Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1883-12-03

ally summoned them, was hanging
up down at the back of the kitchen
door,
Not neighbor lived within sight or
call. And here she was at this stealthy
faced brute's mercy. Would he gag
her? Would he murder her? What
was to become of Aunt Themis' gold
beads and Reuben's new breast-pin,
besides all the nice old silver which
had descended to them from Grand
mother Buffet?
NO said Dotty to herself; ''for
myself | do not care. But the silver
shall be protected p
With quick glance of inspiration,
she advanced toward TIE shambling
fellow with the sinister face.
'There are some old garments in
that big chest, said she. "You may
look at them; perhaps they will be
what you want r
The eyes of the sinister man, who
had by this time reached the top of
the stairs, glistened. He promptly
advanced, and bending over the side
of the monster chest, peered into its
depths.
"'Most anything'll work in my
trade" said he. 'sI amt no ways
pa ticker, because
Now was Dotty's time. AS he bent
over, with at least two-thirds of his
body in the old chest, she sprang
alertly forward, and bundled the 9TH
er third into the stuffy recesses.
The tramp dropped like a huge
over-grown kitten into the flannel
blankets. In second, Dotty had
the lid shut down, and had turned
the key.
''Now I've got you!" said Dotty,
all triumphant, though dishevelled.
"Oh, yes kick and pound all that
you like, but you'll not get out until
Reuben and Rankin are here p
And flying down stairs, she seized
the old tin horn and blew a blast
which echoed like the 'sHorn of
Roncesvalles" over hill and dale.
Reuben, swinging his scythe on the
side hill, stopped to listen, Rankin
dropped his milestone, and Miles
Ruggles, the hired man, cried out;
"Je-ru-salem it ain twelve o. clock
yet!'
''There's something up, anyhow !"
cried Reuben, making grasp at the
linen coat which hung on the nearest
tilberry bush.
"Mother amt home, and Dotty is
all alone ]" exclaimed Rankin.
''Wal, eff there's anything extraor-
dinary on the carpet" declared Miles,
81 amt a-goin' to be left out in
the cold"
Up hill and down dale, over log
bridged streams and across hum
mocky swamp hastened the three brave
recruits, without loss of time, and
rushed, all abreast, into the kitchen
door.
Dotty stood there, with the broom
in one hand, and saucepan of boil
ing water in the other, pale but reso-
lutte.
Dorothy! p cried Reuben, "what
on earth is the matter?"
"He's up stairs p gasped Dotty.
"Who is up stairs?" demanded
Rankin as he reached down a loaded
revolver from the very top shelf in an
odd little three cornered cupboard.
''And 1 think he's kicking through
the side of the chest" faltered Dotty,
clinging to Rankin's arm.
"Je-rusalem !" again remarked Miles
Ruggles, under his breath.
"WhoY persisted Reuben. "What
chest?''
''The burglar p said Dotty. ''He's
in the old chest up stairs. | tipped
him into it. And, oh, | was SO afra id
afterward that he would suffocate to
death, because he was so still for a
minute or two -
"Astonished, maybe" suggested
Miles Ruggles, under his breath. Il
should a-been, / know"
ssBut when he began to KICK" said
Dotty, with little gasping breath,
'sand swear, knew he was all right. "
''I should think so !" said Reuben,
with a lowering brow ''How did the
villain get in, Dotty?"
cleft all the doors open," con-
fessed Dotty, with a conscience
stricken air. ssAunt Themis told me
not to; but | thought there was no
harm, and had hardly got up stairs,
when he came shuffiing up, and l saw
the old silver milk jug in his pocket.
He wanted old clothes and / told
him we had some in the chest; and
when he stopped over to look, just
pushed him in
sBrave little heroine p said Rankin.
'sAnd locked it tight" nodded
Dotty.
1.-The best thing you could have
done,' declared Reuben, admiringly.
"Je-rusalem p commented Miles
Ruggles, shifting the kitchen table
with one horny palm.
So up they proceeded, in solid
: phalanx, and released the velyeteen
, captive, who was very sullen and COM
Lothol