THE LOOTING OF ST. LUCIFER'S.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XX, Issue XVI, 16 April 1898, Page 470

THE LOOTING OF ST. LUCIFER'S.

The rector sat in the cold, gloomy testry ami idly fingered a long list of announcements. Through the halfojten door he could hear the rustle of the congregation as they slowly filtered into their respective jtews. With an impatient sigh he drew on his gown and made ready for the morning service. It was a great undertaking which lay before him—the raising of a church debt. ‘They’ve come to hear the new choir, I suppose.’ was his mental note, as he glanced out over the unbroken row of upturned faces. ‘Well, it’s immaterial, so long as they contribute.' Although the choir was an undeniable attraction, yet the eloquent young rector had been just as effective an agent in filling the spacious edifice. As a matter of faet. it was something of a novelty to listen to a man preaching away a two-thousand-dollar debt; for every one knew that the rector had fairly staked his reputation on raising that amount. Many had come out of mere curiosity, but they were willing to pay for its gratification. Directly after the opening services, the rector made a few remarks, announcing that he hoped to collect the entire amount of their indebtedness within the following hour. Then the vestrymen quietly took up the collection boxes and circulated down the different aisles, while the

choir rendered some especially seductive selections. The music was not allowed to cease until the returns were in and the result handed up into the pulpit. •Five hundred dollars,’ calmly announced the rector, as he crumpled the slip of paper in his hand. And for the next half hour the congregation were treated to such a flow of impassioned eloquence as it was seldom their privilege to hear. They were stormed at and pleaded with; he led them up to the very pinnacle of sublime imagery; he dashed them down on the jagged rocks of stern reality; he annointed their wounds with oii; he girded them up in their self-esteem, and set their feet upon a sanctified pedestal of his own portraying; his voice sank to a suppliant whisper, and when he gave the vestrymen the secret signal for action, there were few dry eyes in the large audience. In absolute silence the collection boxes made the rounds, ami the money flowed quite freely, considering that it was the second attack within thirty min utes. While the last intaking was being

hastily computed, the organist favoured the congregation with a nameless composition of his own. As the last notes of the organ wailed away, the rector’s voice rang out triumphantly: ‘Heaven lie praised! We now have thirteen hundred dollars. Only seven hundred more and —’ ‘lf you will pardon me.’ interrupted a white-haired old man, rising in the middle aisle, ‘I will endeavour to collect the remainder of the debt in short order. Now—all ready!’ As the last word left his lips, he glanced quickly to the right and left, then drew from his pockets two huge revolvers. Here and there over the church men sprang into the aisles with glittering weapons in their hands. There must have been a dozen of them, ami they were so posted as to cover the entire congregation. ‘What sacrilege is this?’ cried the rector, excitedly. ‘Sit down and keep quiet,’ replied the old man. with a flourish of his revolThe stillness of death rested upon the large assembly. Petrified by terror and amazement the people sat with blanched faces and starting eyes. The old man at last relieved the terrible strain by walking up the aisle and mounting the steps of the pulpit. ‘l adies and gentlemen,’ be began, in a clear voice, ‘my time is precious, and I must state the situation briefly. To use an expressive but inelegant term, you have been held up. All the exits are locked and guarded, and my men are distributed over the entire building with orders to shoot every one who attempts to escape. As the ves-

trymen pass the boxes tor the third and last time, you will place therein, not alone all the money which you have left, but also your rings, watches and other jewellery of value. The taking of life is to be deplored at all times, especially so within a sanctuary; but should any one refuse to comply with my request, we must necessarily resort to heroic measures. 1 thank you in advance for your liberality. Gentlemen, proceed!’ Mechanically the vestrymen started on their third round, their faces wearing a dazed expression and their hands trembling perceptibly. With feverish alacrity the women stripped off their rings ami pins, while the men dropped their watches ami remaining dollars into the velvet-lined boxes. Suddenly the rector started up from his chair with a half-audible laugh. Had his nerves given way beneath the terrible strain? Evidently not. for his voice seemed to have a ring of defiance.

‘My dear sir,’ he said, turning to the master thief, ‘it would appear that you have us in your power for a time.

