Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1896-08-20
III,
What was that?

Mrs. Fielding sat up, bathed In cold
perspiration.
What was-there it was again = q
scratching on the window. She
listened-her heart beating wild tat
too against her ribs. Yes-there again
somebody was trying to break inl
Only sliding door separated Mrs.
Fielding's room from her daughters.
Her teeth chattering in time with the
wild throbbing Of her pulses, Mrs.
Fielding crcpt out of bed and, the slid
ing door being partly open, into her
daughters room. Ethel was slumber-
ing peacefully, bnt touch woke her.
There was hurried explanation in
whisper from Mrs. Fielding, and then
the two women, clutching each other
for comfort, stole into the outer bed
room and once more listened. The
scratching had ceased, and only the
shutfling sound could be heard; then
there were footsteps on the gravel
walk, and then the scullery window
| (Which was Immediately beneath) was
shot up with force that denoted a
careless haste on the part of the mid
night intruder.
"A burglar!" exclaimed Ethel, pale
to the lips, for she was only 10, and
an ordinary girl with ordinary nerves.
Unconsciously her lips formed the
word "Dick!"
'I'll wake Mr.. Waterbury," said
Mrs. Fielding. She tripped swiftly out
Of the room, down the passage, and
raped at her guests door.
In almost less time than it takes to
relate 1t, Dick found himself standing
at his door, in dressing gown and
trousers, trying to instill some calm
ness into the troubled breasts Of Mrs
Fielding, her daughter, the cook and
the housemaid-fo Mrs. Fielding had
aroused the servants, there being COM
fort in numbers, even scared ones.
"Stop here" said Dick. "I1l go down
II he dosen't use arms l can manage
him!"
So saying, he moved quietly down
stairs, and the women, afraid to be left
by themselves, followed him at re-
spectful distance. A few moments, ant
the darkness had swallowed up Dick!
form. An anxious interval followed
during which nothing could be heard
Suddenly there was crash Of crockery
and savage exclamation. Then an
other crash. Then a whole series o.
crashes. The cook and housemait
shrieled with fright. Mrs. Fielding
grasped the banisters and trembled
Ethel trembled, too, for Dick. Yes
for Dick. She loved him, she knew il
now. His life was in peril.
Adesperate fight was going on in th'
passage leading to the kitchen. Th'
women could dimly discern the forms
Of the two men, who, breathing in shor
quick gasps, were struggling furiousl,
for the mastery. Backward and for
ward they swayed, with clenched teetl
and straining muscles. Still the womer
dared not move. The couple had Tough
their way down to the extreme end O
the passage, and were close to the scul
lery door. Suddenly pistol shot ranl
out, there was cry, splintering o
wood and crash of glass, and the twt
vanished.
A few seconds later Dick returned
his dressing gown half torn off his back
"He got away" he exclaimed; "bu
he didn't take anything. I'll get SOM
things on and be off to the police sta
tion."
The women gazed at their hero witt
fond admiring eyes. Once again the,
breathed freely. Slowly they move,
upstairs-all but Ethel.
"Are you hurt?" she asked him, wit
infinite tenderness in her voice.
"Only bruise or two" he replied
"I'll soon set the police on his track
But first"
He took her hand in his.
II said / would not leave the house,
he began.
Ethel looked swiftly up the stairs t
make sure they two were unobservet
Then she bent forward, quickly breathe
Eyes" in his ear, and fed to her room.
The police never caught the burglar
who got back to Friar's Court quit
safely, after catching the earliest trai
from roadside station six miles fror
! Market Norbury.
Ethel quite meant "yes," and in du
time was married to the "man in pos
, session." much to the cooks and house
} maids wonderment.
And Mr. John Blunt, reading the wed
ding announcement, chuckled softly
, himself.
ut was good idea Of Dick'sl" wa
all he said.--Tit-Bits.
WHO gives trife meanly Is mean
| L.. k..tA