Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1899-12-07
and disappeared into the darkness.

/
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 kicking,
| 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. My
heart beat up into my throat, my knees
shook, but l cluched the blackthorn
cudgel.
"Now" cried Hargreaves.
| We sprang out. Each hurled himself
on his man, seized him by the throat and
hung on.
The shock of the attack was irresisti-
BILE. With scarcely a sound, scarcely
even scufiie, we forced the fellows
down. Tightening my grip
IF they struggle" | cried to an imagi-
nary comrade in the darkness-"if they
struggle, fre!'
| I gagged my man, bound his unresist-
ing hands, turned on the lantern and
staggered back in utter amazement.
Graham l cried. "Graham"
'Dagmore!" calculated Hargreaves.
"Tom Dagmore by the powers!"
Hargreaves and l stared at one anoth-
er. The burglars lay and glared at us,
gagged and helpless. The mysterious
bundle struggled and plunged at our feet
Over all doomed the shadow of the old
hall, wrapped in silent 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, Oxbridge,
breaking into the house of a highly re-
spectacle country squire to steal-ah
yes, to steal what?
l jumped up, seized the bundle and re-
leased-a small toy terrier, with blue
ribbon round it's neck and a gag stuffed
into it's mouth.
1t was ineXplicable, it was mysterious
it was the best thing we had been in for
I months. With a simultaneous impulse
we unbound the ruffians. They gazed al
each other ruefully, then at US. and once
more laughter rendered US all speeches.
Come out Of this" l whispered pres
emily. I'VE shall have tie household
down on us"
| We crept down the drive. hardly
dared breathe till we were outside the
gates.
"Now, them l said to Graham, lex.
| plain
"Oh, after you, sir" said Graham
latter you"
Eyes" echoed Dagmore, what the
dickens are you doing in this AFFAIR.""
l told them. Having stood what we
considered legitimate amount Of chat
we put stop to it and babe them fire
away"
1.-The fact Isl said Graham, "Dagmore
is in love. It's Miss Dora Seaton.'
every interesting" l remarked, "but
that hardly seems 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 l. Dagmore was smitten
| with Dora at once, and we have tried ev-
cry dodge we know to get an introduc-
| ton. No go. Fair means failing, we tried
foul"
| l stared.
| 1--WE are due at Oxbridge next week,
you know. Dagmore was getting frantic.
| "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 Dc stolen and
we could find and restore it to her. As
this did not seem likely to happen, we de-
| clded, as you see, to steal ii ourselves.
Tomorrow there will be hue and cry
all over Lyncaster-posters up, rewards
offered, Dora in despair, Dagmore scour-
ing the country for the Representations
-gratitude-bliss!''
| well, of all the romantic, daredevil
young fools!" 1 began.
| But" broke in Hargreaves, chow did
you know where the dog was kept at
night? And how dare you risk its bark
Ing and rousing the householder"
| "Dagmore's landlady and the cook at
Seaton Hall exchange weekly tea and
mullins. Which answers your first ques-
| lion"
| And the second?"
Graham produced small phial
Chemistry, he said pompously,
Chemistry is most useful study. A
| few drops of this LIQUID on a lump of
sugar sends a small dog to sleep for six
hours on end. The dose takes effect half
an hour after administration. This after
| noon Dora and the dog walked on the
pier as usual. So did Dagmore and I.
Dora engaged in amiable converse with
an old 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
had slumbered ever since on the mat at
his mistress door-in my arms on the
landng-and awoke to find himself de-
scending a ladder tied up in a blanket
with cloth stuffed into his mouth
There Graham finished, that's the
whole show"
Hargreaves and do not think much of
this tale. Mrs. Dora Dagmore says it Is
the best she MISUNDERSTANDING.
HE Nexv Mama