The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1884-03-14

mo" said Dotty to herself; "for myself
do not care. But the silver shall be protect
edp'
With quick glimpse of inspiration, she
advanced towards the stumbling fellow will
the sinister face.
"There are some old garments in that bic
chest" said she. You may look at them ;per
haps they will be what you wantr
The eyes of the sinister man, who had by
this time reached the top of the stairs, gisten
ed. He promptly advanced, and bending
overtime side of monster chest, peered into it,
depths.
"Most anything'll work in in my trade
SAID he. 81 amt no ways pa'ticker, be-
cause"
NOW was Dotty's time. AS he bent over
with at least twothirds of his body in the ole
chest, she sprang alertly forward, and bund
led the other third into the stuffy recesses
The tramp dropped like huge overgrowr
kitten into the flannel blankets. In a second
Dotty had the lid shut down, and had turn
ed the key.
"Now I've got you" said Dotty, all tri
umphant though dishevelled. ooh, yes
Kick and pound all that you like, but you'll
not get out until Reuben and Rankin are
here |"
And flying down stairs, she seized the old
tin horn and blew 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'clock yet p
| There's something up, anyhow cried
| Reuben, making grasp at the linen coat
which hung on the nearest tilberry BUSH
mother amt home, and Deity is all alone,
exclaimed Rankin"
oval, eff there's anything extraordinary 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 hummOcky swamps hast
| ened the three brave recruits, without 10 of
| time, and rushed, all abreast, into the kitch-
| en- door,
Dotty stood there, with the broom in one
! hand, and saucepan of boiling water in the
other, pale but resolute.
dorothy" cried Reuben, "what on earth
is the matter ?"
"He is up stairs" gasped Dotty.
"Who is up stars?" demanded Rankin as
he reached down loaded revolver from the
very top shelf in an odd little three cornered
cupboard.
"And think he's kicking through the side
of the chest" faltered Dotty, cinging to Ran.
kin's arm
"Jerusalem |" again remarked Miles Rug
gles under his breath.
"Who - persisted Reuben. "What chest p
"The burglar |" said Dotty. Hes in The
old chest up stairs, tipped him into it. And,
oh, was so afraid afterward that he would
suffocate to death, because he was so still for
q minute or two"
"Astonished, maybe" suggested Miles
Ruggles, under his breath. Il should a. been,
know"
but when he began 10 kick" said Dotty,
with little gasping breath, land swear,
knew he was all right"
81 should think so |" said Reuben, with
lowering brow. "How did the villain get in,
Dotly ?"
"l-left all the doors open" confessed Dot
ty, with conscience stricken air. "Aunt
Themis told me not to; but thought there
was no harm. And l had hardly got up
stairs, when lie came shuffling up, and saw
the old silver milk jug in his pocket. He
wanted old clothes and l told him we had
some in the chest; and when he stopped over
to look, just pushed him in"
Brave little heroine p said Rankin.
"And locked it tight" nodded Dotty.
"The best thing you could have done" de-
"Je-rusalem !" 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 completely bathed with per-
spiration, in consequence of the vain efforts
he had made to get free.
"Come ~ roared Reuben, who was young
giant ofsix feet odd inches, and broad proper
tionately, as the miserable prisoner scrambled
out and stood covering before them, "what
are you doing here?'
"Old clothes in exchange for china vases |"
he family stammered
"Then what are you doing with our silver
milk pitcher and ten forks in your coat peck
ets?" demanded Reuben.
"And what the Jerusalem business hey
you prowlin' round and scarin' the women
foks?" said Miles Rugges, coming vainly to
the front. Here, Rankin, I'll get up the old
one-hoss wagon-your Mas got the shay
an cart the Teller off to Justice Gililand's.
He'll settle him in quick time, | tell we what.
jest Tie the fellows hands, and make him all
ship shape. That's all l ask of your
So the sinister scoundrel, in black velve-
teen, was borne unceremoniously off by stout
Miles Ruggles, as the first stage toward
two years captivity in the nearest states pris
on and Dotty was relieved at last from the
incubus ofhs presence.
First she laughed at Rankn's idea that
she was heroine, and then she cried and
shuddered at her vivid perception of the ter
ror she had endured
"But, Reuben and Rankin" she said, "you
must promise-solemnly now-nevcr to tell
Aunt Themis that disobeyed her and left
the door Open"
And the two young men bound themselves
solemnly ever to keep the VOW of eternal
silence upon the subject
"Since there is really no harm DONE" said
Reuben. laughing.
Except Dotty's fright" said Rankin,
quite seriously
So the chicken fricassee was made, and the
vanilla puffs but the ice cream was postpon
ed indefinitely, and the chocolate cake re-
manned forever a disembedied ideal. And it
took the two young men all afternoon TO
console Dotty
And when Aunt Themis came home, full
of the preacher and the brethren, and the
camp meeting, they all listened in dutiful ST.
lence, and she never once mistrusted that
anything had happened
"But Pm sure" whispered Dotty to Ran
kin, when they went out together to get a
pail of spring water, ait will always be a
lesson in obedience TO me"-Helen Forrest
Gaapes
Antiquity of Nursery Rhymes.