Holbrook argus., 1909-11-09


 to the pole, then carefl lilly crept across the bridge thus formed and disap- peared through the window.
 Prindle fetched a low whistle and looked all around. "Whewi" he half whispered, this is interesting and no mistake! That chap has gone into a room above the bank! Must be he's figuring on getting down into the vault roomi"
 He stood in silence, looking up at the window and listening The slow. soft rasping of some sort of instru- ment came to his ears Placing his his hand on his hip pocket to see if the little pistol he carried when out late at night was there, he slipped of his shoes and began climbing the pole. Slowly and carefully he drew himself up until his hand was on the strap of the ladder, tEen he paused. The rasp- ing noise had ceased.
 If that fellow hears me he will likely come to the window and shoot ne in the face,' was Prindle's thought. lie hung perfectly motionless for a ti-e, hearing nothing louder than the tong beating of his heart. Then the a.Iing sound began again.
 Immediately the lineman drew him eff higher. Then, taking his pistol il rls hand, he crept warily across the 6; bridge and in al the window. Let Eg hin self down on the floor. he ;ta3d ztill The rasping sound came -iC.l closet at the back end of tn ,oo:a
 He is saving through the floor with 5a expectation of working his way -.rcush the brickwork covering tn 9r of he bank vault" was Prindle's ae2 ai CC1 ment.
 W.ta i.s ol ia hand he began star- 'n- rra.tIly toward the closet. but c board Tn the nuur crtaAUl --i4 the muI- fi2- noise of the s2Y slI5eply ce2s-,;. ,'lA lne-Ean held his breath a.;s.y K nd Cf da- kness fl'ed jAe rGc2. ii.e oon's radiance being Iefectsd d.m.y from the oppo-ite wall of the a, y. Al is Gnt later he saw the door Cf the c.cset pushed open and the outline Cf a human form rising in the opening To the burglar the dim and i'm ! room must have seemed frightful Had | Prindle not spoken it is possible the robber would have fallen on his knees, thinking he was confronted by spirit, 1 but when Prindle said quietly, though with distinguishable tremor of ex- cltement: Throw up your hands, mis- ter, or I'll fire" a sudden fury of en- ergy moved the man. He came across the room in one long leap and struck against Prindle like bolt The line man went against the wall with a thud and the pistol struck the ceiling and exploded. The burglar whirled round and disappeared through an in her door leading into the passage way.
 Prindle hastily felt about the floor for the revolver, but the weapon not meeting his hand at once he rushed after the burglar His blood was on fire with anger. Listening an instant, . he heard feet flying up the stairs above him. Apparently the robber had planned to escape to the roof and slide down rain pipe into the dark alley at the rear.
 Prindle sprang up through the roof hatch as the man crossed the almost flat roof toward the rear, and caught him as he reached the low parapet wall at the roofs edge.
 The robber was of larger and heav- fer mold than the lineman, and was desperate. As they grappled he tried to draw knife from his pocket, but Prindle clutched those awful fingers of his into the mans throat and trimmed him backward Tbav fo11 +O