The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-09-17

win pleasure, ne SAID, IN InaG
calmly polite way he never forgot.
She smiled as she noticed that he car
ried his gloves in his hand as he would
on the street, and felt unconsciously Of
his necktie to see if il were adjusted
correctly. Dick walked to the head of
the back stairs while she remained in
the parlor peering out, half hidden by
the portiere. He leaned far over and
listened intently.
ttDo you hear anythingw she asked in
whisper.
"Yes," he answered.
She smiled. "What does it sound
Gke?" she continued.
"Like man saving" he answered.
She had hard work to prevent herself
from laughing outright. She had been
in the identical spot where Dick now
stood but moment before, and she
knew that the basement was as still as
the grave. 1t was his frightened inl-
agination, that was all. She would see
the thing out. Perhaps Dick was afraid
after all. She whispered again.
s'Do you want revolver" she asked.
"No," he answered. ''I wouldn't
know what to do with it if had one."
Then she saw him disappear down the
stairs.
She went back into the parlor and
picked up his hat. She smiled as she
noticed how new it looked, just like
everything else he had. Then she tried
it on and stood before the glass Won
dering if it wouldn't make a pretty
riding hat. She remembered that if
any other man were to come back into
the parlor and find her with his hat
on her head he would promptly de-
mand kiss, after the good old custom.
But Dick-no, Dick would never think
Of such a thing, or dare to do it if he
did. Presently she wondered why he
was gone SO long. He wasn't afraid of
the dark after all. He must have de-
cided on very thorough search. She
wished her father would come down
stairs and discover that Dick had done
at least that much in the world. But
no; she could hear her father walking
up and down the room Immediately
above her, thinking of all sorts of things
that he called important, but which
did not interest her at all. She was just
beginning to feel lonely and to wish that
Dick would get through and come back
when she heard dull sound, as though
something heavy had fallen in the
kitchen. There was silence for a mo-
ment after that, and then she heard
great crashing of glass and she heard
Dick call Justify for the police. Her
heart leaped up into her throat. She
wanted to call him to come back to her
as he loved her, but she could not utter
word. She ran to the front window
in her fear and threw it open.
A stockily built fellow who looked
gigantic in the half light of the street
lamps was just making his escape
through the gate and down the street,
while right underneath her, bareheaded,
but still with his immaculate gloves in
his hand, Dick ran after him, still call
ing at the top of his voice for police
man. She saw them go, forty feet
apart, down the street at the best speed
they could make. She saw them disap-
pear from the light of one street lamp
and come out into the light of another
twice, and then she saw the stockily
built fellow wheel quickly around; she
saw little sharp line of fame; she
heard loud report; and then-she
tainted.
It was but half an hour later that a
cab drove up to the coloneps door, and
Dick alighted-not the Immediately
clad Dick that he usually was, but Dick
with bloody handkerchief tied around
his head, and with much dirt on his
trousers, and his necktie all awry, and
with no gloves at all. He did not have
to ring at the door, for it was opened
ere he was half way up the front steps
by the colonel himself, who came out
with his great grizzled hand outstretched
toward him.
II came back to get my hat and over
coat" Dick began to apologize.
mo, you didn't" said the colonel,
shaking his hand heartily. "You came
back to see Millicent. Did you get the
fellow"
"Yes, sir; a policeman caught him
eventually, and he's in the station house
now"
"We'll attend to him tomorrow" said
the colonel. Sin the meantime come in
and see your sweetheart. She tainted,
and I'll tell you right here that if you
expect to wear a hat away from this
house tonight it will have to be one of
mine, for she has Rugged that one of
yours ever since the alarm was given,
and it's rather out of shape"
Millicent, still very pale, was reclin-
ing in an easy chair when Dick entered,
and maid was rubbing her temples.
She looked very much as though she
wanted to cry. Undoubtedly she had
been crying.
"Good evening, Milly," said Dick.
sob, Dick! did he hurt your? she
asked.
''He hit me over the head with some
thing down in the kitchen just as I dis
covered him. But don't worry; the
doctor said it wouldn't amount to any
thing"
And then of course Millicent did cry,
TN. ~,