Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1884-07-10

arxinst the windows. but i was bright
and warm and coy inside, AMI. il It had
not been for thinking Of the trouble
about the mortgage. aud keziah and
'Lisha out in the snow. we should have
been very joily- Dolly and Phiily were
merry enough As it was; they are only
children
Il WAS getting toward nine O'Clock
and Dolly and Philly were growing
sleepy. though they 0aldn't own IT.
We had put some chestnuts on the ire
roast. and they were popping away.
when Dolly gave scream that was
enough 10 make 4 fellows hair srand
No straight. and said she saw man
looking in at the window. l thoaght it
was only the snow whiriing against the
window. OF that she was sort OF drOwsy.
and dreamed il, but the next moment /
saw a mans face-a DARK. evil-lOOk-
ing face-pressed again the window
panel Rob saw il, too
s-SomeDodr who has lost his way,
SUPPOSE he said. cOolly- when he
ff-sls disturbed Rob is ALWAYS particu-
larry cOoi-) He went 10 the window.
and 20 did /. though don't mind own
inc thas stood behind Rob.
The face had disappeared | said
mebbe il was \ ghost. but Rob
s.pshawed'' at that BE dSesn't believe
there are anv snch things The next
moment Phillr, who had run into the
sitting-rOom because he was so fright
ened. screamed that the nlza was look
ing in at the window there.
ssWhy doesn't be come TO the dOOr II
he wants anything" said Rob.
A few moments afierward there did
come a loud rapping at the kitchen
door. which opened directly Out-Of-
doors.
who's there2- demanded Rob.
"a poor belated peddler wantin' n
hitter from the Storm"
/ peeped through the window. and
saw that the man did not have ped
dler's pack upon his back
60 10 Mr. Macarty's. 4 quarter Of n
mile further on. He'll take you in.
said Rob
Sure. it isn't afraid Of the loiks Of
me We areS' said the voice. coaxingly.
s-It's first cousin 10 Dennis O'Reilly
am. and takin' his thrsde now poor
Dennis is gone
Ever since we were babies Dennis
O'Reiliy lad come roand with his pack,
and Aunt Penelope had bought table
linen and lsoes Of him. and keziah her
best dresses, and be had always showed
us children everything he had in his
pack. and given us gay pictures and
bits of ribbon of his muslin We had
mourned old Dennis IS = friend.
III he IS Dennis cousin be must be
al right, said /, and was going 10 un-
bolt the door. but Rob held me back
Il sha nj let nybOdy into the house
tonight he said. firmly.
s.Hurzy up and open the door. me
honevs." said the peddler- '.Bein' all
alone in the house yees needs me topper
fect yees-
.-How does he know but there may
be somebody up-stairsm said 7
Rob looked ihoEghtful and queer. but
be didn't say znything.
'.Wll yees open the door now. and
save me the thrubles" said the man.
aRgrily-
Rob and / looked ateach other then
1T viii trouble him 70 open that
door, said l.
Il was . strong door. and Il had .
good stout bolt on IL But Rob was
looking anxiouslS st the windows.
OF course the man could break pane
Of glass. and urfasten the window. easi-
" enough unless we prevented him. I
seized the poker. Rob rushed into the
hall closet. and brought out Uncle
REfe's old gun But it was seldom
used, and was not loaded.
If could Only get into the barn
chamber. But i would take too long
70 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
mzn's hand some good VT acks II he
tried to break the window Eut. sitter
fumbling away II the door for a little
while. be seemed 70 have given il up.
and gone aNay-
was beginning to draw n long
breath thinking he had taken Rob's ad-
vice. and gone on 10 Mr.. Macarfy's.
when we heard him trying the back
kiichen door. That WIS q strong door.
too. There was \ strong lock in it in
stead of bolt
He won't get in there said l.
But Rob tried TO lock the door be-
tween US and the back-kitcben. The
lock was old and worn out, and il
wouldn't fasten-
Never mind. said ]. .-he can't get
into the back-kifchen nnless he comes
through the key-hOle'' -
'-Hark." said Rob.
There was 4 picking and scraping
sound The key fell ont of the lOck
onto the floor. In another moment we
hezrd the door open. Just as if it hadn't
been fastened az all. and the man
walked in"
be was a big, burly fellow, with a
lot Of black whiskers thar didn't look As
L they grew on his face
''YOu see you might as well have
opened the door. and saved me the
trouble" he said. scowling At us. But
Il doesn't pay TO get mad with such lit
tie rascalS. (He put in 4 great many
very bad words that made il sound
awfullyl- Hurry now. and get me
something ID ear ard drink-the best
you got N the house while / make /
myself comfortable It's not likely that
that hired man of yours will get back to- |
night IN such travelling as this. and if be |
should come / could fix him, Do vou see
that2' he took out Of his pocket n
pistol. and he'd IL very close indeed to /
ROb's head ''N0w you'd bettel mind |
what tell without making any fuss
He hadn't bit of any Irish brogue
now. 50 we knew that mus; have been /
put on, like his whiskers.
He set down his pack. and put his feet
up to the fire. snd lighted cigar. and /
we got him something TO eat. He
looked around and caught sight of
Dolly's silver mug. and Philly's cup.
and ne got up and examined them. and 1
then soOlly slipped them into 4 sort of
pocket on the outside of his pack
That's good. As far as it goes.
Where's the rest? And the money? I
don suppose there's much ! shouldn't
have Sfonnad exrenf m mako rnx-SaIf