Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1892-09-09

49, "h0"piON i'iChS uOu UIlluh
I'm afraid of the dark. don't know
about anything else, for don't believe
| ever had anything to be afraid Of"
Millicent sighed again very softly to
herself 1t was rather hard state of
affairs. Here was the man she wanted
to marry; just the kind of man she,
with her imperious ways, could get
along with beautifully; a boy whom
she had known all her life; whose
father had been her fathers friend;
whose mother had been her dead
mothers friend; and man, too, whom
she loved-and always had-since she
was little girl in short dresses and he
a boy in knee trousers, and they could
not get married because, in the eyes of
her father, he didn't amount to any
thing Would he ever amount to any
thing? What did she care? Was he
brave and manly? What did she care?
Was he brave and manly? The ques-
ton gave her an inspiration. 1t
wouldn't be much of trial, but it
would at least be little bit of fun;
and all they had done in all their court
ship was to sit on opposite sides of the
parlor and talk to each other. She rose
and went out into the hall. Dick eyed
her as she went out, but he never
questioned anything she did, so he said
nothing. She walked back to the stairs
leading to the basement and looked
down. Everything was satisfactorily
dark. The light in the lower hall had
been turned out, and from this she
knew that the servants had gone to
bed. 1t was nearly midnight she no.
ticed by the dining-room clock. With
satisfied smile she walked on tiptoe
and with great pretenso of fright
back to the parlor. ga
"DiclS," she said, in whisper that
seemed quite terrified, 81 heard some
one downstairs, and I'm afraid it's a
burglar. Would you just as lief go and
see?"
"With pleasure" he said in that
calmly polite way he never forgot.
She smiled as she noticed that he car
ried his gloves in his hands just as he
would on the street, and felt uncon-
sciously of his necktie to see if it were
adjusted correctly. Dick walked to the
head of the back stairs, while she re-
manned in the parlor peering out, hall
hidden by the portiere. lie leaned far
over and listened intently
'Do you hear anything?" she asked,
in whisper
Yes" he answered.
She smiled. "What does it sound
like?" she continued.
Like man saving" he answered
She had hard work to prevent herself
from laughing outright, She had beer
in the identical spot where Dick now
stood but q moment before, and she
knew that the basement was as still az
the grave. 1t was his frightened i'm
agination; that was all. She would SEE
the thing out. Perhaps Dick was afraid
after all, She whispered again;
do you want a revolver she asked
NO." he answered. 81 wouldn'
know what to do with it if ] had one.
Then she saw him disappear down tn,
stairs.
She went back into the parlor ant
picked up his hat She smiled as sh,
noticed how new it looked, just lik,
everything else he had. Then she trict
it on, and stood before the glass won
dering if it wouldn't make a prett,
riding hat. She remembered that i
any other man were to come back int,
the parlor and find her with his hat Oh
her head, he would promptly demand
kiss, after the good old custom. Blu
Dick-no. Dick would never think o
such thing, or dare do it if he did
Presently she wondered why he wa
gone so long He wasn't afraid of tn
dark, after all. He must have decide
on very thorough search. She wishe
her father would come downstairs ant
discover that Dick had at least don
that much in the world. But no; sh
could hear her father walking up an
down the room Immediately above hel
thinking of all sorts of things that h
called important, but which did not in
terest her at all. She was Just begir
ming to feel lonely, and to wish tina
Dick would get through and come back
when she heard dull sound as thong
something heavy bad fallen in tn
kitchen, There was silence for me
ment after that, and then she heard
great crashing of glass, and she hear
Dick calling Justify for the police. lie
heart leaped up into her throat. Sh
wanted to call him to come back to her
as he loved her, but she could not ute
word. She ran to the front windoy
in her fear, and threw it open. !
stockily built fellow, who looked gigan
tic in the half light of the street lamps
was just making his escape through TIL
gate and down the street, while RICH
underneath her, bareheaded, but sti
with his immaculate gloves in his hand
ran Dick after him, still calling at tn
top of his voice for a policeman. Sh
saw them go, forty feet apart, down tn
street at the best speed they coul
make. She saw them disappear fror
the light of one street lamp and com
out into the light of another twice, an
then she saw the stocllily built fello,
wheel quickly around; she saw littl
sharp line of flame; she rear
loud report; and then-she tainted
1t was but half an hour later that
cab drove up TO the colonels door, an
Dick alighted-not the immaculatel
clad Dick that he usually was, but Die
with bloody handkerchief tied aroun
his head, and with much dirt on hi
trousers, and his necktie all awry, an
with no gloves at all. He did not hav
l to ring at the door, for it was opene
ere he was halfway up to the fror
steps by the colonel himself, who cam
; out with his great grizzled hand ou
stretched toward him.
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