Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1896-08-14

terms with his hostess and her daughter.
( Every morning when he met the latter
{ at the breakfast table, Selling an oppor-
tunity of course when Mrs. Fielding
was not present. he had asked, "Well?'
and Ethel had shaken her head very de-
terminedly and made the most Of the
exceedingly dimpled chin, which only
represented one-third of Mr.. Water
bury's During the whole of that week
Dick had never once been out. The
kitchen commented severely on this
point. It savored more of the imam in
possession" than anything else he had
done.
"He's been sent, and he's got to
STOP" was cooks verdict. "And mis-
tress is making the best Of bad job by
treating him as gentleman guest I've
always understood that the poor master
left her comf'ab off, and can't I'M
derstand how she's lost her money I
suppose it's mine or something.
Thank goodness! I've got all my little
savings wrapped up in stocking and
locked i'll my boxr'
Seven days had gone-the seventh
night had come, and still Ethel remained
obdurate. But she paid, her mother
noticed, considerable attention to her
toilet and wore her prettiest dresses.
What was that?
Mrs. Fielding sat up, bathed in cold
perspiration.
What was-there it was again
scratching on the window? She listened
her heart beating wild tattoo
against her ribs. Yes-there again
somebody was trying to .break in!
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 crept out of bed and, the slid
ing door being partly open, into her
daughters room. Ethel was slumbe
peacefully, but touch awoke her.
There was a hurried explanation in
whispers 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 shut
fling 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
a force that denoted careless haste on
the part of the midnight intruder.
ga 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 'tDick!''
"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 it Dick found himself standing at
his door, in dressing gown and trousers,
trying to instill some calmness into the
troubled breasts. Of Mrs. Fielding, her
daughter, the cook and the housemaid
for Mrs. Fielding had aroused the
servants, there being comfort in num-
bers, even scared ones
''Stop here,'' said Dick. "I'n go
down. If he doesn't use arms I can
manage him!"
w 1ASS IO laOtCu duACUAy uOWA
stairs, and the women, afraid to be left
by themselves, followed him at re.
spectful distance. A few moments and
the darkness had swallowed up Dicks
form. An anxious interval followed,
during which nothing could be heard.
Suddenly there were crash of crock
cry and savage exclamation; then an
other crash then whole series of crash
es. The cook and housemaid shrieked
with fright Mrs. Fielding grasped the
banisters and trembled. Ethel trembled,
too, for Dick-yes, for Dick She loved
him; she knew it now. His life was in
peril.
The house was filed with sounds Of
the struggle. A desperate fight was 60
ing on in the passage leading to the
kitchen. The women could dimly dis
cern the forms of the two men who,
breathing in short, quick gasps, were
struggling furiously for the mastery.
Backward and forward they swayed,
with clinched teeth and straining mus
cles Still the women dared not move.
The couple had fought their way down
to the extreme end of the passage and
were close to the scullery door. Sudden
~ pistol shot rang out, there was a
cry, a splintering of wood and crash
of glass, and the two vanished.
A few seconds later Dick returned.
his dressing gown half torn off his back.
"He got away he exclaimed But
] he didn't take anything III get some
! things on and be off to the police sta
| tioa''
The women gazed at their hero with
ford admiring eyes. Once again they
breathed freely. Slowly they moved np
gtairs---all bur Ethel.
ARE you hurt?' she asked / h in with
infinite re,,Seo,~'::iess IN her voice.
Only bruise Or two he replied.
- Il soon set the police on his track.
But first
He took her hand in his.
~ said would rot leave the house, F"
ne began.
Ethel looked swiftly NJ the stairs TO
Then she bent forward. quickly breathed
"fes' II lis ear and fed to her room.
4
The police never caught the burglar,
who got back to Friar's Court quite
safely, after catching the earliest train
from roadside station six miles from
Market Norbury. e..
Ethel quite meant her eyes, and in
due time was married to the imam in
possession much to the cook and
housemaid's woAderment.
And Mr.. John Blunt, reading the
wedding announcement, chuckled soft
~ to himself.
/ "It was a good idea Of Dick's!' was
all he said.-Tit- Bits
The New Photography.
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