The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-19

was a horrid thing, darling little Meta, do
! forgive me-"
The whale had to SIT up and think hard
before 1t knew what il had to forgive, and
in the interval the Jack-fish, grown holder,
tweaked its hair, and the Jimmie-fish
swan right under its nose.
on said the little girl, with her sud
den, sunshiny smile, ITS all right, Doade
dear, I don't care"
But Dora never repented in half-meas-
ures.
Here's my pink chocolate box for you"
she said, and my shell necklace, and
where's your Arabella, Meta? I'm going
20 crochet her a new bonnet"
1t was week later, however. and at
night, that the great shock came to her
hitherto impregnable fortress of self-as-
teen, and made it begin 10 totter suffi-
GENTLY for humanity to gain fOothold.
They We're all in bed usual, and it was
| Il O'Clock. The twins We're in their crib in
the inner room, Jimmie and Jack were
| sound asleep and Meta and Dora were also
duly tucked beneath the clothes of their
/ respective beds and far away in dream
/ land. Down stairs in the distant draw
lng-room there was whist party, and
mother, dressed in a pretty black grena-
dine dress with pink chiffon ruffle round
her neck, looked bright and gay enough
to deserve the term young mother that
! she had refused before.
Fanny, the - rsemaid had run I'D two
or three times during the evening to see
| now the twins Jared. but 1t was II o'clock
now, and she was Dusty engaged helping
/ the housemaid with the supper.
And something made Meta wake-made
| the white eyelids lift themselves off the
| young eyes to show them what was going
on in the adjoining shadowy room. The
! balcony doors were open for the cool night
| air to blow in, and Metals eyes saw. be-
fore they fairly realized this was no dream
! mans black figure climbing over the
| balcony railing just where a supporting
pillar twined round with honeysuckIe com
| muncated with the ground beneath. She
| saw him come stedlthily in through the
| doors, black felt hat pulled half over
his face, and watched him ia absolute fas-
/ ctnation step lightly to the dressing table
/ and softly open the drawers where moth
cr's brooches and rings and bracelets and
| watch reposed.
The next minute, her eyes still fixed on
his broad big back she slipped out Of
| he'd and nOiselessly into the next one. And
Doras eyes, filed with terror, were star
ing there too, and Doras trembling was
shaking the bed.
Don't scream" she said to Meta in the
| uniest whisper.
Meta nodded family. In the memories Of
I both of them was a dreadful case they had
heard the servants discussing, whese a
/ burglar, interrupted in his work, had turn
ed round and tried to kin everyone around,
/ women and children as well as men
I'VE must lie quite still" said Dora s
almost inarticulate whisper. IF We don't
he'll Kill US
The twins' gasped Meta below Ter
breath. If they should wake and cry he'll
kill them"
Dora shuddered violently.
Perhaps they won't wake" she said
Meta chung to her, her heart beating
wildly. Perhaps they Will. she said.
Dora hid her head beneath the clothes
ooh, hush she said.
But Metals STIRRING eyes were fixed on
the room beyond, where she could no
longer see the mans figure, for he had
put out thenight light and was using only
a little lantern on his wrist
OH she said again, in a piteous
whisper. perhaps tBey win, Dora"
"H'shl" said Dora again, ana pressed the
clothes stiN tighter rouad her head.
But Metals Imagination saw the man
STOPPING over the cot, saw the faint fair
smiles of the tiny ones, then a knife
bloodred -
I'VE must get father" she said.
But again Dora said "Hsh" and tried
to still her breath lest it should be heard
She was absolutely incapable Of moving,
and lay in her hot, sitting position almost
paralyzed with terror.
But little Meta slipped out of the bed
and forced her trembling limbs to carry
her to the door that communicated with
the two rooms In their own room there
was no other door, and the only way of
reaching downstairs was through the room
whore the twins lay.
For one hot terrible moment the child
crouched. hidden in the flowing MOSQUITO
nets of Jimmies and Jacks cot chat stood
close 20 the door.
Dora. finding herself alone in bed. and
with the new fear for her little sisters
eafety before her, uncovered her ewes II
nd nv a nj
one instant just beside their own doorway.
the little nightgowned figure with its
streaming curls.
The door to the passage lay at the far
end of the room. On the right side stood
the big bed and the little cot with its sleeD-
ing babies. On the left side stood the
dressing table and the set of drawers that
the man was now ridiNg.
And Meta's heart failed her To get helm
she must pass actually within two or three
feet OF him. Perhaps Dora was right. per
maps the babies would not wake aud ne
would go away. content with the Jewell
ry.
But the next moment Tiny stirred the
least little bit and sighed in her baby
dreams. The man turned his head sharp-
~ at the sound and for a second seemed
disposed to make an escape through tho
balcony door. But then he lifted his Ian
tern higher and turned il on the cot and
found unbroken sleep there again 10 reas-
sure him. So he went back to the drawers
again.
md Meta was ncrved nowi Tiny had
stirred restlossly once. Any moment now
she might wake and cry-and be killed by
the terrible knife she doubted not the man
held in readiness in his hand
Like little mad thing she flow through
the room and out of the door.
Dora heard her bare. pattering feet on
the landing oilcloth, and then on the
stairs. so light wereathe little feet on the
bedroom carpet, the man had not heard
them I'll they were past him; then though,
he took a couple of steps after her, the
! Tying night-gown was too swift for him.
Dora heard a terrible oath, then she saw
him spring across ,he room through the
balcony doors, and Chamber over the rails.
Tie next minute there were shouts and
| sounds of men running: lights were flash
| ing everywhere, Wild confusion reigned and