The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1893-05-18

MIR. Murtree, tsJump on him as he IS
bending over, and secure the revolv-
er before he RECEIVERS himself-it's a
good plan, and the only one. I'm get
ting kind of riled; / don't believe I'm
such a coward after all
With mighty effort he braced
himself and advanced cautiously,
keeping his eyes on the bent figure.
In the uncertain light the man
looked unnaturally large and heavy.
and seemed each second to be on the
point of rising. Indeed, as Mr.. Muir
free reached the center-table he
thought all was over, and shrank
down behind it despairingly.
But fortune was kind, the burglar
still searched busily and Mr. Muir
free, gathering himself for grand
effort, and nerved to a point of des
peration, made flying leap, and
landing with terrific force upon the
burglars shoulder, grabbed the re-
volver, yelling: '.Police! thieves!-
Oh!-!'' w- t~.
Over he went, bumpety bump; and
as he found himself PROSTATE upon
the floor, with a chair and something
soft and thick over him, he finished
his exclamation with - it. '--
'.Oh! Ulysses! Ulysses!' screamed
Mrs. Murfree, tangling herself up in
the bed-clothes in her efforts to RISE
Help! Where are you?" -,
Mr. Murfree was on his feet in a
flash, holding in his arms the harm
less cause Of his fright and disturb
ance, Mrs. Murfree's fur cape, which
she had hung over the chair-ba in
front of the dresser, and which, with
| it's high shoulders and collar, had
looked in the dim light like stoop-
| ing figure.
Men think quickly sometimes, and
| Mr.. Murfree realized the situation
with remarkable speed, and being on
his metal, determined not to be made
a fool Of.
Knocking Mrs. Murfree's jewel case
out of the room pell-mell, stepping
on the cat, the author of the mys-
uerious noises that had first awakened
him.
With savage kick he sent her
ahead of him, as he flew down the
front stairs, and banged the front
door open and shut
Then he painted breathlessly up
again, sinking on the top stair, sore
bruised and mad, just as his wife sue
ceeded in lighting the gas.
Burglar he gasped.
"Where, oh. where?" she screamed,
excitedly, half helping, half dragging
him into the room.
"Gone," he managed to. say;
''knocked him over-got away-front
door see theren' pointing to The
jewelry strewn. around the floor.
| Mrs. Murfree gave one look, and
then, with that faithful sense of OBJ.
legation to the tradition of her sex
which the average woman seems to
possess in an emergency, she pro
ceeded to faint away.
Mr.. Murfree dumped her into 6
chair He was too weak to hold her,
and besides, he felt fiendish exulta
ton in glorying in his superior
strength of mind; so when she recov.
: cred, he was picking up the cleverly
scattered trinkets with as bored ar
air as he could assume.
"What are you scared of?" he said
scornfully, mans gone, I'm here;
rather think I have protected you
even if I am coward. Perhaps yor
will leave the light burning afte7
this, so that shall not be obliged
to struggle for my life in the dark. ,
And he wiped from his forehead ;
few drops of blood trickling from {
scratch received in his encounte
with the large pin on his cape-burg
! lar, making his face as CORY as posi-
BILE with the small amount of ma
terial.
, Mrs. Murfree looked at him a. mo
+ ment in a hysterical way, and the,
, falling on his neck. alternately i'm
plored forgiveness, and wept owe
her former severity. calling him he
hero and all the delightful name
= which Mr.. Murfree's soul was thirst
. ing for.
: '.I'll never say such mean thing
= again." she sobbed, "never, never
. ''There, there" said her spouse
., strengthening up and putting on
patronizing air to conceal the nerv
/, Gus shaking of his muscles-scarc
over their recent shock. "You 81
- down and I'll search the house, S
that we can feel easy during the re
, mainder of the night"
!" So that while Mrs. Murfree hid be
: hind the bed curtains for fear
- another visitor, her Ulysses went OF
= in the hall and stayed five minutes
' a dark corner, returning with 81
rious air and the assurance that a
>, was we'll.
Locking their door, the couple ono
more sought repose, but both wei
=, too excited for sleep. ID
- Wont I just gloat over Mr.
- Jenks," exclaimed Mrs. Murfree, ]:
=. she convulsiyely patted the pillo
8 into more accommodating shap
~ ooh, Ulysses, I'll tell every woma
in the block g.
:, just then the ludicrous side of tt
- thing struck Mr.. Murfree, and /
80 ct,,ffad tho corner of the sheet in h