Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-11-20

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main to BE- murdered, and betook shsms6lyes
to tbs station waiting room.
Through my persuasions Mrs Brown hui
miliaesd herself By relating the case to .
nsighboring friend and urging him to stay
over night in the house; but the man first
laughed 1t her, and finally assured her that
It was his business to protect his wife and
children, and a. she had taken such preciou.
care to persuade the rascal to stay in the
neighborheod in the first place, she must take
the consequences.
Mrs. Brown was so cut to the heart by this
repulse that she positively refused to appeal
to any one else. As to Daddy Cato, he wept
with terror when his mistress suggested he
should stay over night in the house. And
when Mrs Brown asked me if /, too, intended
to leave her, could not, in spite Of uncom-
Portable symptoms about my throat and
knees, find it in my heart to go. agreed to
stay, upon condition Of doing what thought
most likely to insure our safety. Mrs. Brown
thankfully consented, and my first proceed
ing was to entice the Adopted Ono into the
china closet, and the instant her head was
turned to slam the door and lock her in. Re-
gardless alike Of the curses and entreaties
left her to break the china, and proceeded to
lock and bolt the windows and doors.
then drew forth from Mr.. Browns closet
an old fashioned double barreled shotgun,
which Mrs Brown assured me was loaded,
and thrusting it ont Of one OF the upper win
dows, aimed it at the evening star, shudder-
ed, closed my eyes and pulled the trigger.
The gun exploded with tremendous noise,
and recoiled with such violence that sat
down abruptly on the floor; otherwise the
event was satisfactory. I could see the sta
ton agent and the window on the platform
of the depot, and waved my handkerchief re-
assuringly, this being the signal agreed upon
to signify ''all's well" In case of the gun
not being followed by the handkerchief, it
would mean '.an wrong" While had been
busy, Mrs. Brown had conceived the brilliant
idea of spreading the hall table with all her
valuables, SO that in case the count did come
in he would not be obliged to murder US to
find them.
The Adopted One, after having smashed all
the china, had relapsed into shame and sppar-
emily gone to sleep amidst tho debris.
By this tune it was dark, and afraid to
light lamp for fear Of betraying our where
abouts, Mrs. Brown and huddled close to
one Of the windows and watched and listened.
At IL O'Clock we heard the rolling Of wheels,
and Mira Brown was for hailing the passer
by, but fortunately I demonstrated before
| calling. The wagon turned in at our gate
and the moonlight, falling on the face Of its
driver, revealed the-count.
With a decided renewal of troublesome
symptoms In my knees and throat, noticed
| the count coolly drive round behind the shed
room, aight and tie his quadruped He
seemed to expect some ono to meet him, and
called softly, "Marier! Msrier!"
That's the Adopted One, thought grimly.
| Receiving no response to his calls, the
count rstreated to the shed rcom and could
see him removing the furniture into his
wagon, not without difficulty. Having fin
ished his labors, he once more turned his at
| tention to the house, tried the shutters, and,
finding them barred, resumed his calls for
Marier.
| This time he was rewarded by muff1ed
reply from the china closet. The Adopted
| One had nwaiaaned and was again rampant.
! Evidently suspect1ng what had happened
to his "Marier. thu count now went to work
to pry open the front door, which, as he was
we'll aware, had q very weak lock.
The door yielded, was on the point Of Civ
ing way, when I resorted to my last expe-
dent Trembling with agitation, l grasped
my gun, shut my eyes, and thrusting it, as l
supposed from the window, once more aimed
| at the evening star and fred. To my sur
prise the explosion was followed by yell OF
! anguish. l opened my eyes, to find myself
at the door instead of at the window, my gun
pointed directly into the attic, where Mrs.
| Brown had, unknown to me, taken refuge.
| The square aperture had proved too small
for her portly person, and had only admit
ted her head and shoulders, leaving her sub
stantial limbs dangling against the ladder.
My bullet had found its billet in my land
ladys leg.
It took all my strength to extricate her
from her uncomfortable position and sup
port her 10 a bed, and then only did have q
thought to bestow upon the count.
Hurrying to the window, saw him driv-
| ing away with his load of furniture, and
from the opposite direction perceived the
station master hurrying to my assistance.
NV unfortunate shot had had two good re-
sults-it had frightened off the count and
scared the Adopted One into silence. They
each supposed that the other one had been
hit
The widow soon fastened to our assistance.
Together, we cared for Mrs. Brown. At day
light l went to the window, and to my terror
perceived a man standing beneath-making
signals to me. 1t was the count back again.
This time his intentions were, as he said
charitable. He informed me that on the pre-
vious night he had seen a man drive past
him with load Of furniture, which he had
recognised as belonging to Mrs Brown.
Anxious to return evil for good he had
stopped the man and induced him to consen,
to return the furniture for the modest sum OF
twenty dollars.
The astounding impudence Of the mar
commanded my respect, but I would have
resisted the extortion if Mrs. Brown had
not insisted ON its being acceded to imme
diatsly. "Oaly," she groaned, make hin
promise to 60 away and take Maria witt
him"
Both conditions were agreed to, the furni
ture was returned, the twenty dollars hand
ed over and the count, the Adopted One, the
twelve teaspoons, the silver teapot and til.
soup ladle disappeared forever from Black
shire Louis Delarue in Atlanta Constitu
ton.
How Horses Learn Tricks.
Horses, says Professor George Bartholo-
NEW, are a good deal like men: You can train
them to do pretty much what you want.
Nature doesn't seem to have meant them to
! ,,,,,L hut 7 baliava their