Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-12-30

pgt scoKned 20 foox % nlln- 1sl1 ~ II
had been taking bath IN liquid FIRE
Was to be trlfied with thus; Never
Fanny" / resumed. resoiutely. Il am
But she jumped up with an agonized
little scream
Hush. wasn't that q mans step IN
the basement halls / am sure heard il.
Kathleen has left the door unboltei and
the house is full of robbers and murder
ers. Oh. Mr.. Thistledown. do--do run
and seef'
She shrank into . corner with the
prettiest cowardice had ever seen. Now
Pm not. as general thing, particularly
partial 10 the company Of burglars and
houssbreakers. but what was a man to
40 thus charmingly appealed 70:
Don't Do afraid, Fanny" said !.
catching up the guitar case valiantly,
making FOR the lower part Of the house
with that weapon of aggression. Come
on. Hardenbrook--we'll make EN- stir
round pretty lively. or Wen know the
reason why."
Hardenbrook followed. rather contrary
TO my expectations: had half feared
his remaining behind TO comfort the
frightened dove in the blue muslin feath-
ers-
"You look in the kitchen, Thistledown.
and I'll examine the cellar" he said. and
promptly obeyed looked under the
dresser. behind the tables. even beneath
the great brass kettle in the corner. but
there was no burglar there.
1T must have been the cat, Harden
brook" bawled l, "for-the deuce. how
came this door shut:"
gave the handle of the door an ener-
getic turn-it was fast locked!
And now the truth began to dawn
dimly upon my perturbed and excited
brain-the coast was clear, and victory
belonged to Bruce Hardenbrook!
In vein shouted until my lungs were
hoarse-in vain l ratified the relentless
door; nothing but the echo rewarded my
efforts. Nor was the scene of my invol-
untary confinement particularly invit-
ing. 1t was dark. close, and intensely
hot-a circumstance easily accounted
for by the fact Of a white hot fire glow
ing away in the range and no particular
circulation except that of Croton bugs
across the floor! sat down on the brass
kettle and wiped the streams Of perspi-
ration from my forehead-a modern st.
Bartholomew.
CRASHED my teeth and upset whole
colony Of frying pans in despair.
sprang up and ratified the door once
more, shouting at the top of my lungs.
but all to no avail. kicked at the walls
Il beat a tattoo on the brass kettle with
the guitar case. Vain efforts. might
as we'll have attempted to make myself
heard from the great dungeon of the Bas-
tile. And then I remembered the proba-
BILE turn that affairs were taking up
stairs and uttered hollow groan.
'f ever get out of this fiery furnace
alive" said I to myself theoretically.
III let girls and matrimony aloner"
So the time crept away, every moment
seeming like an hour, and heard the
sharp little kitchen clock strike 8, and
10, with q keen sensation of despair at
every time. Should l never escape? Was
/ doomed to be roasted alive?
At length the monotony of silence was
relieved by the sound of footsteps coming
down the narrow airs. and Job Cor
don's voice e1clain Il:
"Mary Hannah = Kathleen where
the mischief are you all? What's the
kitchen door locked for? I'll discharge
every skin of you, observation-disclosures
murder!policew
And honest Job fired his revolver aim
lessly into the kitchen and flung heavy
chair after it.
Gordon! stop-hold on-its Tor.
quatus Thistledownw
"Thistledown in my kitchen! don't
believe word of it! Police, say!"
But it is l, and I'm nearly dead. Stor
your bawling and listen to reason
said rather vindictively. for the slender
thread of my patience was rapidly dimin
ishing down to nothing at all. LET me
out where there's breath of fresh air
and I'll explain things"
The astounded old gentleman led me
up stairs into the gas lighted hall, mar
Yelling much ct the wilted appearance
that presented.
Now, then, will you be good enough
to tell me what all this is about? leone
home at 10 o'clock and find my house
open and empty. ! go down into my
kitchen and find the president of The
Thistledown Petroleum company INJURED
up among the pots and pans! Am
asleep and dreaming. or have been be
reft of his senses
First" / interrupted. "where art
Hardenbrook and Fanny
Where? How should ! know? An
other mystery. presume"
mo mystery at all. sir said wei
known voice as Bruce Hardenbrook came
quietly up the front steps and into the
hail. with Fanny leaning on his arm. the
pomegranate checks shade redder thar
ever. and the bright hair glistenins
around her face: there we both are"
"And where have you been"
"Only TO be married, sir.
Married. I'D l.
Married. eeaocd Mr.. Gordon.
you told me in your note, papa. 4
accept hun promptly" faltered FannT.
But / didn't suppose You were goini
TO be as prompt IS all this. said the dis
cornfted papa.
remained 10 hear no more. What de
featcd general cares 10 linger and survey
the scenes of his rout and discontinue
Turning deaf ear to Gordon's apologize
and misunderstanding Bruce's hypo
critical coincidence and Fannys melting
eyes. where laughter and compassion
blended into bewitching lights pnt OF
my hat and SHOOK the dust of that man
sion off my feet at once and forever.
And that was my last courtshiT. --Buf
falo News.
Artfui Dodging.