Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1899-07-07

peered out Z
Ah-hat There they were-the ruff
fans! Thank goodness, only two OF
them. They sneaked along on the mar
row strip of grass bordering the graveF
drive. passed and disappeared into the
darkness.
A few minutes elapsed. Then Ian
terms red bull's-eye CLEANED out close
to the ground. Two figures reared a
ladder against the house wall.
One of the men mounted and disap-
peared. L could hear Hargreaves' breath
coming in quick gasps. My teeth chat
tered.
Now the fellow was at the window
again. He clutched something in his
arms. Miss Dora Seaton? No not
Miss Dora Seaton-a bundle. A kick
ing struggling bundled
Silently, swiftly he descended. The
ladder was removedsT the red light of
the lantern extinguished. Ne felt the
two coming towafa us in the darkness. =
Ny heart beat upinto my throat, my
knees shook, but clutched the black
thorn cudgel.
''Nowi" cried Hnrgreaves.
We sprang OUT Each hnFIed himself
on his man. selling him by the throat.
and hung on.
The shock of the attack wss-frresist-
ible. With scarcely a sound, scarcely .
even a scuffie, we forced the fellows
down. Tightening my grip
IF they struggle" 1 cried to an
imaginary comrade in the darkness;
IF they struggle. frei"
i gagged my man, bound his unre-
sisting hands, turned on the lantern
h-,ol
ment-
"GrahamI" / cried. "Grahami"
"Dagmore!" calculated Hargreaves. :
Tom Dagmore! by the powers!"
Hargreaves and l stared at one an
other. The burglars lay and glared
at US, gagged and helpless. The mys-
terious bundle struggled and plunged
about our feet. Over all doomed the
shadow of the old hall, wrapped in 81
lent darkness.
Then Hargreaves began to laugh. He
rolled about the drive in speechless ag-
ony, stuffing his handkerchief into his
mouth and gurgling. | subsidized on the
ground in silent commissions.
No wonder. Graham and Dagmore,
undergraduates of All Souls, 0Xbridge,
breaking into the house of highlysre-
spectacle country squire TO steal-ah,
yes! to steal what?
| jumped up, seized the bundle, and
eleased-a smalltoy terrier. with a blue
| ribbon round its neck and gag stuffed
into its mouth.
1t was ineXplicable. it was mysteri-
Gus, it was the best thing we had been
in for months. With simultaneous
impulse we unbound the ruf1ians-
They gazed 1T each other ruefully. then
at us, and once more laughter rendered
us all speechless.
Come out Of this" whispered, pres
entity, 1--WE shall have the household
| down on u.s.
We crept down the drive. 1 hardly
| dared breathe till we were outside the
| gates.
Now then,'' / said to Graham, "ex-.
plain"
"oh, after you, sir" said Graham
latter you'll"
'Yes." echoed Daginore, "what the
| dickens are you doing in this affair?"
told them. Having stood what we
considered a legitimate amount of
| chaff, we put stop to it, and babe
| them fire away"
The fact is" said Graham, dag
more is in love; it's Miss Dora Seaton."
very IhlSISSllHSs TcHdTkSO, OuI
it hardly seemed to account for his
stealing her dog"
"Oh!" said Graham, I'm coming to
that. Dora walks on Lyncaster pier
daily after tea. So does the dog. So,
for the fortnight we have been down
here, have Dagmore and 1. 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"
1 stared.
I'VE are due at Oxbridge next week,
you know. Dagmore is getting fran
tic.
AT last he hit on a brilliant idea.
Dora is devoted to the dog. 1t 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
Iyncaster-posters up, rewards Of
fered. Dora in despair, Dagmore scour-
ing the country for the dog-restora-
Observation-Disclosures ratitude-blissi"
well. of all the romantic, daredevil
young foolsi" began.
but" broke in Hargreaves. how
did YOU know where the dog was kept
at night? Ard how dare you, risk its
barking and rousing the household?''s
"Dagmore's Iandlady and the cook at
Seaton hall exchange weekly 4ea and
mullins. Which answers your first
question:"
And the second ."
Graham produced a small phial.
Chemistry" he said, pompousiy,