The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1904-12-13

Then the door creakeo. The burglar
sprang up, whirled round, and seeing
the boy, rushed at him.
Roy lodged and ran, with the burglar
pursuing. In front OF the oven door the
boy lodged again, catching hold Of a
barrel to make a sharp turn. With a
quick thought, he gave a jerk to the
barrel and sent It spinning on edge be-
hind him.
The burglar stumbled over it in the
darkness and fell heavily. Roy turned
in time to see the man shoot over the
rolling barrel and half through the
doorway. A shadowy pair of legs were
still waving wildly in air. With forci-
bic kick on the barrel. he sent the burg
lar forward into the even and down on
the swinging shelf
Immediately the wheel turned under
its burden. In another instant It be-
came still, and Roy knew that his man
was safely immured at the bottom OF
the vault
After a moment he put his head into
the oven and called down:
You're not hurt. are you?"
The curses which issued from the
depths treasured him. The burglars
silence since his rapid descent had evil
IDENTIFY been due to amazement and fear
Roy could hear him proving cautious
ly about inside, feeling the brick wall
and al last rafting the iron basement
door. 1t was fast, and then the man
began to plead for mercy.
Let me out, young felleri" he begged
Say, I've got a whole lot Of monty III
give you If you'l only let ne out; hon
est. will"
NO" Roy answered Il guess you
can lie over with the crackers.
The burglars voice became plaintiye:
"Ah, go on. let me out You don
want TO ruin a man for life. Say. honest.
it's the first time l ever ooLe such a
thing. / was drove to it BY my wife
and babies staryin'"
You said you had lot of money you
would give me" Roy remincec MIN.
Then the man broke out curs4Lg again.
/ and Roy slammed the door. Inc eursing
subsidized. and before long 40 nsard y
faint and frightened voice pet.llcLins:
"L-t me speak TO you, young teller.
Open the door!"
The boy Obliged his prisoner to this
extent. and then the burglar said:
You amt cruel enough TO Aeep man
down here. I'll be baked alive"
There's 10 FIRE under the oyen," Roy
told him, land III see they don't hight ur
TIL after the police get you Don't be
uneasy. Now I've got TO ciose the Coor.
or the erackers will get spoiled
For the remainder of the Llgat he was
deaf 10 the entreaties that from time &c
time walled up from the interior Of the
vault
At last, in the early morning light, the
foreman and the other packers came;
and Roy announced his capture.
He must have slipped in al the side
door and got up the stairs when the bak
ers weren't looking" the boy said. -AnC
/ suppose he didn't hear me because
had on oyershoes. and the Office Goo
was pretty nearly shut He didn't &c
into the safe"
The foreman looked at Roy with ad
miration- Roy he said, you We CON
a good nights work And you got hert
at half past three, Ell? Well. it certainl,
is the early bird that catches the burg
lar"
One OF the other boys was for lighting
small fire under the oven, Just to sing
him." but the foreman said no, and tele
phoned TO police headquarters.
Five minutes later the chief and on
of his men arrived: and when the oyel
door was opened, and the prisone
crawled sulkily forth to havethe brace
lets" snapped on his wrists, the officer
gave cry Of delight.
slim Jim McLean!" exclaimed tn
chief
You'd never have got mel" said Sin
Jim. viciously. Then he took a malevo
lent look at the four boys 4 don't know
which one of you young fellers it was
but when 1 get out I'll make one of 20
pay for this"
The chief laughed 4 guess your
, safe for about 20 years, Roy" he sa;C
, 'and by that time you'll be able t
. raise chin whiskers and disguise your
self. Youths Companion.