The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1893-04-08

the mouse Is Iull OF TODDerS anu LiuTUor-
ersl Oh, Mr.. Thistledown. do-do run
and see!"
She shrank into a corner with the
prettiest cowardice l had ever seen. Now
I'm not, as a general thing, particularly
partial to the company Of burglars and
housebreakers, but what was u man to
do thus charmingly appealed to?
Don't be afraid, Fanny" said l..
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 we'll know the
reason whyw
H~ardenbrook followed, rather contrary
to my expectations; l 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
l promptly obeyed. l looked under the
dresser, behind the tables, even beneath
the great brass kettle in the corner. but
there was no burglar there.
'It must have been the cat, Harden
brook" bawled /, 'for-the deuce, how
came this door shutY'
l gave the handle of the door IN enc
getic turn-it was fast locked!
And now the truth began to dawn
dimly upon my perturbed and excited
brain-the coast vas clear. and victory
belonged to Bruce Hardenbrook! -
In vain 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! l 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 Il whole
colony of frying pans in despair.
l 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 well have attempted to make myself
heard from the great dungeon of the Bias.
tile. And then I remembered the proba
BILE turn that affairs were taking up
stairs and uttered a hollow groan.
"If ever l get out of this fiery furnace
alive" said | to myself theoretically
"Tll let girls and matrimony alone!"
So the time crept away. every moment
seeming like an hour, and | heard the
sharp little kitchen clock strike 8, 8 and
10, with a keen sensation Of despair al
every time. Should | never escape1 Was
1 doomed to be roasted alive?
At length the monotony Of silence wa
relieved by the sound Of footsteps coming
down the narrow stairs. and Job Cor
don's voice exclaimed:
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!-police"
And honest Job fired his revolver aim
lessly into the kitchen and flung Il heavy
chair after il.
" -AicAo VII 4Oh
quatus Thistledown!'
"Thistledovr in my kitchen! | dom
believe a we t! Police. | sayl"
"But it is I'm nearly dead. Sto]
" ur bawli i listen to reason"
said rather i lictively. for the slende
thread of my patience was rapidly dimin
ishing down to nothing at all. Let IN
out where there's a breath of fresh :ir
and III explain things"
The astounded old gentleman led nj
up stairs into the gas lighted hall. mar
yelling much at the wiltcI appearance
that l presented.
,, "Now, then, will you ba good cnoug
to tell me what all this is about? ICON
, home at 10 o'clock and find my hous
!, open and empty. | go down into ~
kitchen and find the president of tn
e Thistledown Petroleum company mure
8 up among the pots and pans: Am
asleep and dreaming. OF have ] been he
reft of his senses?"
First" | interrupted. where III
Hardenbrook and Fanny
"WhereY How should | know? Ar
: other mystery, | presume"
mo mystery at all, sir" said Il we
known voice as Bruce Hardenbrook Tam
quietly up the front steps and into tn
hall, with Fanny leaning IN his arm, tn
d pomegranate cheeks a shade redder tina
ever, and the bright hair glistcnin
, around her face; here we both arc"
"And where have you becn:"
"Only to be married. sir!"
"Married?' cried l.
"MarriedY' echoed Mr.. Gordon.
"You told me in your note. papa.
accept him promptly" faltered Fanny.
"But I didn't suppose you were goin
to be as prompt as all this" said the di
e comfted papa.
n remained to hear no more. What IL
= feated general cares to linger and surve
y the scenes of his rout and discomfitur'
i Turning a deaf ear to Gordon's apology,
and notwithstanding Bruce's hyp'
critical coincidence and Fanny's meltin
, eyes, wher. laughter and compassio
t.. blended into bewitching lights-l put Q
If my hat and shook the dust of that ma,
v sion off my feet at once and forever.
:. And that was my last courtship.-Bu
e fa1o News.
d Worse Than Nothing.
At the outset l am forced to say tn,