The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1894-11-16


advanced, and bending over the side
of the monstrous chest, peered into its
depths.
Most anything'll work in my
trade" said he. | amt no ways
pa tickler. BECAUSE
Now was Dotty's time. AS he ben:
over, with at least two-thirds of his
body in the old chest, she sprang
alertly forward and bundled the
other third into the stuffy recesses.
The tramp dropped like huge
overgrown kitten into the flannel blan-
kets. In a second Dotty had the lid
shut down, and had turned the key.
Now I've got you !" said Dotty, all
triumphant, though disheveled. "Oh,
yes, kick and pound all that you like,
but you'll not get out until Reuben
and Rankin are here ~
| And flying down stairs, she seized
the old tin horn and blew blast
which echoed over hill and dale.
| Reuben, swinging his scythe, stop
ped to listen, Rankin dropped his
milestone, and Miles Ruggles, the
hired hand, cried out:
"Je-ru-salem it amt twelve o'clock
yet?''
There's something up, anyhow !"
cried Reuben, making a grasp at the
linen coat which hung on the nearest
tilberry bush.
Mother amt home, and Dotty is
all alone ~ exclaimed Rankin.
wal, eff there's anything extraordi-
nary on the carpet" declared Miles,
Il amt goin' to be left out in the
cold ~
Up hill and down dale, over log
| hri1 no1 CT nd co ht1rn o1y
swamps, FASTENED the three brave re-
cruits, without loss of time, and rush
| ed, all abreast, into the kitchen door.
Dotty stood there, with the broom
| in one hand and a saucepan of boiling
water in the other, pale but resolute
| Dorothy" cried Reuben, what on
earth is the matter?''
He's up stairs ~ gasped Dotty.
| "Who is up stairs p demanded Ran
kin, as he reached down a loaded re-
volver from the very top shelf in all
| odd little three cornered cupboard.
And | think he's kicking through
| the side of the chest ~ faltered Dotty,
clinging to Rankin's arm.
| Jerusalem - again remarked Miles
Ruggles, under his breath
who - persisted Reuben. what
chest?
1.-The burglar! p said Dotty. Hes
in the old chest up stairs. l tipped
him into it. And, oh, l was so afraid
| afterward that he would suffocate to
| death, because he was so still for
| minute or two. But when he began
to kick" said Dotty, with little
gasping breath, land swear, knew
he was all right"
Il should think so, ~ said Reuben,
| with IL lowering brow. How did the
| villain get in Dotty?'
II left all the doors OPEN" con-
fessed Dotty, with a conscience-strick
en- air. Aunt Themis told me not to :;
but l thought there was no harm
And had hardly got up stairs, when
he came shutting up, and l saw the
| old silver milking in his pocket. He
| wanted old clothes, and told him we
ha d some in the chest, and when he
| stopped over to look, | just pushed
him in"
Brave little heroine ~ said Rankin
''And locked it tight" nodded Dot
The best thing you could have
done ~ declared Reuben, admiringly.
"Je-rusalem ~ commented Miles
| Ruggles, shifting the kitchen table
with one horny palm.
So up they proceeded, in solid pha
| lanx, and released the velveteen cap
tive, who was very sullen and com
pletely bathed with perspiration, i'll
| consequence of the vain efforts he had
made to get free.
Come % reared Reuben, who was
a young giant of six feet odd inches,
and broad proportionately as the
miserable prisoner scrambled out and
stood covering before them. What
are you doing here p
"Old clothes in exchange for China
vases - he family stammered.
Then what are you doing with our
| silver milk pitcher and ten forks in
your coat pockets p demanded Reu
| ben.
And what the Jerusalem business
| hev you a-prowlin' round and scarin'
| the women-folks!'' said Miles Ruggles,
coming valiantly to the front. Here,
Rankin, I'll get up the old one-hoss
wagon-your mas got the shay-and
| cart the Teller off to Justice Gilliland's
| He'll settle him in quick time, l tell
We what. Jest tie the fellows hands,
and make him all ship-shape. That's
all | ask of you.''
So the sinister scoundrel, in black
NeiNeltSII, was DOIllS uhC0iSlhoulouSI
off by stout Miles Ruggles, as the first
stage toward a two years captivity in
the nearest States prison; and Dotty
was relieved at last from the incubus
| of his presence.
| First she laughed at Rankin's idea
that she was heroine, and then
she cried and shuddered at her vivid
perception of the terror she had ell
| dured.
But Reuben and Rankin" she
said, you must promise -solemly
vow-never to tell Aunt Themis that
l disobeyed her and left the door
OPEN"
And the two young men bound
themselves solemnly ever to keep the
vow of eternal silence upon the sub
ject.
So the chicken fricassee was made,
and the vanilla puffs; but the ice cream
was postponed Indefinitely, and the
chocolate cake remained forevera dis
embodied ideal. And it took the two
young men all the afternoon to console
Dotty.
| And when Aunt Themis came home,
| full of the preacher, and the brethren,
and the camp meeting, they all list
ened in dutiful silence, and she never
once mistrusted that anything had
happened.
But I'm sure" whispered Dotty to
Rankin, when they went ont together
to get pail of spring water, lit will
always be lesson in obedience to
|