Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1898-12-08

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They were both such faithful and do.
voted creatures. Mary had been with
her for years, and Bridget oame with
the best OF recommendations from her
former employers
Mr. Cook protested that his purpose
was not to search for anything but
traces of the burglars, yet he glanced
more than once at Mary and looked
about as though in search of Bridget.
who had just stepped over to neigh.
Dol, S moment, SO Mary told her mis-.
tress. Then he went back and again
closely examined the rear window of
the dining room, the one which the
burglars had so thoughtlessly left open
on their departure. The iron snap catch
which held the lower sash down had
been forced off and was found the
morning of the discovery of the robbery
lying on the floor under the window.
MIR. Cook had raised the sash, studying
it within and without, all the time
whlstllng softly and saying nothing,
and his proceedings had affected Mary
to the extent OF having to declare to
Mrs Stannard at teatime she was that
nervous she didn't know how to stand.
And with Bridget now gore and the
gale growing and no one to talk to after
10 O'Clock Mary had become moro and
more nervous. Mrs. Stannard found her
sitting in the kitchen little later,
looking white and miserable, and asked
her why she didn't go to bed, whereat
the poor girl began to weep a>.e could
not explain it, she said, but she felt all
creepy and queer. She was afraid to
stay alone. She was sure something was
going to happen, and Mrs. Barry, al
ways kind and sympathetic, babe the
girl make bed for herself on the couch.
She would be glad to have her near her
this night anyway III case she desired
to communicate with Nathalie.
1t must have been after II O'Clock
when Mrs. Barry succeeded in sending
Nathalie to her room. BY that time she
was comfortably slowed away for the
night IN her own white bed. She had
Mary close at hand and needed no fur.
Their attention. Mrs Stannard had been
stationed at Russell long before and
was we'll accustomed to the violence of
the Wyoming gales and to the rocking
and creaking of the old wooden quar-
tiers, but it seemed to her as though the
spite and fury of the wind had quicken
ed at the sound of the 10 O'Clock bugle,
and before leaving her friend for the
night she took a look into the kitchen
to see that all was safe and snug.
The fire had been carefully banked
over with ashes i'll the big cooking
stove The bracket lamp was extin-
gulshed, but the door leading into the
girls room swung uneasily on it's
hinges and banged against its frame,
driven by the draft that would leak in
through invisible chink or Granny. Set
ting her own hand lamp on the table,
she firmly closed the door to prevent its
further slamming, and then, leaving
the Kitchen in total darkness, except for
dull red glimmer through crack in
the stove, she returned to the front of
the house, babe her friend an affection
ata good night and, buffeted by the
storm, scurrled along the 'front.' piazza
and let herself in at her own door. A
light was burning on the landing above,
and Miss Maynard had evidently gone
aloft, for the parlor lamps We're turned
low. Yes, her voice was audible She
was in her brothers. room. Carefully, |
as she had done next door, Mrs. Stan
nard Inspected her own kitchen and, |
finding everything safe there, called
aloft to know if Mr.. or Miss Maynard
needed anything and then babe them a
CHEEKY goodnight
Don't mind the wind It is swing
ing round now and blowing from the
most unusual thing-and | |
can't help thinking it will stop before
But she fancied from Miss Maynard's
somewhat choky tone that she had been
crying, and, thinking over this and other
matters, it was quite awhile before
Mrs. Stannard got fairly asleep.
Midnight had long gone BY Old
Fritz and his ghostly team and carryall
had returned and been safely housed
and still one light, and only one, seemed
to burn brightly along officers row. It
Shone through the shade of the dormc,
window OF the front room in the Sta>.
nards' half of the big double house as
signed to the two majors, the room now
by Mr.. Maynard. The sentry
on No. noted it as he called off at half
past IL. The corporal of the guard not.
ID 1T as he made his lonely round, for
since the robbery old Walters had his
guard patrol the post,
But that light and those at the guard
house We're all the corporal could see
until just about half past /, when
awful scream was borne upon
he gale and sudden glare burst from
he rear OF the Barrys' quarters A
sheet OF flame leaped from the annex
md tore under the caves and Tapped and
ashed about the dormer window at the
lorth, the swapping and cracking of
,lass and shingles instantly responding.
sang went the sentry's piece as he yell
I'd the alarm of fire Rush went the
corporal across the parade, reaching the
oadway i'll time to meet Lieutenant
Maynard staggering ont through blind
ng smoke with Mrs. Barry in his arms,
ND then diving in again the instant he
lad lad her down, to be lost to view an
entire minute; then to reappear, fol
owed Ev a broad sheet Of Hnn,o cnor,b