The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-10-24

groups the young Offenders discussed the
recent excitement.
HUH! exclaimed Clarissa, Indignantly;
Its a wonder she'd let us have a recess.
Guess she'll see w'eiher / stay AFTER school
or not. | wouldn't be afraid TO run home
this minute. / m going to Sadie Tim
mons party, and -.
"oh. so am II" shouted half a dozen
follow-sui1ereTs.
Ana we'd miss the best part OF IL not
TO 20 early" continued Clarissa.
''Poohl 1 guess II you'd promised TO
play ball at three o'clock you'd have
something to kick about, shifted Tom
Boucher.
well, Mr. Tom" put in Clarissas chum
I'm decisive tones, 81 guess { you were the
one I started ii all. II you had Kept
quiet 10 Samnie Hartzing we'd be out
at three all right"
Mean old thing anyhow; I knew Ia
hate her and now do" Jack said.
ION, / tell you what" Clarissa was
getting excited, lets lock her in when
she gets downstairs to turn off the gas!
A group of eager listeners was around
Clarissa.
what gas?'
How do you know she turns 1t OFF,
When does she go?" They were all
talking at once.
why, she always goes down, Jack says
at three o'clock, TO turn off that gas-jet
In the furnace-room, cause she says it's
a waste of money to leave ii burn all
night. an old Davy always goes home
at two o'clock" Clarssa forgot that the
furnace-room was not in use these
hot September days. as she sputtered off
this list of explanations.
"He. he" giggled Tom, wouldn't 1t be
FUN If she had to stay cooped up all night.
Prnaps she'd see how twas. and then
she'd not be so quick at keepin us cooped
up"
wouldn't some one hear her Scream
asked one of the more dubious.
well. guess not; she'd have TO more
than scream IL she wanted anyone TO
near her way off in that corner Of the
globe. now I'll tell you what" spoke up
the revengefui Clarissa.
But who'll be the one to lock her M
was asked, incredulously
Il will" Tom thought he was doing
brave act 10 offer his services in this
hazardous scheme.
so It was all planned They were to
wait until Miss Sprig should go out or
the room at three o'clock. Then the in
vincibIe Sir Thomas was TO run down the
| basement stairs after her. and when ne
thought she had got into the furnace
room he was TO slam and lock the door
! at the end Of the long passage-way which
connected il with the coal cellar. After
this deed or valor he was 10 announce
his success 20 his companions. when they
would all scamper away, 50 mo one would
| suspect them"
But. somehow or other. Miss Sprig was
not her usual prompt self. for 81 was fully
a quarter after three before she got up.
and with paper in her hand, stalked
majestically out Of the room.
IAN the better for us" exclaimed Clar-
! issa, "for all the other teachers have
| gone. I guess. and they won't see us
run"
Now go It. Tom" whispered the boys
| IN bated breath. "She must be pretty
near there by this time. Be easy though"
! So off Tom snealed. scared, yet eXpectant,
while as many of the conspirators as
could peeped out Of the door and watched
! Tom disappear down the basement stairs.
What IL he gets snaggedF' drawled
Sammie, in hopeful tones
! But in a very few moments Tom HIM
/ self triumphantly appeared to shatter
Sammie's hopes.
Guess we don't stay after school this
day!" gasped the young renegade, while
her time enough to git in, / guess, and
then locked that door in a jiffy. Smokes!
won't she be mad when she finds she
! can't git out. thought"
1t was a hot, still night. Perhaps it was
because OF the heat and an occasional
| mosquito. or perhaps it was because OF
other things that Clarssa couldn't sleep.
At any rate she did wish she could stop
thinking. II wasn't her fault anyway
that Miss Sprig was spending the night
| in the furnace-room at Highland School.
She had merely suggested it, and Tom
Boucher didn't need TO have been so
smart on, dear, Why did she feel 50
uncomfortable She believed she was i'll,
and would have the scarlet fever or
something the next day, for she never
tossed so in all her life. What If the
schooi house should take fire? On. dear!
Miss Sprig would be burned TO death be-
fore anyone could get down to that little
| close room in the basement And then
there would be a piece in the paper. with
staring headlines, that "Clarissa Hodg-
kins was responsible for the death of her
teacher" or. what II she should smother
| TO death. Why, here it was so hot that
| Clarissa could scarcely get her breath. and
surely Miss Sprig would suffocate in a
tiny little room with only one speck OF a
window in IL. Indeed. the Black Hole OF
Calcutta. about which she had Just been
studying in her physiology lesson, couldn't
have been much smaller or closer than
that room where Miss Sprig was locked
up. Really, Tom Boucher ought to 80 to
| fail. he was so hateful she would never
| speak to him again! "Oh, my!' sighed
| Clarissa; Miss Sprig is really very KIND.
/ Why. only think. Jack says that she goes
| and attends to all old Davy's locking up.
| for he is getting so feeble.
| After few more reflections on Miss
| Sprigs redeemng points OF character,
| Clarissa determined upon the course 1t
! behooved her TO pursue. Accordingly, she
| slipped on her clothes, and stole over TO
| her brother Jacks room. where he lay
| snoring heavily After prodigious punch
/ ings she succeeding i'm making the young
/ gentleman understand that she was-in dire
| need of his services.
| "WTl you do It. JACKIE" she breathlessly
| asked OF him, as he sat up In bed rubbing
| his eyes with both fists.
1 HUH you'll catch il when she sees
l you an me openin' the door, exclaimed
1 Jack when once he understood the extent
\ OF Clarissa's crime.
But Jack, dear IN do ANYTHING for
you II youll only go along with me. we
can get into the basement through the
coal cellar window. cause that's never
locked when we play hide and seek OF
afternoons And oh, Jack! what f-what
il" she sobbed.
Jacks heart was moved. Sneak down
stairs without a sound, and III meet you
In second" he said. abruptly. lie re-