Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-10-28
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: A Double Surprise :
BY Charles willard Hurd
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TX EAR TOM-This letter is to in
form you that / am alone at
10 home, pater and mater having
SeffS66I left for visit Of week or more
Sy34sSD in New York. Should you be
willing to favor me with your
company for that period would receive
you with open arms. know that you
have nothing to do at present. SO make
no bones about coming. To tell the truth,
the numerous burglaries that have been
committed in the neighborhood recently
and the fact that / have no dog for
companion have made me nervous, and I
am confident that If you refuse my prayer
shall have to go out boarding or sleep in
good time Yours forever. DICK.
This is what Dick Knowlton wrote
and dropped in the postofflce early one
vacation morning.
'sThat ought to bring him." he re-
marked to himself. "He was going to
work next week, but he can easily put
it off for week longer. have hardly
seen him since we graduated from the
high school with our little Latin and
less Greek It is also more than posi-
BILE that Jack may run down from Bos-
ton, and If such is the case / fancy we
could add q little motion to old Time"
he left the postoffice and turned
down the street toward his home.
He stopped minute to learn that he
was wanted in n ball game for the Mt
ernoon on the green and then resumed
his homeward way. He busted himself
during the morning with various small
things about the house and then had
short but interesting struggle with
what he, out of compliment to his own
culinary skill, termed his dinner, for he
had calmly Informed his parents when
the servant girl had applied for a
weeks leave that he was fully able to
cook his own meals.
The afternoon was filed up with
basketball and other sports, and 1t was
late in the evening when Dick reached
home.
"Half after q" he said to himself,
consulting with the dining room clock.
eff Tom is not here within half an
hour, he will not be here ut all. Pshawl
wish I had driven over and seen him
instead Of trusting to letter. Some
how I dislike the idea of passing q
night in the house alone. have done 1t
enough times before. What is 1t ails
me, then? Burglars? Pshaw! l think
I'd rather like little adventure Of that
kind. Burglars nowadays don't consid-
er it necessary to kill their victims.
Besides, the burglar that can get away
with me in rough and tumble scrim-
mage has got to use little muscle"
AS he spoke he Strengthened himself
up, pinched the biceps Of his right arm
and patted his breast, where lately he
had worn a prize medal won for supe-
riority In gymnasium and athletic
work.
After striding up and down the room
for few minutes he suddenly recol-
lected that he was hungry. The kitch-
en- fire was out, and he gave up the
idea of hot supper. A glass Of milk
and bread, butter, cheese and cake sat
bic he acrual1y ysnrnede rot rtfa-
| GUS" visitation.
The time passed rapidly. Eight o'clock
Ind struck, but no Tom. It was now 8,
and Dick gave 1T up. He examined all
the doors and windows and then
assembled to his sleeping chamber. He
proceeded to undress himself, standing
before the mirror. In placing his tie In
the drawer his finger touched the butt
Of his revolver. He took it out and
looked it over. The chambers were
empty, and he filed them from box
in the drawer. This done, he carefully
weighed the weapon in his hand and
was sighting it when he happened to
catch the eye of his double In the glass,
and his features, which had before
been solemnly thoughtful, relaxed into
q smile.
''Pshaw!" he said, laughing aloud. II
can't get it out Of my head. Burglars!
Here; go back to sleep. l might hurt
myself"
He commenced to extract the shells,
then stopped.
eff I don't go to bed armed, shall
never go to sleep. If do take 1t, nm
afraid it will act like wedding cake and
make me dream. Which is the worse"
|. He drew a coin from his pocket and,
naming Eyes" for the head, tossed 1t
into the air.
"Heads up. congratulate myself,
and, come to think of 1t, that's what I
really wanted"
He placed the pistol under his pillow,
and then, undressing hastily and ar
ranging the gas Jet in satisfactory
manner, he reached for a volume Of
Dickens from his library in the corner
and dived into bed.
He was deep in "Dombey and Son.
when the clock In the dining room
struck 10. He passed his hands over
his eyes with yawn and, tossing his
book to the foot Of the bed, reached up
and with twist extinguished the light.
Ten minutes later he was as sound
asleep Us the policeman on the next
corner.
Eleven, II.
AS the last stroke of the last hour
died away the lower sash in one of
Dicks windows, which he had raised
for hygienic reasons, was further lift
ed. A dead silence. Then the fitting
light of dark lantern was flashed
over the scene. The sleeper stirred, but
did not wake. The holder of the Ian
tern slid one leg inside and, after pull
ing in the rest of his body, lowered
himself to the floor.
Another pause and then three light
taps on the pane. Another form noise
lessly entered.
Then the two housebreakers per-
formed two extraordinary actions.