The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-09-03

pOlc1 OF Tree, Wulo Tie lAullly were
gathered in the lower rooms in the
early evening,
Icould not move! There was no
light in the hall outside the room, and
/ could not be seen by the intruder as
/ stood hand on the door-handle,
watching him, and listening in a
dreamy way to the noise of the chill
dren in the nursery overhead.
He was in the room by this time,
and / noticed that his footsteps were
noiseless, as if he had no shoes on, as
he moved across the bar of moonlight
toward the bureau where my mother
always kept her jewelry. i saw a
round patch Of bright yellow light fall
on the keyhole OF the top drawer, and
then heard q metallic rafting. The
thief was picking the lock!
If ! could only scream, or call for
Will!
The drawer opened; the man was
fumbling at it's contents, w-hen-crash!
The yellow patch of light disappeared,
and, with a fearful word, / saw the
man fall, another man holding himl
Then a pistol shot rang through the
room, and echoed up and down the
stairs, and the room was flooded with
light. Somebody had touched the
electric button down stairs and light.
ed the gas.
For a few seconds my eyes were sc
dazzled that / could not see anything.
Then / saw two men rolling on the
floor in a desperate struggle, while a
pistol lay just out of their reach. The
man underneath, with his closely-fit.
ting plush cap, was scowling at me, as
he tried to release himself, and
thought / could see murder written on
his thin lips and short, turned-up
nose so plainly that / should have
been in favor OF hanging him on the
spot.
But who was the other man, hold.
ing the thief with a grip of iron, as
each tugged and writhed in the at
tempt to subdue the other? Surely
that was the bow of a white necktle
at the back OF his neck! That was a
dressing-coat with the tails spread out
like the wings of an eagle, or / was
much mistaken
In the battle just as Will and my
father reached the room and rushed
ed passed me, the combatants rolled
over, and q very red face, which,
however, was anything but sheepish
now, was turned toward me. Theface
of-John Bentonl
Will had the thief by the arm in a
few minutes, while John Benton lay
painting on the floor.
Then it was that / saw a great red
stain on the white shirt bosom.
1t was blood!
Somehow | forgot all about the
thief, Will, my father-everything, as
| threw myself down by the side oil
John Benton and pressed my hand
kerchief over the stain.
"Johnl John! What is it? Where
are you hurt? Oh, father, he is
killed." | screamed. "What shall
dor"
/ will never believe again that John
Benton was ever bashful, for he Just
put one Of his hands on the back oil
my head, pulled my face down to his,
and whispered:
'Do just what you are doing now,
and as you have commenced to call
me John, do it all the rest of your
life, and let me call you Lou
There was a sudden disturbance
The thief had broken away from Will
The poplar tree shook violently, and
Will said, as he put his head out oil
the window:
"Well let the rascal gol It will
save a good deal of trouble. All
there is his pal, who was on guard.
They arr both running as if the whole
detective force were at their heels"
Then, turning to John: "How are
you hurt, Mr.. Benton? You don't
look as if it were serious"
"It is not Serious" said John, sit
ting up. THAT fellow cut his hand in
some way while opening the drawer;
and ne rubbed the blood all over my
shirt; that's ALL"
! bit my lip and gave John a look
that should have frozen him. 1t did
not have the proper effect, however,
for he followed me upstairs to the
nursery, where the racket of play had
rendered the children oblivious Of the
disturbance below. AS he took Stella
on his knee he said:
do you know, Stella, you made a
tremendous hit with your song? You
must sing Birdie on a Tree for us
again. Will your"
LESS, / viii sing it for you, but you
must tiss Lou for me now. She has
diven me lots and lots of tandy, and
she is awfully dood."
eyes, | think SO" said John. sAnd
I'll tiss her for YOU"
And he actually did it.
Moreover, he says now that it is his
privilege, and l suppose, under the
circumstances, he is right.
AlIudino t0 Mrs Harrinf Raachay