The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1896-09-11
LII.
III.
What was that?
Mrs Eial1inn Sat N,

Mrs. Fielding sat up, bathed in cold
perspiration.
What was-there it was again - a
scratching on the window She
listened-her heart beating a wild tat
too against her ribs. Yes-there again
somebody was trying to break in
Only sliding door separated Mrs
Eielding'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 slumber-
ing peacefully, but touch woke her.
There was a 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
shuffiing 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
an ordinary girl with ordinary nerves.
Unconsciously her lips formed the
word .'Dicki"
IN 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 il takes to
relate it, 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- Mrs. Fielding had
aroused the servants. there being com
fort in numbers, even scared ones.
stop here" said Dick. III go down
If he dosen't use arm, l can manage
himi"
SO saying, ne moved quietly down
stairs, and the women, afraid to be left
by themselves, followed him at a re
spectful distance. \ few moments and
the darkness had swallowed up Dicks
form. An anxious interval followed,
during which nothing could be heard
Suddenly there was a crash of crockery
and savage exclamation Then an
other crash. Then a whole series of
crashes. The cook and housemaid
shrieked with fright. Mrs. Fielding
grasped the hanisters and trembled
Ethel trembled. too. for Dick. Yes,
for Dick. She loved him, she knew it
now His life was i'll peril.
y desperate fight was going on in the
passage leading to the kitchen. The
women could dimly discern the forms
OF the two men, who, breathing in short
quick gasps. were struggling furiousIy
tor the mastery Backward and for
ward they swayed, with clenched teeth
and straining muscles. 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 scuI-
lery door. Suddenly a pistol shot rang
out, there was cry, a splintering OF
wood and crash of glass, and the two
vanished.
y few seconds later Dick returned.
his dressing gown half torn off his back.
He got away" he exclaimed; but
he didn't take anything. I'll get some
thi:lgs on and be off to the police sta
ton
The women gazed at their hero with
fond admiring eyes. Once again they
''ic"
upstairs-all but Ethel.
Are you hurt ," she asked him. with
infinite tenderness in her voice.
Only a bruise or two he replied
III 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 to
make sure they two were. .unobserved.
Then she bent forward, quickly breathed
es" In his ear, and fled to her room
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.
Ethel quite meant ''yes," and in due
time was married to the ''man in pos
session., much to the cooks and house
maids wonderment
And Mr.. John Blunt, reading the we'd
ding announcement, chuckled softly to
himself.
1T was a good idea of Dick's," was
all he said.-Tit-Bits.