The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-07-11

that she was unable to. get into the
house.
i can't turn the key. and If you
don't mind, ma'am, I'll go through
your window"
The people didn't mind at all. Iney
even held the girls parasol and pock'
etbook while she clambered from one
window sill to the other.
Then came a crash. 1t was a ter
rife crash. Had the girl fallen into
the court? No. The sounds that
came from the floor below We're unlike
those heard when Hendrick Hudson
played ninepins in the Adirondacks,
At that point came a shrek, such as
the stage heroine gives vent to when
the villain gets after her with a
butcher knife. 1t was sickening.
Mrs. Trumbull waited half second,
then stuck her head out Of the win
dow, and with the help of half q
dozen other feminine voices called;
Mary! Mary! What's the matter"
The reply was a volley of sobs and
sQuea!s winding up with: 1.-THE fats
been robbed.'
Mr.. Trumbull was surprised to see
his wife with hair streaming down
her back and hands clutching the
folds of a bath robe, go shooting
through the library out into the hall
and down the stairE
In ten minutes she returned. Hell
eyes were big and black and scared
Her teeth were chattering, and hel
hands were busy with each other. She
curled up on the divan and looked at
her husband.
"John, what do you think? The
Smiths fat has been robbed and
there's hardly a scrap Of anything
left. They came through the kitchen
window. They even took some Per
sian rugs and Mrs. Smiths sealskin.
And the silver's all gone, and the
house-oh. you just should see it. It's
knee deep with the things that they've
pulled out of the dressers and ward
robes"
John continued to read his Spence.
That's too bad" he said.
Silence of five minutes. >
John" she spoke, very softly.
"Yes?' he asked, not looking up from
Spencer. d.. *
John, do you know I'd just be
scared stiff if you weren't here" e.
John smiled sadly. 'E
You won't 90 off on that hunting
trip; will you:'
"Well-ll-ll," he drawled uncertainty.
II just won't let you, now; They
might come in and take my candle
stick, or the baby, or my grandmoth-
ers set of china And I'm not a bit
afraid when you're here. Honest, I'm
notw %
Johns chest swelled up. This was
something new. He threw Spncer on
the floor and went and looked at his
revolver. Then he tried the dining
room windows. After that he threw
his arms out and doubled them up to
see if his muscle swelled as it did
when he vas a lad at school.
He walked back and forth through
their bit of fat and held his head up
high. Then he sat down beside that
little tyrant of a wife and looked her
in the eyes. e.
She giggled Historically and ran her
fingers across his moustache, just as
she used to do when poor John was
so crazy with love for her that she
could have pulled out every hair of
his head and he'd never have known
it.
Dear" John said softly, II never
knew before that there was any place
for me in this house. that l filled any
want here But now l find that / am
useful, that l am burglar-scarer.
God bless that man that stole those
things downstairs. It'll be hard on
the Smiths. but it's a mighty fine
thing for me-.
And they lived happily ever after.
Or had for Il week. as the burglary
only took place that far Dack.-Chi-
caro- TimcS-HeralQ.