Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-11-30
UsaRAMxAroAL BURGLAR.


<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
It seemed almost too soon for Jack
to have returned when Mrs. Torrance
heard him ring. The little woman
was about to open the door, when q
happy thought led her to ask: us
that you, Jack?"
Eyes. It's me-"
The CHEEKY pitch Of the muffed
voice might have left doubt; the bad
grammar left none. Her Jack could
never have made that slip.
Without a word she fled upstairs
into Jacks room, grabbed the six.
shooter out of the top bureau drawer
and ran down again, cooking it en-
route. She got to the door, and, in az
firm Q tone as she could command,
said in sharp, imperious way:
snow, who ate you, and what do
you want?"
There was q moments silence,
Then: If yer open the door I'll tell
yer. / don't mean no harm, missis."
Dot, who knew that her figure could
be seen through the glass, put the
point Of the gun close to it and ex-
claimed, for her blood was up now,
"Move on, or I'll fire!"
The man seemed disposed to argue
the point, for her quick ear caught
the sound of hoarse muttering. Then
she thought she heard soft-treading
step, as Of one going away.
But she was mistaken, or else there
was brace of them, for meanly,
wheedling voice said: "Missis, amt
no burglar. I'm just hungry and only
want a bit O. somethin' to eat. Can't
you gimme piece of bread? I'll 60
down by the gate an creak it, an you
en- slip it out quick and lock the door
agin. wouldn't hurt lamb"
'Tve no time to talk, and this isn't
a bakery" retorted Dot. III you don't
60 at once I'll fire. Though | don't
want to wake my husband up or rouse
the neighbors."
Dot thought she heard suppressed
snort at this bluff" But it was fol-
lowed by . heavy football of one walk
ing slowly down the path. Then the
gate creaked audibly, as If the hungry
man had no need to disguise his COM
ings and goings.
Fluttered but content, she started
upstairs again. A slight sound came
to her from above that made her heart
tlutter wildly.
She remembered the stout trellis
Jack had put up against the wall Of
the house-she had asked him If he
meant to train banyan tree on it
and the window of her room had been
raised about an inch that the air
might do Cuthbert good. Her 2-year'
old had been feverish all day.
The recollection of that first re-
treating step and the parley of the
other man flashed across her mind.
What If the pal" had scaled the trellis
and was kidnapping Cuthbert?
She few up the stairs, holding her
gun tightly.
She dashed through the sitting
room, into the bedroom where Cuth-
bert was sleeping. There was a
brawny hand, shiny and villainous,
grasping the window sill!
There was no time to daily or meas
ure consideration or any delicate
scale. Dot raised her pistol, steadied
herself, took deliberate aim, and
banged away. There was a fierce eiac-
ulation of mingled pain and profanity,
and she heard some one leap down
into the back yard and then scramble
off.
She glanced at Cuthbert. A wide
opened pair of eyes like her own was
looking at her as she stood with the
smoke from the pistol curling in a
cloud about her.
Then as the baby boy came to a
consciousness that the tense, defiant
figure with the pistol in its hand was
mamma, heredity asserted itself in n
smile that showed small white teeth
and almost wrinkled a diminutive
nose.
Dot rushed to him and kissed him
wishing she could afford
herself the luxury of breaking down
and shedding helpful tears over her
game offspring. But she couldn't.
She was on duty till Jack returned,
and she kept her gun" tight in her
hand.
go to sleep baby, mamma is here"
she said, with an effort at playful
ness.
"What you doin'?" demanded Cuth-
bert drowsily.
keeping away cats-and things.
Lie still and go to sleep, baby, like
little man. Mamma is tired
Was that stealthy step on the
stairs? She raised herself and
her gun" anew. The next
a man rushed into view in
the sitting room, paused looked in
where she was, and was about to
charge forward, when:
"lf you stir step will sboot!"
cried Dot
She had promptly brought her bat
terry to bear on him and even stepped
forward a pace or two, as II with in
'tinct to screen Cuthbert, keeping her
blazing eyes on the mans face.
Don't shoot, ma'am,' the fellow
said, hurriedly. ~ heard the pistol
shot, and thought yer was bein' at
lacked by some burglar, nd I broke
the door to come and help We. !
| wouldn't hurt baby, ma'am. All
wanted at first was chunk ~ bread