Dodge City times., 1884-07-10

AIuer tney were I3lTlN OUT OI tuc NdTu
Keziah made 'Lisha drive back SO she
could call to us not to get blown up
with the gunpowder and shot that was
up in the barn chamber. We never
went up in the barn chamber, and the
ladder was broken, anyway, but that
was just like Keziah.
1t was night before they were off.
Rob and Invent around and fastened all
the doors and windows securely. Then
we made up rousing fire in the kitch-
en-, and made molasses candy and
cracked nuts. ard popped corn, and
roasted apples. The wind was roaring
and whistling. and dashing the snow
against the windows, but it was bright
and warm and coy inside. AMI. if it had
not been for thinking of the trouble
about the mortgage, and Keziah and
'Lisha out in the snow, we should have
been very Jolly. Dolly and Philly were
merry enough as it was; they are only
children.
1t was getting toward nine o'clock,
and Dolly and Philly were growing
sleepy, though they wouldn't own it.
We had put some chestnu,s on the fire
roast. and they were popping away,
when Dolly gave a scream that was
enough to make fellows hair stand
up straight. and said she saw a man
lookin in at the window. thought it
was only the snow whirling against the
window. or that she was sort of drOwsy,
and dreamed it, but the next moment 1
saw mans face--a dark, evil-look-
;,.r ,,,o-c,I avail, hn ,l<>,v
pane. Rob saw it, too.
Somebody who has lost his way, l
supposr,'' he said, coolly. (Whcn he
feels disturbed Rob is always particu-
larly cool) He went to the window.
and 30 did l, though don't mind own
i'm that | stood behind Rob.
The face had disappeared. 1 said
mebbe it was ghost, but Rob
''pshav;ed" at that. He doesn't believe
there are any such things. The next
moment Philly, who had run into the
sitting-room because he was so fright
ened. screamed that the man was look
ing in at the window there.
"Why doesn't he come to the dovr if
he wants anything?' said Rob.
a few moments afterward there did
come a loud rapping at the kitchen
door, which opened directly out-of-
doors.
Who's there?" demanded Rob.
"a poor belated peddler wantin' a
shilter from the Storm"
l peeped through the window, and
saw that the man did not have ped
dler's pack upon his back.
$50 to Mr.. Macarty's, quarter of a
mile further on. He'll take you in,"
said Rob.
Sure, it isn't afraid of the loiks of
me We are?' said the voice, cOaXingly.
'It's first cousin to Dennis O'Reilly
am, and takin' his thrade now poor
Dennis is gone"
Ever since we were babies Dennis
O'Reilly had come round with his pack,
and Aunt Penelope had bought table
linen and laces OF him, and Keziah her
best dresses, and he had always showed
us children everything he had in his
pack, and given us gay pictures and
bits of ribbon off his muslin. We had
old Dennis as friend.
..If he is Dennis cousin he must be
all right said |, and was going to un-
bolt the door, but Rob held me back.
Il sha n t let nybody into the house
tonight" he said, firmly.
Hurry up and open the door. me
honeys,' said the peddler. 'Bein' all
alone in the house yees needs me to per-
tect yeeS.'
How does he know but there may
be somebody up-stairS" said l.
Rob hooked thoughtful and queer, but
be didn't say anything.
''Will yees open the door now, and
save me the thruble?" said the man,
angrily.
Rob and looked at each other then.
at will trouble him 10 open that
door, said !.
1t was strong door. and it had a
good stout bolt on it But Rob was
looking anXiously at the windows.
or course the man could break a pane
of glass, and unfasten the window, easi-
ly enough unless we prevented him. l
seized the poker. Rob rushed into the
hall closet, and brought out Urcle
Rufe's old gun. But it was seldom
used, and was not loaded.
If could only get into the barn
chamber. But it would take too long
to climb up he said.
He stationed himself at one window
with the gun, and stood at the other
with the poker, all ready to give the
mans hand some good WI tacks if he
tried to break the window. But, after
away at the door for little
while, he seemed to have given it up,
and gone away.
was beginning to draw 4 long
breath thinking he had taken Rob's adj
vice, and gone on to Mr.. Macarty's.
when we heard him trying the back
kitchen door. That was strong door,
too. There was strong lock in it in
stead of a bolt.
He won't get in there" said l.
But Rob tried to lock the door be-
tween us and the back-kitchen. The
lock was old and worn out, and it
wouldn't fasten.
Never mind" said /, ..he can't get
into the back-kitchen unless he comes
through the key-hole ~
'Hark!" said Rob.
There was a picking and scraping
sound. The key fell out of the lock
onto the floor. In another moment we
heard the door open, just as if it hadn't
been fastened at all, and the man
walked in.'
He was big, burfv fellow. with a
ot of black whiskers that didn't look as
f they grew on his face.
"lou see you might as well have !
,penel the door, and saved me the !
,rouble." he said. scowling at U.S. '.Bu. |
t doesn't pay to get mad with such lit
'lc rascals." (He put in a great many
7ery bad words that made it sound |!
swfully). Hurry now, and get me
to eat and drink-the best !