1 trust that it may not be time entirely wasted. What a striking lesson we haxe here illustrated. For example: ‘ “Lay not up for yourself treasures u|*on earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal.” ‘Then again: “Hut know this, that if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief woidd have come, he would have watched and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.” ’ ‘l’m sorry to interfere in any way,' observed the old man, harshly; ‘but you are taking the people’s attention away from the business in band, anti the operations are being delayed.’ The rector sank back in his chair, but as he caught the eye of the vestryman, he made a quick sign by reversing his hand. A moment later the vestryman, by an awkward movement, overturned the heaping box, and its contents were scattered in every direction. With a muttered imprecation the old thief sprang down from the rostrum and fell to picking up the spilled treasure. Almost at the same instant another box. on the opposite side of the church, met with the same unfortunate accident. ‘Curse you,’ cried the old man. bounding to his feet, and unconsciously pushing back his white wig from n curly crop of short, black hair. ‘lf that occurs again. I’ll shoot, and shoot sudden, too.’ During the excitement attending the overturning of the boxes the members of the ehoir saw the rector bowlow over his reading desk, while his lips moved rapidly. At this sight a sudden light broke over their faces. ‘Was he praying?’ whispered a new member to his neighbour. ‘Yes,’ was the cautious reply, ‘and it’s nearly an even bet that he was heard.’ It was nearly noon before the last dollar and gold ring were stowed away and the robbers were ready to retire. With admirable system they drew together, backed slowly toward the door, and made ready for a sudden flight.

‘Wait one moment,’ commanded the ' rector. ‘lf you leave the church now you will simply walk into the arms of the police; for. if I’m not mistaken, they have by this time surrounded the building.’ With a smile of incredulity upon his face the leader of the gang strode over to one of the stained-glass windows and tried to find an opening where he could look out. Being unsuccessful in this he knocked out the beautifully leaded feet of St., Lucifer with his revolver and gazed down into the street below. What he saw was a compact line of bluecoats extending along the whole side of the church. He turned away with a groan, and glanced from the rector to his cowering band of trusties. ‘lt looks as if the game was all up.’ he said, sullenly; ‘but someone will pay dear for it.’ One woman screamed, another fainted. and the sound of hysterical sobbing could be heard on every hand. ‘Some one will pay dear for it,’ repeated the chief robber, and he took preparatory aim at the rector's heart. Then a bright young man rose to his feet and commanded attention. ‘1 have a proposition to submit,’ he began. ‘Let these robbers give up all that they have taken, and let us, in return, permit them to mingle with the crowd, and thus escape from the church without detection. In the name of Heaven, don’t bring about any bloodshed here!’ There was a murmur of assent, broken by some one crying: ‘But the police! What shall we tell the police?' ‘You,’ exclaimed the rector, pointing to the leader, ‘will allow your men to escape, remaining yourself to answer for this crime. You are given this one chance. I warn you not to let it slip!' There was a strange note of menace in the rector’s voice, and the robbers saw their chief tremble and bow his head. ■That'll do,’ he said: ‘let it go at that.' Amid a breathless silence the reetor pronounced the benediction, supplementing a petition that no lives might be sacrificed upon that trying occasion. As soon as he had concluded there was a hurried rush for the door. Dropping their bundles of plunder the robbers took advantage of the crush amt were soon swallowed up in the terrorstricken crowd.

When the police were at last able to make their way into the church they found the rector stretched unconscious before the altar, and the old thief gone. In the vestry they discovered a white wig and beard, while the rector’s silk hat and overcoat were missing. Bushing down to the little rear entranee, the chief of police ques-

tioned the officer on guard, and was met with tiie astounding information t hat the rector had just passed out. ‘Why, you fool, you,’ roared the chief, with tears of chagrin in his eyes, ‘you’ve let “Parson Dick” escape, and there’s a thousand-dollar reward out for him. He’s the slickest criminal in America!’ As the reetor was sitting before hts study fire that evening, nursing a battered head, the maid-servant entered with a frightened look on her faee. ‘Please, sir,’ she stammered: ‘there's a man to see you—and I thought it was you.’ ‘Show him in,’ said the rector. ‘I supposed that you’d have sense enough to be clear of the town by this time,' he remarked to his guest, a little later, as he turned the key in the door and deftly draped a tablecover over the key-hole. ‘Without money?’ sneered the rector's double. ‘How much?’ ‘One hundred dollars is the very least.’ The rector groaned, but going over to his desk, produced that amount.’ ‘Rather inconvenient for a preacher to have a gaol-bird brother, isn’t it?’ said the caller, as he stuffed the bills in his pocket. ‘l'm sorry that I had to welt you on the head, but I was afraid you might object to my escape from the church. By the way, brother, how did you manage to get word to the police?’ The rector winced at the ‘brother,but explained briefly that a small telephone was attached to the front ot his pulpit, for the benefit of an invalid parishioner. He also suggested the advisability of his brother departing at once. Hardly had the rector rid himself of the ‘skeleton in his eloset.’ when bis assistant arrived from conducting the evening service. ‘lt's simply wonderful!’ cried the young man. ‘After they all had claimed everything that was coming to them, there was just an even two thousand dollars left as the morning’s contribution. What do you think of that ?' ‘I think.' said the reetor, with a wan smile, ‘that, as a church-debt raiser, the cold barrel of a pistol is occasionally more efficacious than the heated oratory of a pastor.’