The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-03-21
The Gate Leading Into the Lame
BY JOHN N. RAPHAEL


Carrisbrookes had been there. It was
at the back of the house and even the
tradesreopla used the front gate as a
rule Still. as Ferguson presently said.
there wasn't any reason why one of
the tradesfolk shouldn't have more
manners than the rest and go round to
the back for entrance, as they all ought
TO.
The wind was whistling pretty loud
iy, too-whooing like a mammoth owl,
and presently above it rose a clang-
ing Gathering sound, which the two
women in the drawing room both
heard. though very family
He's trying to get I'M" almost
screamed Mrs. Carrisbrooke. That
was the sound OF his boots on the
sheathing inside the lower part of the
raining. And 1 can see him.
Look. look. Fergy! There. Don't you
see there's a man there, standing right
up against the gate?"
And II there is. Miss Aggie, what of
that? said Ferguson. Its probably
somebody with the petrol which master
ordered, and which the lazybones at
Tantler's didn't think to bring up to
the mouse TILL now. I'll just go down
and let him in
Fergy. you shan't you shan't!" and
little Mrs. Carrisbrooke became almost
hysterical But Ferguson was made
OF sterner stuff. and, after a short lee
ture OIL the foolishness of sitting there
without light, and thinking about
ghosts and burglars and such things
as that, when there was cheerfulness
and light down at the bottom of the
garden. she put her shawl on and de-
| ciared her intention of going down and
letting in the man. What we heard
was probably him ringing at the gate"
she said.
49,.
risbrooke, crying a little. TT couldn't
be! The b-b-bbell is broken. 1 no.
ticed that this morning"
Then he was kicking OF his toes
agfn the ironwork along the bottom,
Miss" said FERGUSON. 1T isn't man
ners. but it's just exactly what 1
should expect of that young man from
Tantlers. And now I'm going down."
Then take Johns pistol with you.
Fergy. or the carving knife, or some
| thing"
Miss Aggie." said the old lady. with
a chuckle, 81 wouldn't carry one of
them revolver things down the back
garden in the dark, not If there was a
| hundred thousand regiments of bad
| characters a-waitin' to get in. I might
brighten the burglar if 1t was a bur
| glar, but / know l should do myself
| an injury. And don't you be so fool
ish. dearie. Burglars don't make no
noises down at gates. They just gets
In and burgles. That's their busi-
ness" And kissing her young mis-
tress, Ferguson told her to look at
| the fire and not at the window, and
went down to the gate leading into the
| lane.
1t seemed to Aggie Carrisbrooke that
her old nurse had been gone several
hours She had her fingers tightly
| rammed into her ears and tried hard
| to keep her attention on the fire. but
| couldn't manage 1t. and suddenly she
jumped up and ran to the window
Yes, there was no doubt of II. The
4 gate into the lane stood open wide,
and up the garden path came Fer
gusson, running as fast as she could
run. her gray hair fallen down and
streaming out behind her. and her
usually ruddy face white with I'M
| goverable terror
Aggie tore out to the front door to
| let her in, slammed. bolted and chain
ed II behind her, and, before giving or
asking any explanation. the two wom-
| en-, womanlike, fell into one another's
arms and sobbed for company.
The knife. the knifei" said Fergus
son. when she could get her breath.
| when / got down TO the gate he said
something gruffiy about keeping him
waiting, and then pushed right in past
| me-"
why did you open the gate?" Aggie
asked with trembling lips.
II don't believe 1 did, Miss Agile: I
don't believe the gate was locked at all.
| And there he Stood with a great,
1 cleaning. pointed knife I'm his hand. 1
can see the blade of it now, and L
+, well. / run"
| "You-you did run, Fergy." whis-
| pered Aggie smiling through her tears.
| The two went back into the drawing
room again, locking each door they
passed through as they went, and wait
ed in an agony of terror for death-or
| Mr.. Carrisbrookes return.
| Not more than half an hour later the
loud painting of the Panhard brought
| its welcome message, and Carrisbrooke
and the Fotheringays were very much
| alarmed when they heard what had
| happened. II never gave the petrol for
| the house a thought" said Carris-
brooke, but there is plenty in the car"
/ And in few moments lights were lit
| and home looked home again.
/ The two men took their revolvers
| and set out for an excursion round the
house. They came back laughing.
Il didn't find your fearsome burglar,
| Ferguson" John Carrisbrooke said
when he could speak. but found this
| upon the kitchen windowsill. 1t prob
| ably explains the mystery"
| why, it's our carving knifei" said
| Ferguson. Il gave it to the grinder
i yesterday"
And probably the grinder was the
| burglar" Carrisbrooke remarked.
| Anyway, here is his message" The
blade OF the knife had been run
| through a dirty slip of paper on which
| was scrawled: all KUN beck termorrer
/ fer We frippuns.