Year: 1879

had been successfully forced, and that
the robbers were then actually in the
house.


rctreatcd to the shelter Of my little
room. locked and botcd the door, prey
to my worst apprehensions. | remem-
bered the cruelty Of these masked men,
and knew that if they not murder me
outright they would by binding and
gagging so torture me as to make even
death itself desirable


OF one thing l was satisfied, that the
safety of the robbers depended upon my
being secured, and to achieve that result
would be their first object. If | had a
weapon so that | could have made an
effort to preserve my life, l would then
have been contented, but the idea of an
unarmed boy being thus left to the mercy
of these unfeeling ruttians almost drove
me to distraction.


/ heard their footsteps ascending the
stairs, and l proceeded to barricade the
door, when a thought flashed across my
brain. How was it that it escaped me
so long2 The carrier pigeon that | had
lust received from Uncle Toby Il
would release with a message; it would
return to Uncle Toby's, and | would be
saved, and the robbers foiled in their
search for plunder


| wrote a message hurriedly, secured
it to the bird, which l placed upon the
window.sill, when, after a moments
hesitation, it assembled skyward, and when
it passed from my sight was flying like
the wind in the direction of Uncle
Toby's. The message read as follows:


''UNcLE ToBY-The house has been
entered by six masked burglars. Come
Immediately. Bob"


Scarcely had the bird started on its
homeward flight when the robbers
reached my door and tried to force it;
but / had pushed my bedstead against
the door, and with my personal efforts
to prevent them from entering, | had i'm
provised barricade that promised to re-
sist all attacks made against it.


The prolonged defense was making
incensed and exasperated the fellows to
such degree that they poured forth
threats of vengence upon me. Their
patience became exhausted at last, and q
pistol shot which grazed my cheek
warned ME of the danger of my longer
in that position. Ithad been
fred through the panel of the door.


/ rushed to the window and gazed out
upon the lawn below. The distance
was great, and it seemed to me that,
while torture awaited me if captured by
the robbers, there was certain death in
leap from the window.


What should l do? The distance to
Uncle Toby's house was but five miles,
which the pigeon must have covered by
this time But suppose the bird should
not be discovered9 Suppose Uncle
Toby had gone to his room for the night,
and my message would not be seen and
read before morningl The very thought
was so agonizing to me that refused to
entertain it.


All this time the fellows were working
at the door. The bolt was forced, and
slowly but surely the barricade was
yielding to the power outside. 1 saw
masked face peer through the opening
thus made, and the glimmer of the dark
lantern from outside. I could remain
no longer. Death itself seemed prefer
able to the uncertainty of my fate at the
hands of these desperate fellows.


/ rushed to the window, and, without
hesitation, 1 jumped. 1t seemed to me
to be lifetime before l struck the
ground, and when / did, l rolled over
upon the grass, temporarily paralyzed
from the shock 1 had received. When
| attempted to rise, the grip of an iron
hand pressed my throat, and l felt the
cold steel of pistol as it was pressed
against my temple.


To resist meant death. The house
was surrounded. l held my peace while
the robber proceeded to bind me; for
whenever I displayed any restlessness
that cold steel was pressed against my
head. The only struggle I made was
when he attempted to insert gag in my
mouth; but I had to submit, for / re-
ceived blow from the butt of the
fellows pistol that multiplied the stars
that saw in the heavens a hundred
fold.


Completely discouraged, | cave nv