The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1904-12-10

4
Na.t'e. inen her fear was superseded b,
curiosity and excitement. she telt thai
she Was On tae track OF the mystery.
AS soon as the figures had GisaI pearec
| from sight she reiis hted the lantern and
sought the cellar. The door was par.
| TALLY open and faint streak of lish,
| shcne CIT, she looked il. Lying on 8
pile OF lumber was man, bound hano
and foot, GAGGED and blindfoldeo.
Asai-. terror seized her and she was
about to flee when she recognized the
| form as that of Wendell Lane In ar
instant she had removed the gag from
/! his mouth and the bandase from MS
eyes
Isn't this Miss White?" he asked
"Iou'll pardon my not rising. am -"
MIR. Lane" she replied. But how
them"
There's knife in my pocket"
Helen soon severed the stout cords
that bound him and be was on his feet
"Quick.' he exclaimed. Let's get
| away before they come baos!''
Leaving the lantern they sped away in
the darkness. not pausing until out ot
range OF the cellar.
DO tell me why you were in there and
bound so cruelty"
He laughed
Il have recently joined the club OF
which your brother is a member, and
they We're initiating me tonight. They
took me in that place, telling me it was
the vault of the cemetery, and l almost
believed them. This was only the pre-
liminary to several pleasant things they
had in store for me-
oh, what good one on them!" cried
Helen. ecstatcally. Fired thinks he is
so foxy He has a banquet spread out
in his den for you all. Won't you come
up to the house. Well make way with
the eats
Indeed will!" was his hearty re-
joinder. When they reached the house
and enjoyed a friendly chat, he sudden
ly exclaimed:
when TINY come back and find me
missing they'll get out search warrant
Won't they come here?"
ooh, no! Fred will never look for you
here!" declared Helen, confidently.
why not?'
Sle bushed little but frankly told
him how she had tried in vain to prevail
upon her brother to bring him to the
house. Presently they adjourned to the
den ard Wendell made caviar sand
witches and opened olives while Helen
made the coffee.
AZ they We're enjoying a cozy little
meal they heard the outer door open.
Fred" cried Wendell, in consterna-
ton.
NO" said Helen. listening, Its Tom!"
Come up here. Gear!" she called.
This is Mr. Lane. Tom. You can sit
down and have luncheon with us, if you
like"
"Oh, Heen!" cried the lad in a tone OF
wild excitement. 1--WE got more to tell
you. You see | belong to a secret So
ciety and we were going to meet at the
root cellar. | got there first and saw
some men carrying mother II an in there
and he was tied and gagged. The men
went away and left him and l ran and
got our fellows all together. and we
thought it was a murder, SO we went and
told the men in tho grocery and they got
policeman and all went to the root cell
Ter. but the man wasn't there They
found the rope and the gags, though.
They are going to find out all about it, 4"
Wendell and Helen listened to this re-
cital with delighted interest and at its
close gave vent to laughter.
well. faint no laughing matter" said
Tom. Indignantly.
you'll think it is when we tell you,"
assured Helen. TON never tells any
thing" she explained to Wendell.
I'D never tell anything Helen told me
rot to; she's brick" declared Tom.
II think so, too," agreed Wendell. and
he proceeded to relate the circumstances
OF the initiation to Tom, who highly
appreciated the situation.
II really think you had better go,
new" advised Helen to Wendell Fred
may be coming any minute now"
And may l come soon-to-morrow
nieht?" he asked, earnestly, as he was
taking leave.
Later. Helen, locked In her room.
laughed softly to hear her brother and
his companions go into the den and give
exclamation Of regret and consterna-
ton.
Fred" she said. languidly, at break
fast the next morning. TON and | got
hungry last night and we found such lots
of dclicacies in your den!"
But Fred was cross and irresponsive
That evening when he came home he
was dumbfounded to find Wendell there
chatting away and on friendly terms
with Helen.
where did you two meet?" he asked,
bluntly.
"Oh. Mr. Lane introduced himself to
me ore time when we were thrown into
each others society" she said. demurely,
and Tom didn't even smile.