Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1883-11-14


there, or a skeleton, at the very least.
It's humblg, that old chest"
Just as this reflection passed through
her mind, a whining nasal voice
sounded at the bottom of the little
wooden stairway, which wounl up
like a corkscrew from below.
ANY old clothes to exchange for
beautiful china vases, lady? Any
cold victuals for a poor man."
He was a stalwart, black.browed
fellow, with villainous, slit-like eyes,
and tattered velveteen suit; and
Dotty's heart stood still with terror
for second.
Oh, if she had only obeyed her Aunt
Themis and locked up those DOORS
"No!' she said shortly. "Go away"
Don't be hard on poor fellow,
miss" whined the man.
And Dotty was quite certain that
she saw the spout of Aunt Themis
old solid silver cream jug protruding
from the flaps of his ragged velveteen
pocket. At the same moment, he
began ascending the stairs with
insolent deliberation.
In an ipctopt oil rho 1Dnbto rho
breads, the possibilities, the horrors of
the situation, glanced across Dotty's
mind.
Reuben and Rankin were in the dis
tant meadow cutting grass; the tin
horn, by means of which she usually
summoned them, was hanging up
down stairs at the back of the kitchen
door,
Not neighbor lived within sight or
call \ I'd here she was at this
steanhy faced brute's mercy. Would
he gag hol? 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
Grandmother Buffet?
NO. said Dotty to herself; "for
myself l do not care. But the silver
staH be protected"
With quick glimpse of inspiration,
she advanced toward the 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"
The eyes of the sinister man, who
had 10y this time reached the top or
the stairs, glistened. He promptly ad-
vanced, and bending over the side of
the monster chest peered into its
depths.
Most anything'll work in in my
trade" said he. 81 amt no ways
patickler, 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 other
third into the stuffy recesscs.
The tramp dropped like 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 herep
And flying down stairs, she seized
the old tin horn and blew n blast
which echoed like the "Horn 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 amt twelve o'clocl;
yet"
There's something up, anyhow
cried Reuben, making n grasp at the
linen coat which hung on the nearest
tilberry bush.
Mother amt home, and Dotty is all
alone" exclaimed Rankin.
oval, eff there's anything extraordi-
nary on the carpet" declared Miles, al
amt a-goin' to be left out in the cold"
Up hill and down dale, over log.
bridged streams and across hummocky
swamp hastened the three brave re-
cruits, without loss of time, and
rushed, all abreast, into the kitchen
door.
Dotty stood there, with the broom in
one hand, and saucepan of boiling
water in the other, pale but resolute.
"Dorothyw cried Reuben, "what on
earth is the matter?'
"He's up stairs!' gasped Dotty.
"Who is up stairs?" demanded Ran.
kin as he reached down a loaded re-
volver from the very top shelf in an
odd little three cornered cupboard
"And l think he's kicking through
the side of the chest" falteIed Dotty,
clinging to Rankin's arm.
Je-rusalem" again remarked Miles
Ruggles, under his breath.
Who" persisted Reuben. "N'hat
chest 2"
1.-The burglar" said Dotty. Hes
in the old chest up stairs. tipped
him into it. And, oh, was so afraid
8fterward that he would sulfocate to
death, because he was 50 still for |;
minute or twor
"Astonished. maybe" suggested