Year: 1878

| floor in terrible amazemeut.


Somebody was talking.
crept forward and listened. There
was man in the vault, and light shone
under the door.


While | listened, some one said:


"There is u confounded draft here; did
you shut the door SmithH


Yes, but the wind might have blown
it open


had Just to dart under the staircase
and crouch down, when the door Of the
vault opened and man came out


He crossed the entry, drew two heavy,
noisy bolts, fastened the door by which |
had entered, and returned without closing
the vault door.


could look in by the dim light and
see two men working at the safe locks by
the stream of light thrown from a dark
lantern.


There was the outline of man bound
and gagged upon the floor, but I could
only conjecture that it was Tom, for |
could not see distinctly.


There was nicely Gagged, for it would
be impossible for me to draw those heavy
bolts without attracting notice. And the
bank being robbed, that was evident.
How could prevent it' I could not get
out; | could not reach Tom. Suddenly
remembered the telegraph office on the
second floor. If / could summon help
from C, it was only five miles, and
there was long job for the burglars be-
fore they could open the safe.


l could creep around the staircase! If
one of those busy men turned his head /
was lost. softly crept out on all fours,
slowly, watchfully, and gained the stairs.
Up l darted, blessing my Indian rubber
shoes, till I gained the door of the tele-
graph Office. All was dark there and
dare not strike match.


listened, and then leaving the door
open, groped my way to the well-known
desk and gave the signal for C, |
could hear my heart throb as | waited for
the answer. 1t camel Still working in
the dark, and sent this message:


Burglars in the Baysville Bank vault
Watchman gagged and boundl Can you
send helpa"


Again the agony of suspense in listen
ing, but at last the sound reached me-


"Will send help Immediately"


l crept to the head of the staircase,
afraid the clear ring of the instrument
had been heard in the vault, but no one
came up stairs. The windows of the
telegraph Office faced the street, so re-
turned, bolted myself in safely and sat
down to watch.


The town clock gave one resonant
stroke, breaking the deep silence, and no
signs of life were visible in the long
stretch of road leading to c.. l was
numb with cold, wishing heartily that l
had not left Toms basket under the
staircase, thinking regretfully of my own
cozy bed, when heard afar off the SOUND
of horses feet.


No sister Anne, in Bluebeard's tower,
was ever more watchful than | was
then. Would the burglars take the
alarms


The building made corner of two
streets, and | saw eight mounted men
dash up the road, separate, and while
four dismounted in front, four went to
the rear


The burglars were unprepared for this
flank movement, for while the police in
front were laundering at the main en-
trance, the robbers rushed to the rear
basement door right into the arms of the
police stationed there.
could hear the hubbub, pistol shots
fired, the scuffle of feet, cries, oaths, and
general confusion; and | slipped down
stairs and out of the now deserted main
entrance and ran home.
Everybody was in bed, and went to
my room and had good crying spell,
and comforted my half frozen body in
double blankets, where soon fell asleep.


All this was on Friday night, and I
had no teaching to do until Monday, so l
slept late, but coming down, found all
the family prepared to make heroine of
me.


81 never knew until mother told me
this morning." said Tom, "that 1t wasn't
grandpa who sent the telegraph to C.
BY Jove, Olive, you're spunky, if you are
little.


81 gave up when four of them pounced
on me from one of the upper rooms.
They must have got in during the day
and hid there"


tried to make the Knights promise
not to tell my adventure, but could not.
Before night all Baysville knew how
Olive Hudson caught the burglars. l
was in the office with grandpa, when over
the wires came this message:


"What does Olive Hudson look likel
Everybody in Dryden is talking of her
great exploit"


flashed back.


"What do you suppose such woman
would look likel She is nearly six feet
tall, broad shouldered, and loud-voiced,
a perfect Elephant"


"Was it really yourself, Elephantl'


"Dear Lion, it was"


"Do you know, want to see you. l
am going to New York to day, but I'll be
back next spring"


If he came to Baysville he did not see
me. l ran away in fit of shyness.


In March wonderful thing happened.