The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1905-06-15


aroused within me a mad kind of des.
perate daring such as never supposed
J possessed. With wild CRY 20 Hat
tie to awake. I sprang from the bed.
and. with all the strength | was mas.
ter or. forced down the lid.
Help: Hattie, Guickr' cried, "or
we are lostr"
With single bound she was by nv
side, her face as white as sheet.
"Oh, Grace, for Heavens sake. what
is itT' she gaSped.
"A mana burgl ara murderer for
all know, Hold sarl. for your lifer'
l replied.
The half-smothered wretch, by a VIC
lent effort, succeeded i'm forcing off one
hlnge in such a manner as to admit
air enough to preclude the possibility
OF his being suffocated in his strange
prison.
Another wrench, and the remaining
hinge was started. A second con
vulSive movement. so violent as to
make the stout old chest CULVER, and
five SITny fingers were thrust out i'm
vain attempt to clutch my throat.
l bore down with all my might, but
the terrible hand maintained its ad-
vantage, and inch by inch the lid was
slowly moved aside until only our
united strength held it in place.
Hattie did her best to aid my efforts;
but when two glaring black eyes ap-
peared on level with the fearful
hand she lost all control Of herself and
loud ear-piercing Shrek broke from
her ashen lips.
The nearest Reighbor lived half n
mile away. We were utterly alone,
and entirely at the mercy of the ruff
fan in the chest. who, should he es-
cape. would doubtless murder us both
and burn the house afterward, per-
haps. to hide the double crime.
The thought wa: appalling, and
though she had no hope of help reach
ing us, Hattie continued TO scream at
the top of her voice, and every Shrek
was like that of one in mortal agony.
Hark. Some one was coming! An
answering shout from the porch below.
shivering Of glass and window sash,
and up the stairs, three at Il time,
came Cousin Jack
Hattie flew TO the door and unlocked
it. and then fell to the floor i'm a dead
faint.
What is the matter?" exclaimed
Jack. as he entered. What in the
Eh?"
rhc man sprang from the chest and
made dash for the door. Jack in
stantly seized him, clapped a revolver
to the Villains ear, and i'm no gentle
tone admoniShed him to surrender if
he did not want to die there and then.
The ruflian, seeing that resistance
was of no further avail. Sullenly per-
mitted himself to be bound. He did
not speak word, but his glittcrinC
eyes told plainly of the fury raging in
his heart.
n plentiful use of cold water quickly
restored Hattie TO consciousness, ana
as soon as she was able to walk we
threw on our wrappers and went out
in the hall. where tho burglar lay
prone Oh the floor, securely bound
hand and foot.
81 happened to be passing the house
at the moment and heard your
screams" explained Jack, $50 l made
all haste to see what was the matter.
little expecting to find You in quite so
perilOus fix, though / felt sure YOU
must he in sore need of help. for
never before did l hear such a series
of bloOd-curdling Shrieks as those with
which Hattie has just been favoring
us"
Hattie shuddered. and crept closer
TO strong, courageous Jack. and not
till the next day did we know that the
man we had held captive in the old
oak chest for two mortal hours. was
Nick Billings, one of the most daring
burglars of the present generation
New York Weekly.