The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1880-12-31

take the wine. II the train was ON time Mr..
Goodwin would be punctual to the minute.
knew he would thank mo for cup Of
strong, hot coffee after his ride. waited.
II only wanted tan minutes Of the time
when he should come, and I was both impa.
tient and nervous. was listening to that
t1res0me pattering Of the reservoir fountain.
). heard footsteps In the sitting.room be.
low; it must be Sarah; but why was she
there3 There was . light In the dining
room, but none in the kitchen, and I could
hear some ono still moving - Tin the hall
below.
Going out into the hall and looking down
from the head Of the stairs, saw the light
shining out from the sitting. room. She
must have left the door open.
/ ran down to the sitting room. The door
was open, and going In, the closet door was
also open. Ny heart was in my mouth, but
stepped quickly 70 the closet. Some one
was ready to drop with terror for mo-
ment. Then my hand rested on the key In
the door. Quick as the thought came to me,
closed the door and locked 1t. The sharp
click OF the lock must have alarmed the per.
son within, for in an instant some one tried
the door. There was muttered curse In .
mans voice.
Mag, you devil! open the door,"
AAsSAO "o0 . 6ACOts VAA AVuA6O Va CVeS
against the wall just beyond the door; in .
moment more drew this against the door
and sat down on it. By this time the trap
ped man In the closet was beating and bang
Ing at the door furiously. I had him Sc
cured for little time fast enough, but what
II there were more down stairs!
That thought nearly took my breath away.
Then my burglar was still for little, and
heard the dining-room door open. Some one
was listening, perhaps. Then the door
closed softly. Ny burglar was still silent.
In secretary drawer close by was fathers
revolver, and had the key. In q moment
more had the pistol in my hand. Every
chamber was loaded, and knew well how to
use 1t. Every Illinois girl does not.
could hear the chinking sound of the silver
ware which some one was handling in the
dining-rOom.
Good luck favored me again. The key
was in the door and on the outside. locked
the door.
Then I fastened back to the burglar in the
closet. He was strangely silent: Then 1
door. He was cutting one of the panels out
of the door.
could not bear to shoot him dead, but
would stop his work on the door. could
tell from the sounds of his feet that he was
standing to one side Of the panel he was cut
ting.
1 sent bullet through that panel, and the
report Of the pistol frightened me more than
the burglar had.
There was a perfect torrent Of oaths. 1t
put out his light, too, for I could see through
the hole that it was not light inside. He was
moving about.
"Caught again, -" he exclaimed.
sat there with my revolver cooked watt
ing for what was to come next. II the bur.
CrIov. toip ro1oaSoH himself oOuI6 I
defend myself against him, too? What II he
was armed!
Oh, if John Goodwin would but come!
And Sarah, where was she!
In less than ten minutes all this had hap
pened, but it seemed an age.
But there was no alternative but to sit
there in an agony of dread, with no other
sound save the horrible, tireless pattering of
the water falling from the fountain in the
reservoir.
Then suddenly window ratified below as
If in the dining-rOOm. A moment after
ward there was sound as ii some person
jumped out. What if he should come in
again? Then let him come; and l opened
the door so that I could hear and see every
thing in the hall. / was desperate.
How many dreadful minutes passed SO
can not tell; probably not many, but the sus-
pense was fairly horrible.
At last there was sound OF carriage
wheels, and they came rapidly nearer. Was
it John Goodwin? Yes. Thank God! At
last!
The sound stopped before the door. 1
flew to the window and raised it, but for my
life could not articulate sound. But
dropped the door key at his feet, and he
looked up in establishment. Then my voice
came:
"Let yourself in and come up quick!'
Then staggered back to my seat on the
sofa. don't think was quite conscious OF
his being in the room until he stood over
me.
"For Heavens sake, Fanny, what has
could only point with the revolver to the
closet.
He saw and comprehended all in mo-
ment.
yctw
tYes."
This last in a whisper.
At that moment there was sound in the
hall: looking up we saw Sarah standing in
the door, her strange eyes flaming.
"Ah ha, Margaret McAffee! This is your
job, is it:'' he cried.
She darted back, but he was too quick for
her. He caught her by the wrists and drag
ged her into the room; she fierce as a tigress.
"Give me the revolver, Fanny" he said,
and in an instant Sarah was quiet as lamb.
"Please go down and ask the driver to
come up with some straps"
1 did us he directed me.
The driver came up presently with sever
al straps, quite sufficient to secure Sarah.
Then the sofa was drawn away, the closet
door unlocked and the man inside made to
step out. When he saw his wife secured
there in the room he took it cOOlly. and
smiled at her-she was crying bitterly.
"They've got us dead to rights, Mag; SO
don't make a fuss over it,"
Then he, too, was secured, and the driver
ran out for policeman.
While we were there guarding our prison.
ers the bell rang and father came; so that
when the officers came there was consid-
cradle gathering. Then they took the pris-
oners away.
+" And how about the bali, Fan? Good
ness, little girl, how white you are" said
her father.
That is all remember of it. Half an hour
later the first consciousness revealed the
fact that some one was kissing my fOrhead,
and chatting my hands in strange, tender
way. It was not father, for he came in a
afterward, with Mary just behind
him, her hands full of restOratives. They
were not needed.
cit is too bad to spoil your pleasure, Mr..
Goodwin, and it is not too late yet for you to
20 to the ball."
" without you? 20 he asked sharply.
"Why, yes; should only have my head
mil 0f burglars and pistols. still feel like