Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-06-22

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'Id like something to eat, if you
please" answered the man, in what
was evidently feigned voice.
But in spite of that and the muller
about his face, Dollie knew him. 1t
was Jim Green, the cattle dealer, aud
he had very bad reputation. She
had never seen him but once before in
her life, but she remembered his leer
and hooked nose. She had had him
pointed out 10 her in the village, but
she did not think he bad eve: seen
her. What dill he want here when
her father was away?
With no idea OF the object of his
errand, Dollie, however, cut one of
the pumpkin pies and gave him a
generous quarter, which he proceeded
to eat as we'll as he could, without too
freely revealing his face. Dollie
hoped when he had finished it he
would go away, but he did not In
stead of that he got up, walked into
the sitting-room and looked around.
After moment, he walked up to the
desk and shook the lid.
"Sayl is this lock ed?" he asked.
Blood came hot and indignant into
Dollie's cheeks. The man was rob-
ber, after her fathers money. She
took her hands out of the dishwater,
where she had begun washing the
cooking dishes, and walked into the
sitting-room.
"See here" she said, boldly. "T
know you; you are Jim Green. What
do you want here?"
"Money" laconically. GIVE seen
your father at the village; I know he
hasn't got the money Kent paid him
with him, SO L think it must be
here"
He shook the lid violently and
peered about its edges.
GLOW dare you try to rob house
in open day?" asked Dollie. "Don't
you know you will be arrested and
sent to jail?"
"No, I won't" answered Green,
coolly. "I'm going out of the coun-
try tonight. Come, I want the
keys!"
Dolie turned scornfully away, but
gave longing glance out at the win
dow
81 expect my father every moment, :"
she said. "He has the keys with
him"
"You needn't expect him at pres
ent," answered Green, still at work
upon the desk. ellis horse cast a
shoe, and he's at the blacksmith
and likely to stay for awhile"
"Well, he has the keys with him,
replied Dollie, still coolly. "You had
better take yourself off. My brothers
are liable to come homo at any
moment"
"Oh, I know all about that" re-
sponded Green, taking huge pocket
knife from his pocket and proceeding
to force the lock.
What could Dollie do? The house
was half mile off the main road, and
that distance from any living soul.
| There was not weapon of any kind
under its roof. If there had been.
Dollie knew she would be more afraid
of pistol than she was of Jim
Green.
But the swapping of the lock and
the villain's long drawn "Ah" of
satisfaction, almost frenzied her. Her
honest, working old father s
money-she must save it, if she flew
at the rascal and scratched out his
eyes!
A sudden thought came to Dollie.
She went into the buttery and took
down small, -mouthed bottle,
closely corked and marked Cayenne
Pepper" She took out the cork, con-
cealed the bottle in the palm of her
hand, and went into the other room.
Greene had not found the money,
but had seized upon fine gold watch,
which belonged to Mr.. Durand, and
which he used only upon rare occa.
sions. His never failing companion
was big, silver time keeper, which
he carried in his fob.
"Ahl" repeated Green, and he hur
ried to the still open door of the kit
chen to examine the watch NOR,
closely.
He had time to see by the fading
sunset light, that it was even more
valuable chan it had at first seemed
W DC, DuU jim Oreen eyes ulu nlu
little other service for many weeks.
Dollie raised her little hand, ant
quick as lightning dashed portion o
the fiery compound in his face.
With shrek of agony, the mai
dropped the watch and clinched hi
hands over his eyes as he leaped ou
into the yard. With howls and yells
he danced about the door-yard, ant
was tumbling over the wood pile a
Dollie saw him last, before she locke,
and double-barred the door.
She picked mp the watch, restored
it, and went to the window. She ha,
to wait but short time before he
fathers wagon-wheels rolled into tn
yard.
She flung up the sash as her fathe
and brother sprang out and approache,
the suffering mortal, who was still
kicking and bowling in the woodpile
"His eyes are full of cayenne pep
per, Ned! He was stealing you
, money, father!" Dollie cried.