The Van Buren press., 1896-08-08
II l..

dresses.
III.
What was that?
Mrs. Fielding sat up, bathed in cold
perspiration.
What was-there it was again = a
scratching on the window. She
llstened-her heart beating a wild tat
too against her ribs. Yes-there again
somebody was trying to break in!
Only a 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 but 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
shuiliing sound could be heard; then
there were footsteps on the gravel
walk, and then the seullery 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 thu
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 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-for Mrs. Fielding had
aroused the servants, there being COM
fort in numbers, even scared ones.
stop here" said Dick. "Tlfgo down
If he dosen't use arms | 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, and
the darkness had swallowed up Dicks
form. An anxious interval followed,
during which nothing could be heard.
Suddenly there wasa crash of crockery
and savage exclamation. Then an
other crash. Then a whole series of
crashes. The cook and housemaid
shrielled with fright. Mrs. Fielding
grasped the banisters and trembled.
Ethel trembled, too, for Dick. Yes,
for Dick. She loved him, she knew it
row. His life was in peril.
. A 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 furiously
COR 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 10 the soul
lery door. Suddenly a pistol shot rang
out, there was cry, splintering of
wood and a crash of glass, ard the two
vanished.
A few seconds later Dick returned,
his dressing gown half torn off his back.
"He got away" he eNclaimed; but
he didn't take anything. I'll get ssme
things on and be off to the police sta
ton"
The women gazed at their hero with
fond adniring eyes Once again they
breathed freely. Slowly they moved
upstairs-all but Ethel.
Are you hurt? ?" she asked him, with
infinite tenderness in her voice.
"Only 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 unobseryed.
Then She bent forward, quickly breathed
Yes" in his ear. and fled to her room.
The police never caught the burglar.
who got back TO F1riar's Court quite
safely, after catching the earliest train
from a roadside station six miles from
Market Norbury.
Ethel quite meant yes" and in due
time was married to the IMAM in pos
session." much to the cooks and house
maids wonderment.
And Mr.. John Blunt. reading the we'd
ding announcement, chuekled softly to
himself
~; was a good idea OF Dick's," was
al he said.-Tu-Bitz.