Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-03-16
And then came the crack, crack of a pistol.
CHAPTER XVIII.

l ShhI l ELI A HI. 1 ' The doctor started at the heels of
 the corporal, but was distanced long i before he reached the scene Theser- geant of the guard was hammering on the front door of Blake's quar- ! ters; but, before the summons was answered from within, Mrs. Ray, in long, loose wrapper, came hurrying forth from her own-the adjoining dread. Tt is l, Mamie. Let us in," she cried, and the door was opened by terrified servant. as the doctor came panting up the steps. Together he and Mrs. Ray hurried in. Rob 1 bers!" gasped the servant girl "Gone-the back way." and collapsed on the stairs. Sergeant and corpo- ral both tore around to the west side and out of the rear gate. Not sign of fugitiyes could they see, and, what was worse, not sign of sentry. Num- Der 5, of the third relief, should at that moment have been pacing the edge of the bluff in rear of the north ernmost quarters, and yet might be around toward the flagstaff. Find Number B. were the sergeant's or ders, and back he hurried to the house, not Knowing what to expect. By that time others of the guard had got there and the officer-of-the-day was coming-the clink of his sword could be heard down the road, and more windows were uplifted and more voices were begging for infor- nation. and then came Mrs. Dade, breathless but calm.
 l Within doors she found the doctor ministering to stout female who
 vised swoon-Mrs. Blake's imported; cook. Up the stairs to her own room again, Mrs. Blake was being led by Marion Rays encircling arm. Three women were speedily closeted there, for Mrs. Dade was like an elder sis ter to these two sworn friends, and, not until Mrs. Dade and they were ready, did the lady descend the stairs and communicate the facts to the ex- cited gathering in the parlor, and they in turn to those on the porch in front. By this time Flint himself, with the post quartermaster, was on hand, and all Fort Frayne seemed to rouse, and Mrs. Gregg had come with Mrs. Wilkins, and those two had re- lieved the doctor of the care of the sal Hi t.n1ft thlxF. and f-r- ly through her revelations, but main- ly through the more coherent state ments of Mrs. Dade, were the facts made public. Margaret. the cook, had a room to herself on the ground floor adjoining her kitchen. Belle, the maid. had been given the second floor back in order to be near 10 her young mistress. Blitzer, the Blakes' 'man-of-all-work-li McGann, discharged soldier-slept in the basement at the back of the house, and there was he found, blinking, be- wildered and only with difficulty aroused from stupor by wrathful =ergeant. The cooks story, in brief, vas that she was awakened by Mrs. iIlake's voice at her door. and. think
 ng Belle was sick. she jumped up and found Mrs. Blake in her wrapper. ask ing was she, Margaret, up stairs a
 moment before. Then Mrs. Blake. with her candle, went into the dining room. and out jumped a man in his stocking feet from the captains den across the hall, and knocked over Mrs. Blake and the light. and made for her. the cook; wherest she screamed and slammed her door in Lis face. and that was really all she knew about it.
 But Mrs. Blake knew more. Awak- ened by some strange consciousness of steslthy movement about the house. she called Belle by name, thinking possibly the girl might be ill and seeking medicine. There was sound of more movement. but no re- ply. Mrs. Blske's girIhoOd had been spent on the frontier. She was stranger io fear. She arose: struck a light, and. seeing no one in her room or the guest chamber and hall way. hastened to the third room. and was surprised to find Belle apparently quietly sleeping Then she decided 10 look about the house and. first. went down and reused the cook As she was coming out of tbe dining room. man leaped past her in the hall. kurI- ing her to one side and dashing ous the light Her back wss toward hIm. for he came from GerzIdis own prem ises known as the den In that den. directly opposite was one of her re r0lrsrs- loaded She F0und it. even in the darkness. and hurryinz forth again intending t9 chase the intruder and alarm the sentry al the rear. en- counfered either the same or second r1zn close to the beck door. a man ~ho spranz past her ike a panther and dzrtea SuNa the steps st the tack of the house- followed br two skots from her smith q wessDz- One af these men wore q soaaier's over eat for the cape. r1pped iron the collar <ezz. uas teft iz her hzn1z