The Virginia enterprise., 1910-09-30
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NEILY'S ROBBER
By DONALD ALLEN

The telephone Office at Bound Brook
closed at midnight. After that hour
the villager who wanted the doctor, or
the farmer who wanted to inquire
what the price of potatoes would be
next day, had to depend on other re-
sources. Miss Nelly Hampton, daugh-
ter OF widow whom everybody in
the village knew and respected, was
one OF the two operators employed.
One week she would be on day duty,
and the next week at night.
The telephone Office was opposite
the post Office, on the main street of
the village. After ten o'clock very
few persons were astir, and there
were so few calls that the night girl
could put in most of her time with a
book or her fancy work.
On this particular night, the month
was June, the weather balmy, and the
as day. 1t flooded into the Office until
there was no need of a lamp. Miss
Nelly turned out the light and sat by
the window. After half past ten
o'clock the village grew so quiet that
she became drowsy and might have
1ndulged in cat-nap had not her half
closed eyes suddenly lighted on man
walking in the middle of the street
He had rubbers over his shoes, and
moved as noiselessly as ghost.
Leaning out of the open window.
the girl saw the stranger pass along
for block, and after a halt of three
or four minutes turn and retrace his
steps. She drew in her head and
moved back little and presently she
saw him at the front door of the post
office. 1t was the village post Office
and grocery combined, with its win
dows defended by wooden shutters.
The man left the shutters alone and
gave all his attention to the door. It
was certain that he was a robber, and
the girl found herself trembling as
she watched. There was no watch
man In the village, and the constable
had no telephone in his house. The
county sherif was at Medina, eight
miles away, and even If the girl called
him up he would be too late.
The fellow had the door open in five
or six minutes and had disappeared in
side. The night was so still that the
ring of a telephone call would reach
his ears, in which case he might
come running out and take revenge.
He had only to come up an outside
stairway to be in the Office On
table in the room sat a glass bottle in
which the other girl had brought cold
tea for her lunch.
Miss Nelly promptly picked it up
and hurled it through the open win
dow half way across the street. It
fell on the gravel and made great
smashing noise. The sounds reached
the robbers ear, and he came out on
the run and was soon out of sight. He
had had no time to steal anything, as
an examination next morning showed,
but the sheriff came over to see about
It,
Dick Strothers was not yet thirty.
He had started in law, but the reform
ers had nominated and elected him
sheriff almost against his will. 1t was
necessary for him to interview Miss
Nelly and when he found her so pretty
he secretly congratulated himself on
having this opportunity. 1t took only
fifteen minutes to obtain all necessary
information, but still he fingered. The
girl had described the robbers height
his prytng open the door-his pan.
icky departure and her own feelings,
but the sheriff looked as wise as an
owl as he said:
very clear-very clear, but we
must not neglect the slightest clue,
you know. Did you notice the color of
the mans eyes?'
He was too far away"
Just 80. Did he have limp"
Il can't say that he did"
"And you are sure that he was a
stranger?'
Il didn't recognize him, but it may
have been some resident of the village
in Disguise"
''Just so, Miss Hampton-Just so.
You have been very lucid in your de-
scriptions. but I may have to see you
again"
When he had departed, Miss Nelly
wondered why he would have to see
her again and the thought was rather
pleasant than otherwise. In a couple
of days he brought a lame old tramp
over for her to Identify The Weary
couldn't have run a rod to save his
neck. No; he was not the man, and
he was turned loose and told to go
west and found town! This was not
all, however.
Would you say that the robber had
had the idea in mind for some time ?"
blandly asked the sheriff.
Miss Nelly couldn't be sure.
did he have on goggles or only
plain spectacles?"
She couldn't positively say.
did he have a finger or thumb
missing from either hand?"
He might have had.
His eyebrows? Did Miss Nelly no.
tice them particularly? If the right
man. with the right eyebrows, be
brought before her could she identify
him and them?"
She was doubtful.
Very we'll. Miss Hampton. You
have given me many valuable clues,
|but it is possible that I may have to
icall again. must compliment you on
your GOODNESS and bravery"
Why should the sheriff want to
come again? The girl asked herself
the question. recalled what a manly
man he was. and then. looked into the
mirror and blushed trifle. Then she
said to herself that it was his duty to