The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1899-06-30
coming inS quick gasps. NY teeth chat

Now the fellow was at the window
again. He clutched something in his
arms. Miss Dora Seaton? No not
Miss Dora Seatonl.--a bundle. A kick
ing struggling bundle!
Silently, swiftly he descended. The
ladder was removed, the red light Of
the lantern extinguished. We felt the
two coming toward us in the darkness.
Ny heart beat up into my throat, my
knees shook, but I clutched the black
thorn cudgel.
.'Now!" cried Hargreaves. M
We sprang out. Each PILED himself
on his man, selling him by the throat,
and hung on. "a. s5 5..
The shock of the attack was irresist-
ible. With scarcely sound, scarcely
even scu1fle, we forced the fellows
down. Tightening my grip
If they struggle cried to an
imaginary comrade in the darkness;
If they struggle, fire!"
gagged my man, bound his unre-
sisting hands, turned on the lantern
and staggered back in utter amaze
ment. :E ssS15S gin III, RI.
'Graham!" cried. "Graham!"
"Dagmore!" calculated Hargreaves.
Tom Dagmore! by the powers!''
Hargreaves and I stared at one an
other. The burglars lay and glared
at us, gagged and helpless. The mys-
ferrous bundle struggled and plunged
about our feet Over all doomed the
shadow of the old hall, wrapped in sic
lent darkness. T.! H.
Then Hargresvc., began to laugh. He
rollkd about the drive,in speechless ag-
ony\ astufing his handkerchief into his
mouth and gurgling. I:subsided on the
ground in silent commissions. 49, 49, -
No wonder. Graham and Dagmore,-
undergraduates of All Souls, Oxbridge,
breaking into the house of a highly re-
spectacle country squire to steal ah,
yes! to steal what? ~
| I jumped up, seized the bundle, and
released asmall toy terrier, with blue
ribbon round it's neck and gag stuffed
into it's mouth.
1t was inexplicable, it was mysteri-
GUS, it was the best thing we had been
| in for months. With a simultaneous
]
They .gazed at each other ruefully, then
at us, and once more laughter rendered
us all speeches..
"Come out of this I whispered, pres
emily, 1--WE shall have the household
| down on u.s."
We crept down the drive. I hardly
dared breathe till we were outside the
gates.
'4Now them" I said to Graham, Tex
plain.''
**oh, after you, SIR said Graham
latter you'll
Eyes," echoed Dagmore, @what the
dickens are you doing in this AFFAIR.""
| I told them. Having stood what we
considered legitimate amount of
chaff, we put stop to it, and babe
them fire away
"The fact u.s." said Graham, dag
more is in love; it's Miss Dora Seaton.''
Every interesting" remarked, ''but
it hardly seemed to account for his
stealing her dog"
"Oh!" said Graham, ''I'm coming to
that. Dora walks on Lancaster pier
daily after tea. So does the dog. So,
for the fortnight we have been down
here, have Dagmore and I. Dagmore
was smitten with Dora at once, and we
have tried every dodge we know to
get an Introduction. No go. Fair
means failing, we tried foul '
| I stared. ,'-'
eve are due at Oxbridge next week,
you know. pagmore is getting fran
tic. ~
''At last he hit on brilliant idea.
Dora is devoted to the dog. It occurred
to him how: convenient it would be
if the little beast would get itself lost
or stolen, and we could find and re-
store it to her. AS this did not seem
likely to happen, we decided, as you
see, to steal it ourselves. Tomorrow
there will be a hue and cry all over
Lyncaster-posters up, rewards Of
fered, Dorp in despair, Dagmore scour-
ing the country for the dog-restora-
Neutrality-suspicious. gratitude-bl iss!"
swell, of all the romantic, daredevil
young fools!" began.
But" broke in Hargreaves, show
did you know where the dog was kept
at night? And how dare you risk it's
barking and rousing the household?"
"Dagmore's land lady and the cook at
Seaton hall exchange weekly tea and
mullins. Which answers your first
question:
"And the second ?"
Graham produced small phial.
"Chemistry," he said, pompous1y,
"chemistry is most useful study. A
few drops of this liquid on lump of
sugar sends a small dog to sleep for
six hours on end. The dose takes ef-
feet, half an hour after administra-
ton. This afternoon Dora and the dog
walked on the pier as usual so did
Dagmore and L Dora engaged in ami
able converse with anrold fisherman.
while the little dog ate lump of sugar
lying temptingly under one of the
seats. On the road home he probably
lay down and slumbered, and has slum-
bered ever since on the mat at his mis-
tress' door-in my arms on the land
ing-and awol<e to find himself de-
scending ladder tied up in a blanket
with cloth stuffed into his mouth.
There" Graham finished. 34That's the
whole show" :, ..',"2 -
Hargreaves and do not, think much
of this tale. Mrs. Dora Dagmore says
it is the best she Chicago
1 NS~~>~r