The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1881-02-17

The mice kept up Q continual clattsr,
but over and above it began to hear
noises outside. There was Q crunching
OF the gravel rs under some heavy
tread, and under the window I heard
mems low voices. I jumped up and
went to the window.
"Hush, hushr" said one voice. 'She'n
take a fit if she hears US. Wen haveto
creep in quietly"
"You 60 through the hail." the other
voice answered. 'ru take shorter
cut, and climb up here. I know the
shutter has no fastening"
Like lightning I remembered the in
spection the tramp had made of the
vine. 1t was he and an accomplice
with him. Girls. was horribly fright
ened, but I did not lose my senses. 1
for the other ruffian would be there in
would Claire and Nina bep
determined to sell my life as dearly
as possible. but though I CROPPED about,
/ could find no missile but the pitcher
and basin, and two heavy candlesticks.
1t was starlight night outside, but
dark as pitch within.
My heart was in my throat when /
heard kind of scramble among the
vines, a low laugh. and an exclamation.
"By Jingo! it's q tougher job than ]
bargained forr'
lheard him step over the railing OF
the balcony, and then saw the shutters
open, and the figure of man sharply
defined in the dim light. I grasped
the pitcher, and threw it with all my
might; and you know. girls, I'm great
on hitting . mark.
hardly know what happened. !
heard the man say, "Thunderation!"
and make a rush back to the balcony;
but tell you, everything threw at him
went as straight as an arrow. and the
candlesticks hit him on the head as he
was striding over the baluster.
There was another /" "Thunderationr'
a good deal louder than the first, and
then heard q crash and knew my bur-
glar hadn't stopped to count the rounds
Of the ladder. 1 had settled him. that
was certain. Then lost all control of
as loud as the veriest coward. threw
open my door, few down the corridor,
screeching at every step, not thinking
of the burglar in the house. I got
Claire's door open, and you may guess
what rumpus followed. don't know
which screamed the loudest. Claire,
Nina or I. but our united voices must
have been terrific.
In moment or two, q man appeared
on the threshold. 1.-THE other bur-
glarr' cried, seizing chair and let
ting it fly at him.
"Oh, good Mr.. Burglar. don't MUIR
der us! You can take anything you
want" sobbed Claire, falling son her
knees and hiding her face with her
hands.
"You little gooseyr' the man said,
advancing in the room, and then a bot
tie of essence 1 had seized from the
table hit him plump on his shirt-bosom.
care you all mad?" he cried. "Hold
on! Claire. Claire, don't you know
me?n
MAX, MAXI was all I heard, and
then saw her fly into his arms, and l
sat fat down on the floor, for my
strength had gone.
Claire was SO hysterical she could
give noexplanatiou- "Ask Mag, she
can tell you," was all she said.
Miss Bradford, presume" he
said, smiling at me, "though I didn't
expect the pleasure of meeting you un-
til tomorrow. We've had very sharp
iAtAoOuCttOhs IuoolhS Ills CucSbv anu
I'll be much obliged If you'll tell me
what you were screaming about, and
why I should be met as If / was q bur-
glar."
Because one did climb up into my
room, and - .s.
was interrupted by burst of
laughter.
..It was Charlie" said Mr.. Gordon
HE decided to return with me, and
not expecting Miss Bradford until to-
morrow. climbed up into his old quar-
ters. The impatient fellow wouldn't
wait until the door was opened. de-
clare, this is capital joker and he
fell in chair. and laughed uproar-
iously.
Isprang to my feet. and I can tell
you, my heart was in my throat. 'tMr.
Gordon. Mr.. Gordon" 1 stammered,
I'm dreadfully afraid I've hurt him
with the pitcher and basin and candle
sticks! I think he fell through the vine,
too. for heard crash"
Seriously alarmed. Mr.. Gordon caught
| up the lamp and ran down stairs, Claire
following him. remembered had on
nothing but a night gown, but stood
at the head of the steps until heard
the hall door open, and then q confu-
sion of voices. At last Mr.. Gordon
laughed. and heard him say:
"By Jove. old fellow! she nearly fin
ished you, though, didn't sheP She's
spoiled your beauty for awhile. and look
at my shirt-bosom. She's left her mark
on u.s."
Putting my fingers into my ears. !
fled to my room. crept into bed,
utterly wretched and humiliated. !
| hol IL al
surely. In few minutes, Claire stood
by my bedside. but by her voice. could
see that she was trying to restrain her
laughter.
"Charlie's all right. Mag" she said.
"and you mustn't worry. He deserved
all he got, for coming upon you in that
way. But, oh, such face as he hasr'
And then she laughed long and loud.
"His nose is as big as an orange, and
he looks as IL he had been pummeled
by q prize-fghter. Go to sleep, dear.
You won't need an Introduction to
Charles tomorrow. did mean you to
strike him. make deep impression, but
you've surpassed my expectations"
You may imagine, girls. I didn't close
my eyes that night. But the worst was
going down to breakfast the next morn
ing. Mr.. Gordon was very kind, and
tried to put me at my ease, but his
brother was pretty stiff. and his face,
scanned by sticking-plaster. looked like
q rainbow.
think he tried to be agreeable, but
of course he must have hated me; and
when something was said jestingly
about my bravery, he laughed in an un.
pleasant, ironical manner, and said
' Miss Bradford's shrieks were courage
ously loud" .-.-
The man who frightened US had beer
hired by Mr.. Gordon for . gardener
He was poor, half-witted fellow, but
uadsrstood his business thoroughly.
You asked if I had q pleasant visit aftel
that. Yes, when Mr.. Charles Gordon
had departed.
Now. girls, I tell you have no repu
tation for bravery to UNFOLD / find