The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1898-06-30
u should rejoice to do It. wouldn't

y04 0ASaAA L
mind, indeed
Then we went to bed. There was q
light In his room still, and ! called
through the keyhole Che slept in his
reclining chair): Mr.. Bolter. are you
comfortable for the night?' and he
answered:
THANK you, ma'am, I am. / am
having an hour in meditation
Excuse me for i~nterrupting you.'
says I.
ooh, not at ALL says he. and away
I went; and I went to sleep thinking
how glad I was, with all my troubles,
I was not ian invalid.
II guess 1t was about / o'clock when
I walked up with a noise Of bursting In
my ears, and there was a light In the
room. II was a queer light. bright
all in one spot, and I thought. though
I don't believe in 'em, it was a ghost.
And says I,,out' loud: oh, Lord!,' and
covered my head with the sheet. i
hadn't had 1t covered but a minute
though. when l felt a big hand on my
throat and just the toughest voice
ever I heard growled in my ear:
"t.NoW. old lady,. be sensible. !
amt goin' to hurt you II you're quiet.
Keep your head covered and lay still.
I've got a six-shooter here. and If you
screech, I fire.
care you a burglar?' says l.
Form your, own conclusions says
he, only don't shrek. / shouldn't
want to live II l was an old woman,
but p'aps you do
"Well, / kinder wondered what for
myself, but l did. and I laid still and
only shrunk inwardly.
after a while there was no more
poking at the bureau and rafting In
the closet; and then I heard creaking
all over the house and q shrek some
where, and i didn't know but there
was murder done; and I thought of my
poor invalid. and If he was in that
wretch's~ hands. poor man, and ]
thought over all the stories I'd ever
read Of dreadful tragedies, and I fell
for the poor invalid that couldn't hell
himself; but it wasn't until all wa!
quiet as the grave that I dared sit up
and then it vas daylight. And ther
courage came to me. and l put my head
out Of the window and shrieked. No
body heard me at first, but at las
there were two policemen, with thei
clubs. and then I put on my waterproof
and went down stairs.
you've been robbed, that's plain,
said the policeman; but is anybod,
l hurt?'
! Murdered, in their beds, I've n
doubt says 1. And l thought ii mus
be SO; but it was better than that.
Some were gagged, land some wer
z tied, and dear. little Mr.. Becker wa
rolled up il a blanket, like a rollypol
Il pudding, and pinned in. And diamond
!. and clothes and everything was gon'
i Door dears. And even the Indian idt
: from Mrs. Smiths mantelpiece. An
q as for me, I hadn't a spoon left. an
n nothing to put on but the waterproof
@ cloak. = But nothing dreadful had hal
:, pened except to the invalid gentleman
e He had disappeared.
n "'They've murdered him. says I.
They've carried him off for a raj
son. says Mrs. Squizzle. The Italian
do that, you know
. MAYBE he's thrown himself out
the window in a fright says Mr.
Smith.
Il There we all stood, mostly in blaI
kets and such, and made suggestion
; I. for one, knew, I should find hi
down cellar, weltering in his gor
\ What did you say? Did we? oh, n
y we didn't. No. The policeman ga
the first hint Of the truth.
"'Your invalid Is your burglar sa,
he. IT'S easier to open a door fro
!; inside than from out. Ireckon I kno
the man. It's Sly Tom, as they CT
him. He's been up to this dodge b
! FORE
p. And so 1t was, sir, 80 it was. Nj
Jerrup got back her diamonds but
never got back my spoons; and no
ys tense, sir-no insinuations. I'm su
Il, this invalid gentleman Is all that o
could wish-all! Oh. I feel quite pc
an tive of that, and no ~offense;. but wi
as an 4invaIid in the house l should
obliged to sit up in the bed all mig
Tn l should have nerves to that exte,
ng No, no inyalids for me; but Mrs. Ton
kins over the way has never had su
an experience, and I'd recommend y
ny to call there. &'F ,...
Is, = mo, no; l do not believe Mr.. WEI
IS. erby, your friend. to be a burglar, OF
cannot accommodate inyalids at
= - "a. :
Mr.. Bolter."" .,4t e.