Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1900-01-17

you. Mamma won't and Marion won't
and papa's afraid of mamma, so even
If he does he won't dare 10 show IL
much but Roy and I'll like you, and If
you get lonesome come ON down here
in our den and We'll take care of you
Before the two months were up Tony
had discovered how true a prophet Tad
was, and the little coZy room back Of
the library became her place of refuge
in many a time of need although Rat
Ties was banished from 1t to the back
yard whenever Aunt Henriette's nerves
were in particularly irritable condi-
ton.
And she says we mustn't throw the
lariat in the house. Roy said, ruefully,
one day when he and Tad had been
having high old time with Tony's
rope" and saddle and Indian trophies,
and 1t had ended in Shakespeare being
lassoed and yanked unceremonlously
from his pedestal in the library and
hauled at the end of the lariat by II
whooping brave until a plalntive voice
came from the regions above calling
for "Antoinette."
SO the rope was looped up and
hung on a peg in the den, and Tony
tried to be dignified and graceful like
Marion, and not rush up the stairs two
steps at time. or whistle, or tell the
twins blood-curdling narratives that
savored of the adventures of Rattle
snake Bill and his kind. But still she
felt that she was far from being a salts
factory representative of the Ceilings
worths in her aunt's eyes, and many
time, after every one had retired and
| the house was still, whlte-robed girl
would steal softly down the broad stair
case and into the den to have a quiet
cry all by herself, with Rattles' head
on her lap as he watched her with his
deep-set, solemn eyes.
1t was on one of these nights that
the great event happened which
changed the whole aspect of things 50
far as Tony was concerned. She had
! been In disgrace that day. There had
been a swell function of some kind, and
the twins had been summarily called
from the den to appear before a select
company. But instead of two pretty
| figures in black velvet and point lace
there had come forth two full-fedged
Indian braves In feathers and war
paint, bubbling over with laughter and
all ready for powwow.
or course, Tony was blamed. and she
would not have cared IL only a dismal
wall of woe from the nursery had not
told her that others shared her punish
ment, so it was great relief that night
to steal down to the den to have the
usual cry, with Rattles as chief con-
soler.
The hour was very late. Tony heard
the clock in the library chime IL and
then half-past, and Rattles moved un-
easily once or twice, his head raised In
the air as If he scented danger, but the
| girl was too tired and heartsore to no.
tice him, and at last, with a parting
pat on Rattles' nose, Tony left the den
and started through the long, dark cor
ridor toward the stairs, when, all at
once, she noticed that the door Of her
uncles private room and study was
ajar and saw n faint wavering glim-
mer of light shine through the aper-
ture.
Alert and soft-footed as one of her
own Wyoming wildcats. she tptoed
across the hall and looked in. A broad
mahogany desk stood in the center of
the room, and just beyond this was a
small safe, a light steel one, In which
Mr.. Collingsworth kept his papers and
all articles of value. On the desk was
carefully wrapped bundle suggestive
of silverware and other things portable
as well as valuable, and kneeling on the
floor in front of the safe, with his back
to the door, was a man working stead
lily at the combination lock.
Tony hesitated an instant, her first
impulse being to run upstairs and tell
her uncle. The burglar alarm was at
the front door and another at the draw
ing-room windows opening on the We
randa, and she thought that while she
was trying to reach them her presence
might be discovered and there would
be trouble. And, besides, she suddenly
remembered Aunt Henrlette's nervous
condition. She would have Mysteries
or something just as dreadful If she
heard a commotion downstairs. Tony
decided. and with new idea In her
head she turned and went back to the
den.
Rattles was settled on the rug, and
with long yawn stretched himself
when he saw the familiar figure; but
she did not rouse him. Taking the
lariat from it's peg, she withdrew on
tiptoe, leaving the door unlatched.
There was little smile on her lips as
she stood again outside the study door,
this time with Rattles erouching by
her side and with the long rope coiled
in Rattlesnake Billie's favorite style in
her left hand. After ALL 1t was such
a joke for her to be using it here IN
Chicago, just as 1t might have been
thrown about the throat of any half
breed or criminal off on the plains, and
che wished In that moment of heSitancy