The Red Cloud chief., 1886-04-02

Open tha, shutter" said the leader.
porch.
Now this was III. point at which |
had intended TO be heroic. But. very
much To my surprise. ! was not. |
proceeded very quietly and enpcdi-
tiousiy 10 open that shutter. The win
dow proved II be- up. leaving 4 space
# about twelve inches between sash
and sill. Though this aperture l
crawled into the room in obedience ~
a suggestion on the part Of M pal.
trust | shall never again in my life
feel % -~neaking. low-livcd and on
tcmp'ible a, | did when | stood within
tina; room. II seemed Ia mc that | wa,
p~rofaning a temple.
\ star Of the smallest magnitude
burned At IN" tip 81 the ca~j"i. and by
it, dim light | could see that Mis- Mar
vin had lain down on the BID without
undressing and had fallen asleep 20.
Help me in said the other thief.
H. had thrust hi head through the
open place and Va, reaching out n
hand II grasp some mean- Of support.
With sudden determination | raised one
foot and planted square in his face 4
kick III which | managed 10 concrn-
traie and give expression To all my
ioathino for the man a. well a. NV self
contempt and disgust at ny " stu
alton. The result was gratifying. With
a muillcd cry of pain the burglar rolled
of the porch and went plunging To the
ground.
The noise awokc Miss Marvin. who
rubbed her eye. >leepllv. turned over.
and then sat mp. looking at me at first
wonderingly and then terrified. | had
turned the gas up. knowing that this
would brighten away the ihicve, a. ef-
fcctually a, a discharge Of grape--hot.
Mis-, Marvin" said /, please do
not scream Please don't
When | said this | assumed an cN-
preston Of the most tender devotion.
which could not fail. | thought To-
soothc and rca,,urc her.
WHO arr. you2" She answered trcm-
ulou,ly.
Don YOU know me- said, throw
inc still more tenderness into nv cX-
precision.
Then | laughed; for. accidentally
putting my hand Ia nv face - | ,pokr.
| discovered that | still wore the black
mask which my pal" had given mo.
No wonder nv facial contortion, had
been Intellectual. This incident al once
restored my equanimity and brough,
with it a sudden flush of something
like popularity. For = moment | fcl,
that | could enjoy the situation and
even take advantage IF it.
"Miss Marvin said. II beg of YOU
not to be frightened. dropped in
to do a little thicving and
to ask YOU a very important
question. A. lay concealed under
the sofa in the parlor thi, evening |
heard You remark that YOU wcr,. ready
To marry any man who would conceive
of some original method Of popping
the question. Don't YOU think this sit
has the charm Of novelty abou,
it? Can YOU lay Your hand on your
and say there i nothing uncX-
pectci. unhackncycd. spontaneous or
romantic about this form of proposal?
Will ou. u will Won be- mine?:"
Mis-, Marvin looked at me with a
mixture # expressions which it would
be hopeless to attempt to analyze.
What i your name" she ga-pc,i.
Il am Your servant Preston" said |.
with a low bow.
Preston" exclaimed Miss Marvin.
AR YOU Preston
Then To my great a>toni,hm"nt. Miss
arose from the bed. calmly
walked mp 10 where | stood. took me
by the ear and led me- to the window.
You great, eav~c>dropping booty"
said she. III | ever catch You inside
house again I'll scratch Your eyes
nut. New crawl through that hole
crawl-d.
WAS impcrs"natin- Preston. and |
am sure he would have crawlrd had h.
been there.
told my wife the last half Of this
yesterday she was already ac-
luaintcd with the first half and her
only remark WAS that if she had >us-
the identify of the p>rudo-Pres-
on the night of the hnu>c-brcaking she
have retained the ear A. a
memento of his impudrncc. The
nrgy with which she said this caused
me 10 postpone some rather pointed ~
about novelties in proposing.
with which | intended to conclude my
>;ory. and the reader viii have to draw
the moral for himself. -Chicdgo Trib-
,He.
BY MAhASIMsH+-~