The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1902-03-08


the lock of the front door. / smiled
at the surprise I was going to give
James and Clara. just then the hall
door opened.
"Thunder!" remarked a voice. 81
thought we turned all the lights out!'
dropped back into the chair. The
voice did not belong to James! had
never heard it before!
A wild panorama of things flashed
before me. 1 dashed through a door
in front of me, locked it, and found
myself in another bedroom, and there
was in cul-de-sac. The only door
of exit led into the hall. I paused,
and listened in agony.
"Oh, my poor darling little Fido!"
screamed the feminine voice, as the
dog was discovered. "What an awful
cruel monster he must have been!"
"Well, at least, Lillian, he didn't
hurt the dog" said another feminine
voice, with ripple of laughter in
it. 81 think he deserves good deal
of sympathy for that, don't you,
WHIP"
heard references to the police, and
the jingling of an excited telephone
bell, followed by calls for three or
four men to be sent up from the sta
ton.
In that single moment I spent a
whole long night locked up with the
"drunks and disorderlies," and pic
tured James coming down I'm the
morning and calling me fool, while
he was making arrangements for my
release.
Never! I would die first! And
clutched at the collar of Wills suit,
and beat my brow with my fist, and
groaned.
heard the procession come along
the hall, and I knew what awaited
them in the dining-room. I opened
the door the merest crack, and peeped
out. The hall was clear. Now was
my time.
With my best run I sped along the
hall, and to the room into which had
first broken.
1t was done. was inside, and the
door was shut behind me. And then
I fell up against the door and gasped.
had missed the direction! There
was only one other way in which I
could make COMPOUNDED fool of my
self that night, and now I had done
that. This was not the drawing-room
at all, but snowy bedroom, with a
young lady standing in the middle of
it, looking affrighted at me!
She continued to look at me for
some time. After while she said:
as there anything more you would
like to have? If you can think of
anything, please don't hesitate to ask
for it; but be quick, for the police
will be here soon."
II do beg you to believe that this
is all an unfortunate mistake" 1 said.
"Will you believe me, on my honor
as gentleman, when tell you that
1 will explain it all some day, and
that, If you will help me to escape
from this painful predicament, you
will be glad when you know the
truth?"
We heard Will and his wife in loud
discussion of the GOODNESS of the
burglar, while Wills wife cried hys-
terically:
where is Belle? I do wish she
would stay with us! We are all going
to be murdered before the police get
here!"
The young lady pushed past me, and
opened the door little.
Don't worry about me Lillian"
she called brightly. II don't care to
see the police, so l shall shut myself
in"
Then she closed and locked the
door, and turned to me again.
II have almost told lie for you,"
she whispered coldly. "Worse than
that, / am going to help you out of
my window. Once outside, you will
have to take your chance"
bowed my thanks, and was moving
towards the window, when l remem-
bered the bag and all it contained to
identify me with the wearer of Wills
suit. 1 told her about it and she
smiled, and slipped out of the room
by another door. Presently she came
with the bag, and there was CLEAN
in her eyes as profusely thanked her
once more.
"We are under many obligations to
you for not having set fire to the
house," she said demurely.
We heard the heavy feet of the Off
GERS at the door, and their ring at
the bell, and then the young lady
softly raised the window.
I sprang lightly to the ground. Her
hand was lying on the window-sill,
and leaned over and kissed it.
The window closed with emphasis.
1 walked, bag in hand, to the pave
ment, and then started up the
street. At the further end of it 1
plunged into the arms of a man who
was coming out of cottage.
Hang it! What are you racing
about the streets like that for?" he
roared. Then he flung himself at me,
and almost shook my arm off, shout
ing, with grin of delight: "Dave,
you young rascal, where have you
been?"
NJ dropped my bag, and sat down