The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1885-08-21

until his return
In few minutes he stood painting at
the door OF the house where Cyrus had
gone to watch with his sick friend.
Having knocked and got no response,
he entered immed ately. and made his
way to the sick-room. where he found
a light burning. and pale face star
ing out anxiously at him from the bed
clothes.
Hope l don't disturb you.' he ex-
ella med. I've trapped a burglar!
Where's Cyrus?''
''Cyrus?" said the pale young man.
why. he went home about an hour
ago. Said something about having for
gotten to lock up the granary. He was
going to do that and then come back.
Haven't you seen him?"
The elder Cradliff stood bewiIdered
and speeches. for q moment. then ex-
claimed. giving his thigh a loud slap
with the flat of his hand:
'I'll bet cent I've locked up Cy!'
If any person had been present, rash
enough to accept Mr. Cradliff' S not very
heavy wager, that person would GER
tainly have lost. While the father had
taken his son for q robber. the son had
entertained an equally absurd suspi-
ciOn of his father, whom he was await
ing in the granary with an uplifted
peck-measure. ready to bring it down
upon his head. when the door was
slammed, and he found himself locked
in.
1t was some seconds before, in his
excited state of mind, he was able to
reason out the actual fact of the situa-
ton. BY the time he came to the con-
clusion that it was his father who had
shut him up. his father had gone. Inn
mediately his strain ned nerves began to
relax, and he seemed melting into a
cold perspiration. while CHASTITY
sense of the humor of the thing sue
ceeded his terrified but heroic resolu-
ton.
No use of calling how" he said to
himself. Il ought to have done it be-
fore" The little window was nailed
fast, and could not be opened. '.Never
mind; he'll get help, and a rope. and a
lantern. and come by and by to take
me out / can wait; but-plague on
it," he exclaimed. remembering he was
night-watcher, Its pretty near time
for Tom to be taking his medicine; and
what will he Think"
He settled himself to wait patiently
as possible for his release. and was sit
ting comfortably on bag of meal. in
his dungeon. into which only a feeble
CLEAN of the starlit sky entered
through the narrow window, when he
became aware of somebody stepping in
the barn.
He heard sound like the scratching
of match; and peeping through the
key-hole, saw faint glimmer of light.
All at once it became a flash, and he
had near glimpse of a big brown
hand holding something like key,
and a coarse gray sleeve, close to the
granary door. Nothing more was
visible through the small aperture. and
even that glimpse was lost as the key
was inserted IN the door. But Cyrus
had seen enough to know that the COM
er was not his father.
1t was, in fact. the real barn-breaker
this time; advancing to his work with
out the slightest suspicion that a men,
Der OF the family he was going to rob
was locked up in the granary. Having
fitted his key and extinguished his
match. he opened the door and enter
ed, passing directly before Cyrus. who
was making himself exceedingly small
aga INST the bins. with his peck-meas-
ure-not very deadly weapon-aga n
upl fled.
The man seemed to know where the.
wheat-b;n was. and he was moving
straight toward it in the dark, when,
as his head passed before the little
window. the peck-measure descended
upon in. and he was hurled forward
against the bin; while with the agility
of fright Cyrus rushed out. slammed
the door and locked the burglar in with
his own key, which he secured and
carr ed away.
mrs. Cradliff had arisen and dressed
herself. and was awaiting anxiously
her husbands return in her little
kitchen, with the curtains closely
drawn. and with q lantern lighted
ready for his use. when she was sur
prised to see Cyrus burst in. and still
more amazed to hear his story.
I'VE shall want more help" he said,
taking up the lantern. I'm run over
through the woods and get Joe Ferris.
Tell father to wait till come back
BY short cut across the farm, the
Ferrises were their nearest neighbors;
and Joe was just the fellow, CYRUS
thought, to assist in the capture of the
burglar. He was one of those easy
natured, unsteady, adventurous indi-
viduals known to almost every country
neighborhood, who work well when
they are absolutely obliged to. but
spend most OF their time going a-fish-
ing. or lounging about the mill and
tavern.
Cyrus, lantern in hand, was soon
knocking atJoe's door. and calling him
loudly by name. II was some time be-
fore he got any response, but at last
head was put out Of an upper window.
That you, JoeP" cried Cyrus, hold
Ing his lantern SO that it would cast an
upward CLEAN.
No; what's wanting of Joep" said .
trembling female voice.
Cyrus did his GRAND briefly; he had
caught robber. and wanted joe to
help take him out Of the granary.
I'm awful sorry" said the woman.
ssIrHo ho ~.~n1l n