Year: 1877

most the same instant he made his move
and before either of them comprehend
ed what was about, had made dive
between them and succeeded In getting
into the office and boiling the door al
most before knew what was doing.
l heard volley of curses hurled after
me, and then knew by the sounds, and
creaking of the door, that both men
were trying to break in. But had nc
fear of their doing that.


1t was of hard wood, well seasoned,
and would resist all their efforts in that
direction.


| put the package In the safe and
locked 1t securely before l stopped to
think what was to be done. Then sat
down to think, whilo could heer the
men talk outside, and knew they were
holding council over the means to be
used to effect all entrance, and obtain
possession of the money had received.


1t was anything but pleasant situa-
ton to be in. Here was |, alone, half a
mile away from any assistance, at ten
o'clock at highland a stormy night at
that-and the probabilities were that ev-
erybody was in bed. If they were not,
no one would think of coming to the
uOpot ~ thut hOuI vi tilc lllRnI.


Outside were two desperate men, who
knew had large sum of money in nv
possession, and they knew if they could
effect an entrance, would amount tn
but little in the way of preventing an
accomplishment of their villainous pur-
pose.


Suddenly thought occurred to me.
The clerk at the hotel where l boarded
had taken fancy to telegraphy, and we
mad put up a wire between the hotel and
the depot.


Why couldn't advise him of my dan
ger and have him send help9


heard sound at the door Just at
that moment which sent tho blood in
great frightened waves all over me. The
lncn had begun to cut away with their
pocket knives.


rushed to the instrument and called
George" What if he should be gone
out or had gone to bed turned pale
at the thought.


But pretty soon response came back
He was there. "Go ahead"


began and wrote:


"I am in danger. Two men are try
ing to gain admittance for the purpose
of robbing the express safe. Send help
Immediately, for Gods sake. Not a
minute to lose"


",Slowly," telesraphed George, who
had not been practicing long enough to
be able to read very we'll.


went over with the message again.
But suppose excitement made my
writing "burred," for again he sent
back word:


"Slower and more distinct. Can't
make it out.'


Good God. Before 1 succeeded In
making him understand me they would
be through the door, thought with a
cold sweat starting out all over Inc.
But went over the message again, and
this time he caught it and sent back a
hurried "All right. Hold out for ten
minutes"


The men wero digging away like
beavers. could see the points Of their
knives once in while as they splinter
ed away fragments of the panels. But
1 know that it would taku them some
time yet to cut away enough for them
to make an entrance through. How |
wished / had pistol.


waited in feverish impatience. Sud-
denly there was crash and one panel
stove in by the foot of one of the men.


"Aha!' he grinned with his leeriny
face at the aperture. "You see we
mean business, don't YOU? What are
you going to do when we get in, eh?'


didn't know. Die, I supposed If
they took an idea to put an end to me
into their heads. Why didn't George
and the help he had promised come? It
seemed to me that thoy had had time
enough to make ten mile tramp.


"We've got the second panel almost
ready to stave In" said the other man,
chuckling horribly over the cheerful in
formation.


"Then, guess, Tom can crawl
t rough. You might as well be openin'
that box of your'n an git out that bum
die we're after. It'll save all on us con-
siderable trouble and time.


Crash, came his foot against the pan
oil and 1t burst into splinters, aud my
heart fairly stopped beating when I saw
one of the men thrust his head and
shoulders through the opening. seized
the poker and struck him over the head
with all force could muster. He roll
ed out volley of terrible curses, but
was master of the situation at that par
ticular moment.


suddenly tnere was sound Of voices
and the man outside cried out that thew
were "nabbed," ani tried to make his
escape. But knew by the sound that
he was caught, and was struggling with
his captors. There were several pistol
shots fred, aud eager cries, during
which the poor wretch in the door made
no effort to escape, but lay there limp
and motionless. l began to fear I had
killed him. I drew back the bolts and
got the door open just In time to see the
other one overpowered, a prisoner In
the hands of half dozen of the boys
from town.


Then we got the man out of the door
He wasn't dead, but he was insensible.
My blows with the poker had been toe
much for him.


bought pistol the first thing next
morning, and was on the lookout fol-
robbers and adventures after that, but
that was the only adventure of any ac
count that happened while staid there
If 1t hadn't been for that telegraph
which George and l had put into opera,
ton, | rather think that ! should have
finished up all my earthly adventures
that night.