The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-11-09

ed 10 the SltLlng-rOOm 10 wait IOr MI
| Forbes.
Even in our terror I forgave his
laughter when he came at last and
found the sitting room presenting the
appearance of pawnbroker's shop,
with four disheveied females sitting
about in attitudes of disconsolate fear.
Even ghost stories had lost their charm
for that last half hour. and in silence
had we waited for the football of our
protector. We could laugh little
historically with him in our relief, but
begged him. Just for that night, to take
our property under his own charge.
We should not sleep unless we knew il
was in his room. Lulled, however, by
that security, and tired with the excite.
ment and unwonted late hour, we over.
slept the next morning, and it was two
hours past the usual time that we could
talk over, at the breakfast table, the
terror of the previous night. A little
shame mingled with our daylight views,
and think none of us were sorry that
Mr.. Forbes, having breakfasted at the
usual time, had gone into town. He
would be back at his ordinary hour,
and we did without spoons and forks a,
breakfast and dinner, for he had forgot.
ton to leave behind the key to his secre.
tary.
And then Billy walked in in the after.
noon, and he had so much to tell us that
we could only allude briefly to oul
boarder, and passingly to our excitement
of the preceding night. However, Billy
knew us.
But Mr.. Forbes did not come on the
usual train, and Jack Walcott did. HE
walked straight into the house without
ringing. and greeted us with as little
ceremony as though he had seen rs ev.
cry night for q month, instead of making
one brief call. What had come ovei
Jack in that month we had tried tc
guess, but could arrive at nothing more
satisfactory than the humiliating con.
clusion that Billy had been the attrac.
ton for him, AMI not our charms.
81 have some sorry news for you
about Walter Forbes" he began direct.
ly. 81 thought had better break it to
you gently, rather than have you learn
IT through the papers, knowing how
much you We're all attached to him "
He addressed us all, but his ewes were
fastened on me. '.Embezzled. Alb.
seconded"
"What! -
1t was a fourfold exclamation, and
even the one word had not come till
after full minutes paralyzed pause.
Billy left the room. Something kept us
all from speaking still. We were try.
ing to adjust our ideas of the universe.
Walter Forbes "a No. we could not
say the word even to ourselves.
"Some mistake turned up two OF
three days ago, but nothing was said
about it to him. Experts were set to
work on his books, and it seems he has
been helping himself Systematically for
the last year. He got wind of it some.
how, perhaps over the books last night,
and did not put in an appearance this
morning. A sad pity. Such a nice young
fellow! And it is the seventh case that
has taken place on the street since
spring"
With one accord we took out our
handkerchiefs and began to cry. All! ]
know why was crying. But why in
the world were all the others crying
with equal vigor? Billy had come back.
Give broken open the secretary" he
said. There's nothing there. Will ii
be heavy sentence, Jack, if they get
him? Hope they will. Not so much a:
fork left. suppose it's safe to be ten
years?"
They'll probably get him. All OF
ten years"
Somehow that idea freed our tongues,
and woman-like we proceeded to judge
with our feelings, not our judgment.
"Poor dear fellow" murmured Aunt
Barlow. .'How he must have suf-
fered!"
"You heartless boyr' cried Matilda.
Couldn't you telegraph him, or dc
something's" anxiously.
"You don't mean he's taken all our
things, toop" cried Lou.
Billy added nothing. His face was
shaking. Yet what there was ridicu.
lous in the situation it was impossible
| to see.
"Tll never believe he was to blame.
They have no business to put such
temptation in a mans way. Seven
cases! How perfectly dreadful! Charles
Lamb says there is an end to every
mans honesty, and it wasn't his fault
| if it was too much for him." L said,
warmly, but incoherently.
Jack made no answer. Something,
however, in his face made me feel that
he disbelieved utterly the truth of my
somewhat rambling defense. After all,
was it really Jack Walcott's common.
| -, Al l. L. 1,v
of strength
Yes, the long-looked-for burglar had
come at last. and, as misfortunes are
apt to, in an entirely unforeseen form.
We never saw or heard Of any piece OF
our property again. There was a re.
port that Walter Forbes had been seen
in South America, and was liked and
respected there, And we ate our meals
with plated forks, We're stinted in the
number of our spoons, and had now nc
property to worry over. We never by
any chance alluded to our boarder. BY
common consent his name was ban.
ished from our board and hearth, but
the reason for that consent we never
dwelt upon even to ourselves. Billy, by
the greatest exercise of forbearance his
young soul had ever known, forbore to
speak of him. Only his eyes would
twinkle now and then as they rested on
the bare sideboard. And Aunt Barlow
could not refrain from portentious
sigh when beef stew was set upon the
table. 1t was dish we all grew to
hate.
But, after all. think the thing
mourn the most is my Matchbox
Edith Robinson, in Harpers Bazaar.
1t Was Contempt.