-26

ana so James carton arose ana Sutu He
lpdnted to be q Christian.
For was it not thy word that first
started this young, manly soul to con.
slider what he owed to Jesus the
Christi
To come back to Robert. He had
written the note. beginning 1t just lit.
tie after the bell ceased ringing. and a.
he finished james had come over to
see II he could be Of any service. The
church was near by. and Mr. Hardy
asked him to take the note over. He
went over to the church. with the re.
suit described. He did not come back
at once, and Mr.. Hardy watched 90
with Alice.
VIII slept irregularly. being troubled
with his dreams Of the accident. Mrs.
Hardy woke and begged her husband
to lie down and get little rest He
did so. but was aroused about 10
o'clock by the doctor coming In. He
had Just finished a visit near by. He
saw the light and was anxious. as the
case was an extraordinary one. to come
IN. He examined Clara's face very
keenly and then sat down by the bed
for an instant. After giving certain
medicines he found that he was In
need Of another article, which was at
his house.
II will 60 and get 1t, doctor. It's not
far, and think little fresh air will
do me good and help me to remain
awake better" said Robert
He went down stairs, and the doctor
followed him as he went out into the
hall and flung on his overcoat. Mr..
Hardy turned before he opened the
door:
doctor, tell me the truth about my
girl? What is her condition"
ut Is serious, but more than that
cannot say. There is possibility that
by means Of slight operation the dis
astrous consequences Of the shock to
her eyes may be averted, and 1t is pos
slble that the other results which l
hinted may be altogether different. 1t
is not In medical power to decide with
certainty"
So Mr.. Hardy went out into the night
with glimmer Of hope In his breast.
1t was showing again, and strong
wind was blowing, SO he buttoned his
big coat close up, drew his hat down
over his brows and, leaning forward,
walked as rapidly as he could against
the wind In the direction Of the doc
tors house. The streets were almost
deserted. The lights at the corners
fiickered and showed pale through the
lamps.
As he turned down q narrow street,
intending to make short cut across a.
park that lay near the doctors. he was
suddenly seized by three or four young
men, and one Of them said In tone
which betrayed drunken debauch:
Hold up your hands and deliver!
You've got plenty Of chink, and we
haven't! So no squalling, or we'll
shoot you for it!'
Mr.. Hardy was taken completely by
surprise. But he was a vigorous. ath-
letic man. and his first impulse was to
shake himself loose, to knock down
two of his assailants next to him and
make a run for 1t. His next glance.
however, showed him the nature of
the group Of young men. They were
not professional robbers, but young
men about town who had been drink
ing late and were evidently out on
lark and were holding him up just for
fun.
Mr.. Hardy guessed exactly right
What could he do? Two Of the young
men were known to him, the sons Of
the Bramleys. who were well to do
people In Barton. Mr.. Hardy's next
impulse was to discover himself to
them and beg then to quit such dan
gerous fooling and 60 home. The three
other young men were In shadow, and
he could not tell them. All this pass.
ed through his thought with q fiash.
But before he had time to do anything
q police officer sprang out Of door
way near by, and the group Of young
men, dropping their hold Of Mr.. Hardy,