Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1901-10-19
CHAPTER XIV.

CHAPTER XIV.
But there was little merriment
when, five minutes later, the house
hold had taken account of stock and
realized the extent of their losses.
Maidie's had evidently been the last
room visited. The dressing table and
wardrobe of the opposite chamber
that occupied by Col. and Mrs. Brent
had been ransacked. The colonePs
watch and chain-too bulky, he said,
to be worn at dinner in white uni
form-his Loyal Legion and Army of
the Potomac insignia and some priced
though not expensive trinkets of his
good wife were gone. Miss Porter's
little purse with her modest savings
and a brooch that had been her
mothers were missing. And with
these items the skilled practitioner
had made good his escape.
On the floor, just under the window
in Maidie's room, lay keen double
edged knife. The stumps of two or
three matches found in the coloneFs
apartment and others in Miss Por-
ter's showed that the thief had not
feared to make sufficient light for his
purpose, and from the floor of
Marion's room, close to the bureau,
Just where it had been dropped when
the prowler was alaramed, Miss Por-
ter picked up one of the old-fash-
toned "phosphors" that ignite noise
lessly and burn with but tiny flame.
Marion's portemonnaie was in the
upper drawer, untouched, and such
jewelry as she owned, save two pre-
cious rings she always wore, was
stored in her fathers safe deposit
box in the bank at home. The colonel
was really the greatest loser and de-
clared it served him right, both pro-
vost marshal and chief of police hav-
ing around loose"
At sound of shots on the Gale
Nueva Brent had sailed forth, and,
rushing impetuously into the dimly-
lighted thoroughfare, had narrowly
missed losing the top of his head as
well as his watch, an excited sentry
sending a bullet whizzing into space
ny way VI b1lC CsJlOilCl pun IClluCU,
which prompted the doctor to say in
his placid and most effective way that
more heads had been lost that night
than valuables, and one bad shot be-
gat another.
Sentries down towards the barracks,
hearing the three or four quick re-
ports, bethought them of the time
hof
in case of blaze which he could not
pers onally extinguish the sentry
should "shout 'Fire!' discharge his
piece and add the number of his
post" Sagely reasoning that nothing
but a fire could start such a row, or
at least that there was sufficient ex-
cuse to warrant their having some
fun of their own to- enliven the dull
hours of the night, Numbers and 8
touched off their triggers and yelled
"Fire!" Five and 6, nearer home, fol-
lowed suit, and in two minutes the
bugles were blowing the alarm all
over Ermita and Malate, and rollick-
ing young regulars and volunteers by
the hundred we're tumbling out into
the street, all eagerness and rejoicing
at the prospect of having lark with
the Bomberos, the funny little Manila
firemen with their funnier little
squirts on wheels.
1t was fully half an hour before the
officers could ''locate" the origin of
the alarm and order their companies
back to bed, an order most reluctant
" olo l1,,4 Lo+
est native fire company was aroused
and on the way to the scene. 9th
ers could be expected in the course
of the night, and the Manila fire de-
partment was something that afford
ed the Yankee soldier unspeakable
Joy. He hated to lose such an oppor-
tunity.
DR.. Frank was by no means pleased
with the excitement attending this
episode. For an hour or more Off
GERS from all over the neighborhood
gathered in front of Brent's and had
to be told the particulars, "Billy
Rays daughter" being pronounced
the heroine everybody expected her
~ NC, Willie CIIdo young lduy ueTSeII,
now that the affair could be called
closed, was in a condition bordering
on the electric. "Overwrought and
nervous" said Miss Porter, "but
laughing at the whole business
What Frank thought he didn't say,
but he cut short Sandy's visit TO his
sister and suggested that he go down
and tell the assemblage under the
front gallery that they woule better
return to whist-or whateveS game
was in progress when the alarm was
given. The colonel could not invite
them in as matters stood, and they
slowly dispersed, leaving only a
senior or two and Lieut.. Stuyvesant
to question further, for Stuyvesant,
coming from afar and arriving late,
was full of anxiety and concern.
ITO Be Continued
NEVER HASTY AGAIN.