The Lamar register., 1893-05-27

hadn't seen her in ten years and she
was grown up now and he talked
butchfully about her. 1t would bring
the tears till your eyes. ma'am, to
hev heard him."
kitty. l wouldn't gossip with
strange men If were you. 1t isn't
safe. He probably was tramp and
oil that story about his sister was
just made up out of whole cloth.
What else did he wantP"
Nothing, ma'am, and l didn't let
him inside the Kitchen door. He
warn't no tramp an I'm sure he were
tellin' the truth"
Mrs. Bascomb did no. prolong the
argument, hut busted herself until
bedtime with some household duties,
which were really in the line of
pleasures to her womanly nature.
Then she saw that the house was
locked up, sent Kitty to bed, and
went into her front parlor, which
was lighted and cozy, just as II the
master Of the house were at home.
II must send fathers message to
Howard" she soliloquized. and seat
ing herself at the pretty little desk
which had been one of her wedding
After giving the business message
from her father she added one for
herself When the card was ad-
dressed she went to the window and
looked out. wondering why she had
not thought to write it earlier in the
evening, There was small box
diagonally across the street on the
corner.
I'm just run across and mail it,
I'll leave the door open-it won't
take moment"
Taking wrap from the hat-tree in
the hall. she threw it about her, saw
that no one was passing. and slipped
out 1t took her only moment to
drop that card in the box and run
back to the house. The door was
ajar as she had left it, no one was on
the street; but in that one moment
1t was past midnight. Mrs. Bas-
comb was reading very interesting
novel She was surprised when the
clock struck the half hour, and laid
her book down. Not that she felt
sleepy. but she had just determined
that she would sleep downstairs in
the new folding bed in the back par
lor There We're portieres between
the rooms, but these were drawn
back and hung limp on either side.
The bed was a large handsome
bookcase with bric-a-brac on its top
shelf Mrs. Bascomb let it down and
admired it from all sides. 1t TOOK up
the space between the walls, except
Just room enough for her to pass to
the little table under the mirror
where Howard's revolver lay. She
now pushed this back and laid her
watch and chain-her wedding pres
ent from her father-her diamond
graduation ring. her diamond en-
gagement ring and her purse, which
she took out of the pocket of her
dress, on the table in shining heap.
IL wonder if he married the tall,
thin one, or the short, homely one,
she said to herself, and going out in
to the parlor picked up the book
again and was soon deep in the plot
A noise aroused her. She looked
hall. They were locked. she knew.
Then she turned her eyes toward the
back parlor.
ats the new folding bed getting
used to being OPEN" she thought
conscious of slight exhilaration il
the region of her heart. Then sh,
glanced at mirror. in which sh,
saw the full-length figure of mar
standing back of the portieres.
have heard it said. or read some
where. that every man is ready tt
protect woman from every othel
man except himself. AT that momen
! Lottie Bascomb would rather hav,
seen n tiger standing ready to devoul
her Her next surprise was at hi
manner OF address:
Good evening, ma'am,h and HI
stepped from the portiere and stoo'
| before her. You needn't be fright
ened. I amt goin' to hurt you"
What do you want?" Her voic'
did not even tremble.
Il want the money yer HUSBAND
brought home that he's goin' to TAX
to New York tomorrow.
Il don't know what money yor
mean. but my husband is on his wa.
| to New York now. He left to-day a
neon"
She had risen from her chair an,
/ started forward to reach the revolver
/ But she could not outwit the disap
| pointed and enraged burglar.
He sprang to intercept her AM
] struck his foot against the foldin!