Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-08-25
CHAPTER xxx.


 "I'll come on the first train"
 CHAPTER XXIX.
 @1HE next morning, when George
 was alone in the office, mid
 dle aged, hard faced country
 man slouched in.
 tIs this Hillyers warehouse?" he asked. .->.
 "Yes," said George, Anything can do for youw ''Well, not exactly fer me-" said the man, 'but old Squire Deck-I reckon you know him, over in GtlmerT
 ''I know of him." George responded.
 "Well, he sent me to ax ef you uns would let i'm put his will in your safe that is, eff you got one; the squire The man was looking about the room. ''I don't see none, Pm shore"
 'Tt's there in the vauh," George ex- plained, pointing to the big steel door.
 ''Oh, it's in thar? Well, reckon it's good an strong"
 ''One of the best in the country" George said, leaving his high stool and opening the outer door.
 "One O them com-combination locks?'''
 "Yes-that's it. Did you bring the paper with you2 We are always glad to NS; sNssoPaaaatf daaaat f9RfeRD ReGRDles e He told me to inquire. never did like the notion O them combination locks, as fer's' I'm concerned" said the man. '"Too many folks has got the password into lem. Now, good, stout key that shoves a steel bolt into good, strong socket is hard to beat"
 'I'm~ the only one about here that knows this combination" Buckley ex- plained politely. we change it quite often too. Even Mr. Hillyer doesn't keep up with 1t unless I'm going away"
 "Oh we'll, I reckon it will be safe enough, an I'll tell the squire about 1t when I go back"
 The man turned out of the ware house, crossed the railway tracks and walked on till he was in the woods on the edge of the village. Here he was met by two other men who, glancing about furtively came out into the open to meet him. George had considerable work to do that night in the office. The safe was already closed and the front and rear doors of the building were locked and barred. Countrymen often came about the warehouse early in the evening, and as he wished to be undisturbed, he closed the door to keep them from knowing he was there. He also closed the heavy wooden shutters of the front windows that the light of his lamp might not show through to street. He worked on unconscious of ~Ae pas sage of time from o'clock until near midnight. Suddenly he detected 8 sound like the crunching of a grain of wheat under foot, and, looking round, he saw three men standing behind him with leveIed revolvers.
 What does this meanp' he asked, his eyes fixed on the rigid face of the man whom he recognized as his visitor of that afternoon. ''Is this a trapT
 That's about the size of it, young man." was the cool reply. "Now, you keep yore seat on that stool am don't bat yore eye. The fool on my lefts got gun that's powerful easy on trig ger, am it's all he kin do to keep his finger up. Don't shoot i'm, Bill, till I've give i'm chance"
 'What is it you want?" George asked. He was not frightened, but the situa ton certainly was a grave one, and he felt that he had little, if any, chance for his life.
 "We are mountain hoosiers," said the leader of the men, ''but we hain't fools by long shot We know our business as we'll as you know yore'n, an thar's no need tellin' you eff you don't git move on yoreself an open that safe you'll never open it ag'in."
 That's it, then7"
 "Yes that's it. This is one time when you've got to knuckle UT git the wust of it''
 George glanced toward the front door.
 You needn't be lookin' fer a way out" said the mountaineer, "an' you needn't expect the night watchman to be pacin' along by here. He's dead drunk. I know, kase I furnished the liquor an seed it take effect
 ''So you think you can force me into this thing" said George. Do you know, I'd rather die right here than let you rob that safe while it is in my care?"
 t'Oh, come off; you are no fool, Buck ley. Open the safe We are not heTe to palaver At least say positive whether you will or not. I'll jest give