The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1886-03-20

man with a SLOUGH hat pulled over his
eyes materialized from the shadow of
tree not far away and approached
me.
go, it's you, is it ?" said he in low
tone.
eyes, II think so" replied some
what doubtfully.
The thick-set man gave low whistle,
and two other men slouched out of the
shadow and came up.
"All right; it's Preston" said the
one who had addressed me.
knew then they had mistaken me
for a servant OF Judge Marvin, who
had been discharged the week before
on account of some petty theft. I'm
questionably some precious piece of
villainy was on foot. A sudden ambl-
ton to ''foil the villains" rose within
me, followed by another ambition to
take to my heels. As the fence was
behind me and the three men in front,
| gave ambition number one all the
encouragement possible.
you're sureit's Preston?" said one
OF the men.
"Of course it's Preston" replied,
in an injured tore. Suppose | don't
know my own name?"
"We thought from your second let
ter that you were going to weaken,
said the thick-set man.
80, that letter was q blind" | re-
piled, not knowing what else to say.
"Well, see that you don't weaken"
said the first speaker, "unlees you
want the roof of your head blown off,"
T
solved not to weaken, and said as
much.
The thick-set man then leading the
way, we crossed the street, climbed
the fence at one corner of the lot, and
lay down In the grape-arDor. | was
given long, black mask, which | put
on. The others masked likewise.
From the conversation which ensued
learned that LIN the person OF Pres
ton-had arranged the eaten on the
shutter of one of the windows so that
it could be operated from the outside.
My emotions when | discovered that
| had been tamperlng with the shutter
of Miss Marvin's own room can better
be imagined than put on paper.
We lay in the arbor for something
over an hour. 1t was very still. /
could distinguish five separate shores
in the adjoining house. Once a little
child turned over in its cradle, wet it's
lips, gave vent to a plaintive cry OF
Mamma" and slept again.
A policeman sauntered down the
sidewalk within three feet of US, looked
at his watch under the lamplight, and
passed on. AS soon as he was out Of
sight the leader of the party arose and
led the way to the porch in front Of
the house.
It was getting very pokerish for me.
The men seemed to suspect that l was
weakening and formed hollow tri-
angle with me in the center.
"You climb this porch right after
me-" said the leader.
managed to do so, though my hands
| were rather unsteady. The porch was
an open-work affair-a temptation to
any Industrious sneak thief.
"Open that shutter" said theleader,
when we two stood on the roof of the
| porch.
Now this was the point at which l
had intended to be heroic. But very
much to my surprise, | was not. |
proceeded very quietly and expedi-
tiously to open that shutter. The
window proved to be up, leaving a
space of about twelve inches between
sash and sill. Through this aperture
| crawled into the room in obedience
to a suggestion on the part OF my
"pal."
| trust | shall never again in my life
feel so sneaking, low-lived, and con.
temptible as | did when | stood within
that room. 1t seemed to me that |
was profaning a temple.
A star of the smallest magnitude
burned at the tip of the gas-iet, and by
its dim light | could see that Miss Mar
vim had lain down on the bed without
undressing and had fallen asleep so.
Help me In, }" said the other thief.
He had thrust his head through the
open place and was reaching out one
| hand to grasp some means of support.
With sudden determination / raised
one foot and planted square in his
face kick In which | managed to con-
centrate and give expression to all my
loathing for the man as well as my
self-contempt and disgust at my own
situation. The result was gratifying.
With a muffled cry OF pain the burglar
rolled off the porch and went plunginq
to the ground.
The noise awoke Miss Marvin, who
| rubbed her eyes sleepily, turned over,
and then sat up, looking at me at first
wonderingly and then terrified. had
turned the gas up, knowing that this
would frighten away the thieves as
etfectually as discharge Of grape
shot
Miss Marvin" said l, ':please do
not scream. Please don't"
| When | said this I assumed an ex-
preston OF the most tender devotion.
which could not fail, | thought. to
soothe and reassure her.
"Who are your" she whispered.
TREMENDOUSLY.
Don't You know me ?" Isaid, throw
ing still more tenderness into my ex-
preston
Then ! laughed; for, accidentally
putting my hand TO my face as Ispoke.
| discovered that / still wore the black
mask which my pal" had given me.
/ No wonder my facial contortions had
been Intellectual This incident at
once restored my eguinimity and
/ brought with it a sudden flush OF some
thing like popularity. For a moment
I telt that | could enjoy the situation
ana even take advantage OF it.
Miss Marvin, . said, II beg of YOU
not TO be frightened. | dropped in
| partly TO do a ljttlethievins and part.
I " 10 ask you very important cues
ton. As | lay concealed under the
sofa IN the parIor this evening I heard
you remark that you were ready to
marry any man who would conceive OF
some original method OF popping the
/ question. Don't you think this stu
alton has the charm of novelty about
/ II. Can you lay your hand on your
heart and say there is nothing unex-
pected, unhackneyed, spontaneous or
romantic about this form OF proposal?