The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1886-03-12

HE b gone" walled poor Jennie.
wringing her hands.
'Gone? The scoundrcli and left III
here to be murtiercd"
1T wasn't his fault. Isent him away.
Oh, what shall VIC dop Tho hall door il
unfastcned- There! believe I hear
some one coming up the stairs. No, II
is only imagination. Thank heaven,
this door has q double lockr'
BY this time Sadie had window open
and was screaming murder It the top Of
her voice.
mo one will hear you but our assas.
sins!" walled Jennie, her voice almost
drowned by the shrieks Of the baby,
whose piping treble was piercing in the
extreme.
"Let us set fire to the house!' sug.
gested the frantic young mother.
Somebody may SEQ the light and come
to our rescue"
"Oh, Sadie. that would never do! the
dinner bell in the yard can bc heard
over mile. Twill so out and ring 1t. +"
Jennie had suddenly grown calm and
brave. She felt she was to blame fol-
their unprotected situation, and the
hope that her discarded lover might
hear the bell and come to their rescue
strengthened her limbs Is she hurried
down the stairs, across the yard, and
seized the bell rope.
The alarm rang out in the midnight
air, and tho vibrant tone seemed to
promise protection.
She felt calmer as she retraced her
steps and Sadie. knowing her light
football. readlnitted her to their retreat.
Tom Maxwell was walking modify
up the road that led to his fathers
house, when the distant music Of q farm
bell sounded on the air.
Stranger thought he. 'Is 1t some
ghostly banquet celebrated at mid
night?" But with thrill of anxisty:'
Surely the sound comes from the Kerr
farm house. Something is wrong there"
And turning instantly he retraced his
steps in onc-fourth the time he had ia
ken them, in moody sorrow, few min
utes before.
The house was not on fire, Is he had
feared, but the hall door stood wide
open. Shouting loudly, he was answer
ed in faint. grateful tones; then, almost
without knowing it, he had the fright
encd, pcnitent girl in his arms. and Sa-
die was explaining the cause of their
alarm.
Rcassuring them, he took lamp and
started upon tour of investigation.
The parlor, hall and kitchen revealed
nothing, but in the pantry four innocent
looking tomato cans stood upon shelf,
their contents scattered over the floor
and adjacent furniture.
The mystery was explained. The
tomatoes which Jennie had thought so
snugly put up had taken notion to
see the outer world, bursting their bonds
with a loud report that sounded, in the
silence of midnight, to the overstrung
nerves of poor Jennie like the firing Of
gun.
Tom tried hard to suppress the laugh
which escaped his lips when he an.
nounced the result of his search.
By this time the house was half filed
with the neighboring farmers and their
families in every stage of deshabille, the
first one appearing being Harry Cooper,
who now had Sadie and the baby both
in his arms.
A general shout of laughter arose,
and in the confusion that followed Tom
drew Jennie INTERESTINGLY to the parlor,
which was unoccupied. He closed the
door and pointed silently to the clock,
the hands of which were almost meeting
at twelve.
sin three months" he said, simply.
THAT will do" was the grayely
spoken answer.
And Jennic's downcast eyes did not
see the rascally, triumphant smile quiv.
ering on the lips that pressed a kiss OF
reconciliation upon her blushing face.
lit served you just right" said Mrs.
Kerr. the next morning, upon hearing
Jennie's confession. .And now for
your wedding dress. ''-Bufalo News.