Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-12-10
Jessie Qld he BuIQ|QT.


divers directions to eat their lunches
short distance away, a few remained in
the building, but the majority were
scattered in little groups over the
spacious playground. Among the lat
ter was group of five girls who were
seated on the grass in a quiet, seclud-
ed corner of the playground, in the
shade of wide-spreading oak tree.
Having finished their lunch they were
discussing animatedly topic which
all Chesterton had been discussing
since four o'clock that morning, name
ly the robbery which had occurred the
night before.
The house of Judge GaNnor, the
leading citizen of the little town. had
been broken into and robbed of about
fifty dollars in money and of all the
silver, which was the pride of Mrs.
Gaynor's heart and had nearly all of it
been in the Gaynor family for genera
tons back. OF course this will appear
TO many of you as being very small
theft to create so much excitement, but
you must remember that Chesterton
was very small town and had not
known robbery since the oldest in
habitant was a lad of fifteen, and the
Chestertonians were very long-lived.
This group of girls gave different
persons versions of the robbery, con-
Jectured as to who the guilty parties
were and in what direction they had
escaped, and naturally the converse
ton turned from this to other affairs
OF the same sort. Then each told thrill
ing stories OF robberies which they had
heard or read and what they thought
they would do If they awoke at the
ghostly hour OF midnight and were
confronted by bull's-eye lantern and
a cruel looking pistol barrel, held by a
masked and still more cruel-looking
burglar.
Blue-eyed, golden-haired, timid little
Kitty Moore was positive that she
would faint, Elsie Leland believed she
would scream, while Jennie Keith and
Fannie Seward hadn't an idea what
they would do. but that it would be
something very cowardly they felt GER
tain.
Now, Jessie. let's hear what you
think you would do when you awoke to
find a revolver in close proximity to
your face" said Elsie.
The person addressed, Jessie King
ston. was a tall. dark-eyed, dark-hair-
ed girl who had earned the reputation
of being the best bicyclist. oars-wom-
an, tennis-player, and all-round athlete
among the Chesterton girls. And this
was reputation to be proud OF, for
the girls OF Chesterton, with very few
exceptions were not only fond of
athletics, but also skiIful in them, and
nearly all of their spare moments were
spent in outdoor exercise
What I would do on such an occa-
sion depends mostly on circumstances"
said Jessie quietly. But 1 think that
with my strength and knowledge OF
firearms, could manage a burglar If
he were no more brave or muscular
than burglars generally prove to be-
That Is, / could if were not so silly
as to be frightened half out OF my
wits" Kitty and Elsie were lost in ad-
miration at this speech which they
thought the essence of bravery. But the
other two were skeptical as to its
truth, although they did not put their
thoughts into words.
Several days went by and the girls
thought but little more of the burglary
and most Of them had entirely forgot
ten their conversation under the oak
tree. On Friday of the same week
while Kitty Moore, Elsie Leland and
Jessie Kingston were eating their din
ner in the same place, Elsie remark
ed: What can have come over Jennie
and Fannie lately? They have taken
their lunch and gone to Mr.. Phillips
orchard to eat it. And besides they
have acted so strangely for the last
day or so; you surely must have no
uced it, girls. They are always whis-
pering together, and seem so afraid
that the rest of US might hear their
conversations. And then the quanti-
ties Of notes they have written and
passed when Miss Blake was not
looking. I'm sure they have some Sc
cret between them and can't rest un-
til 1 find it out; it's an understood fact
that curiosity is the worst of my many
failings."
II must confess that hadn't noticed
anything unusual about them in spite
of my glasses" said short-sighted
Kitty.
Nor l." said Jessie; Elsie seems to
have faculty for discovering I'M
heard-of things. OF course you
haven't forgotten the time, Kitty, when
she had us all on the tip-toe of excite
ment fancying she overheard rich Mr..
Barrett tell Miss Blake that he intend !
ed to give wheel to the member OF |
our botany class having the most com
plete herbarium. And next morning
how delighted we did feel when Miss
Blake pleasantly informed US that our
generous patron. Mr.. Barrett intend |
ed TO give as prize copy of a natur- |
al history by Beal But we should |
have known better than to believe that |
Mr.. Barrett, who never loses an OPP
portunity to use a word of three syl- |
tables, should say wheel for bicycle |