The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1903-05-15
A USEFUL BURGLAR.

the kitchen stairs shielding with
glowing fingers the candle that she
held above her head. She heard
mice ,%currying about among the pans
that Aunt Sally had left on the table
when she went to her cabin for the
night, and she shrank from vcntur-
ing into the darkness below. But as
she hesitated. peering anxiously
down the flight, a groan from another
room needed her reluctance. Lifting
her skirts she ran quickly owe the
stairs. for Edward. her husband. had
been seized at midnight with a vio-
lent headache. the result of riding
too long in the afternoon, and was
begging dcliriou.ly for ice. So ice
Molly must have, even il it meant
Drawing the tcrrors below.
The refrigerator was in a lean-to
opening from the kitchen. Mrs. Car
son found the door shut and fast
ened securely against all her push
ings and shakings. and the end Of the
key glinted maliciously at her
through the keyholc. a. II haunting
her inability.
Running upstairs. she left the
candle on the table in the dining
room, and went out of doors to try to
open the outside shed door. The
moon shone dimly through ficecy
April clouds. and a w%hippoorwill
called insistently from a nearby
field. in the note that sounds more
melancholy in the North Carolina
mountains than anywhere else in the
world.
The outer door proved as obstinate
a the inner. Molly ratified il in
vain, and then fell to pulling at the
wire netting over a little window be-
side ii. The tear. rolled down her
checks as she tugged with no success.
A ragged bit Of gauzc tore her fin
gers, but she did not mind the pain.
The sound Of Edward voice inside
the house. rising and falling in the
babble Of delirium, spurred her to
continued effort. and dcafencd her to
the cry of the whippoorwill. She did
not ever hear the sound OF approach
ing footsteps, until a man came
around the corner Of the house SO
quickly that he almost ran into her.
"Well!" he exclaimed. standing
immovable.
"ITeavcns,' she cried at the same
moment. shaking from head to foot.
and hardly able to%articulatc. what
do YOU WANT"
Her hear, thumped iuriou.ly, but
through her fear there ran the
thought tina, whatever happened
Edward must have the ice.
The mar regained his sclf.posses-
sion as he saw her fright,
1T looks like wc-all', on the same
business" he chuckled. pointing to
the window, and giving her a poke in
the arm with a dirty thumb.
II don't understand YOU: am Mrs.
Carson" said Molly. throwing back
her fair head haughtily, Then, re-
called by his gesture to her occupa-
ton, she forgot her terror in the
thought that there was a mana
strong man-who could help her.
She began again to work feyerishly at
the netting.
"Mr. Carson's very i'll. He's out OF
his head, and | want TO get some ice
for him. The door from the kitchen
is locked" she explained. There
triumphantly, as n corner gave way
in response to a vigorous tug. snow
YOU pull on that she commanded,
and the would-bc burglar. nothing
loath, gave a jerk that brought of tho
whole covering.
Splendid" exclaimed Molly
and prepared TO climb in at once.
'No, you don't, ma'am," said the
man. "Let me go in first and assist
you-all," calamity.
Hepushedhis bulky frame through