The suburban citizen., 1902-06-21

lte stops were out!
George stared at me. I stared al
George.
What does 1t mean, dad"
"You sleptw
But you were on guardT
"Yes."
"And did you sleepT
II think not"
"How came you here, theny
"The falling Of your club aroused
me-"
From sleepT
Perhaps"
Matte and her mother soon arrived
ON the scene, but none of us could
offer a solution TO the mystery.
Daylight came. The organ stops
were replaced, the organ relocked, and
every picture rigbted. The next night
Mrs. Wilters and myself were to go on
guard, she to remain in the parlor, as
| George had done the night previously,
and l in bed, as was not quite strong
enough yet to remain up.
At midnight the house was again
quiet. Mrs. Wilters on guard. l heard
the clock struck twelve, then one,
and
My hair stood on end. A scream
came from the parlor. Hastily lighting
lamp, beheld Mrs. Wilters standing
in a corner, swinging the club franti.
cally, and screaming.
Eleanor, what in Heavens name are
you doing?"
"You nearly frightened me to death%
she gasped.
"IW
What did you fire at?"
had discharged the gun and it lay
smoking against the footboard, the bu-
reau looking glass having q round hole
through 1t.
"Did l fireT"
did you? Mr.. Wilters. tomorrow
night Matte shall he on guard, and
neither you nor your gun can frighten
her."
"Great Heaven, see."
Every picture was again turned to-
ward the wall and the organ was
open.
eleanor. what mystery is this?"
My wife was speechless. Just at that
moment George and Matte appeared.
Father, we viii try it tomorrow
night, and failing, wen call in the po-
lice to watch fcc u.s." George said,
when the situation had been ex-
planned.
And so once more the pictures were
turned back.
Il prefer Il revolver to club" Mat
tie said stoutly.
Thus armed we again awaited events.
Singular that / should hear the clock
striking every night toward morning.
But so it was. 1t struck twelve, then
one, then two, and
] leaped from bed. Matte was firing
her revolver rapidly, the light reveal
ing her in an attitude OF despair.
"Well, Matte, what have you hit"
'Nothing"' she said doggedly, throw.
ing her smoking revolver into a cor.
ner.
"Oh. yes you have! You've shot
four holes through my new oil paint
ing, costing five hundred dollars. One
hole in the perspective, one in the
background. two through the noun.
tain. Good! lust one hundred and
twenty-five dollars a shot. Matte,
you'll do"
As we came back to normal con-
dition of mind we found that the pic
lures had been reversed as before
'It is teiTible"' said Matte.
But why did you shoot''
Il heard footsteps"
"Whose?"
Il do not know"
Leave me 10 watch tomorrow
night, said my wife, determinedly.
We'll and good; we willw / an
swered.
When the fatal hour came Mrs. Will
ters commanded:
"Nlr. Wilters you will now retire as
usual"
| retired gun in hand.
George Mattie-your father has
gone 10 bed. Come"
The three left the room, going to the
spare chambers above. What it meant
/ had 10 means CT knowing at the time,
but it all came out afterward. When
l fell asleep they returned TO the sitting
room, each holding a revolver and
dark lantern. Mrs. Wilters was at the
head Of the undertaking, her idea be-
Ing to fash the bulls eyes full upon the
parlor adjoining at the slightest noise.
and should a person be discovered
tamperinG with the organ or pictures,
TO shoot him.
As usual / heard the clock strike
twelve, one, two and The next
knew the parlor was suddenly illum-
mated, and crack! crack! crack! went
the three reyolvers. They had sur
prised the man in the very act Of dis
placing the pictures. and after firing
eHcitedly, rushed into the room.
Great Heavensw cried my wife,
fainting and falling.
Are you hurtf" gasped George.
I'VE have shot fathpr" scraorpe1