The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1900-11-15

ooi and cay toihing sbosi H.
Hos ala Jon get 10 ltsfsi Rodney rs
pesiei.
when be bad been down 90 the street
be bad beard the little sirl sho had seen
The bspk robber tsllins sroap OF erciied
people that the strange man bad = smooth
tsee aud wore brovn Dsrby bat
You are the bank robbtrl sait lsodney.
Yoa help me on, aud III nsks II tao
tuadred. said ths man.
Are you the m.b shS robbed the bsutf
You get me oul OF lbls trap
TIE man kicked ssyagslv sgsiost the 10
side Of The shalt. sad brseins himself S
veil ~ be could 10 The crsmped space,
tried to bnrst The walls apMt. The joints
oteske8, bat the strength OF siI men
eould not hsve broken out the plsDks OF
sbieh the shalt. was boilt
You better st p thai viseiog in there.
said Rodney. The rope isn't fastened any
too solid through that roeS II you yak
il ont, you and the rock will go down TO
the basement together. It's seventy three
feet down there,
The "sigelius" stopped and the mans
face sppened at the mole sssln. The op
ening was no. more than eight inches
sqasre, aud only the head OF the csptive
was even with il, but Q moment later the
u uzzle OF revolver came up into sight be
side his face. Before the man could get
his crsmped arm and hand into shining |
position Rodney, quick as flash, knocked
The catch out OF q ratchet 10 the oil )ck |
works, and srsping the crank, turned 1t
backwsri until be had lowered the prison
er far enough down the shalt so that he
could do no harm.
Feeling sure that bis prisoner was sale
for the pre- ent Rodney decided to go Tor
help,
Some boys would have rushed from the
church. shouting, I've got hinl but Rod
ney walked csrelessly down the street,
With bis hands 10 his pockets, and Joined
the outer edge OF crowd 10 front OF the
bank. A hastily printed notice, on which
the ink was not yet dry, announced that
the bank would pay five hundred dollars
Tor the capture OF the robber, with bis
plander. The town added another hun
lolIays ~ tha vnmar1 |
Rodney's fingers twisted nervously 10
bis pockets. Six bundred dollars That
meant for b im the Institute OF Technology
II be asked for help to secure the man, be
could claim only part OF the reward.
He left the group OF excited men ss
quietly as be had come, and went to the
tin shop near by. The proprietor was
out. but Rodney knew him and the place
we'll. He quickly found the things be
wanted, and took them "a small portable
furnace with q charcoal fire 10 1t, long
handled skillet used for melting lead
and bsndiul Of sulphur. Taking these
with him TO the church vestibnle. be lock
ed The outside door and once more climb
ed the stairs into the st,eple.
This time he went up one more ladder
into the beiry itself, Here he united the
bell rope from the wheel and let 1t fall
through the hole in the a jor. He knew ii
would 90 clear through to the vestib bule,
and that be would find il on the floor
when he wanted it-s hundred feet Of
good plsble inch rops. Then be came
down to the clock room again. and turn
ing the crank backward, let the loaded
weight slowly down toward the basement.
every one on the street bad
been too excited sll that afternoon to no
tice that the town clock was varying from
it's usual resuls'ity.
Rodney had wound the clock often
enough 10 be sble TO tell by the number Of
coils Of wire about the srbor pretty nssrly {
hen the weight had reached the vestibule
door. Wnen be thought i. was nearly
there, hs left the clock room and hurried
down the stairs. A cautious glance
the narrow door showed the
weight slowly desce ding. and nearly oil
OF 1t in sight.
Scoopipg the skillet foil OF live Goals
from the portable furnace, Rodney stood |
ready. The weight stopped last ss the
man standing on II came lot sight. Then
Rodney slrewed the Goals with sulphur |
aud showed the skillet into the shalt. A
chorus OF mingled coughs and criss follow
ed. /
Pulling ont the skillet aud tossing II IN
10 On empty coal hod. Rodney up the
stairs end ladder fAster than be had ever
done 10 his life before, gave the crank in
The clock room one more turn backvsrd,
spd then ran down again, This time the
weight was let dowa 10 where .he robbers
legs we're visible. The leather big bad
been dropped at bis feet.
Passing the rope around the mans legs
and mskiag II into slp-noose, Rodney
dragged him ou. upon the fJor, gsspins
and senseless The boy did not know the
risk be had run OF killing the man by suf
focs ION With sulphur iumes, He was
sure the robber would revive and fortun
ately he dill. bat not until Rodney had
boubd him frniy with coil sitter coil oi
the bsll rope.
When Rodney was core bis man was
sale, he did the coolest thing Of ell. he
took the les,her bag aud carried II down
to the bank. saying nothing 10 spybody
90 the way.
Here is your mouey, think. MI Hyde.
up 10 Que meeting house.