Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-22

! telegraph to somebody to come out to us? We
might have messenger boy sent out to us, or
two or three, if you wanted"
I've got boy, miss" said George the coach
man. e might take care O. ye, mem, over
might"
But when she found that Georges boy was
only nine years old, Mrs. Graham shook her
head.
He's too young. And do not want mes.
senger boys They would be so slow, and they
wear great rubber trousers and always have their
hands in their pockets" This was said very
slowly and thoughtfully.
eve might telegraph to some friend in the
city, mamma" suggested Clara He could come
out on the 10 o'clock train, and get here before
! H. l don't suppose the burglars would come
before H."
! "Oh, no. They never come before II o'clock, F"
| said Mrs. Graham. as decidedly as though she
had served an apprenticeship with a burglar and
knew all the rules governing his entrance into
the best houses The idea of telegraphing to a
friend evidently pleased her. 1--WE might tee-
graph Toto"
| eve might telegraph to DR.. Pennington" sug-
gested Clara, with just the suspicion of blush.
| "He would be sure to come"
| Her mother did not notice the bush and was
evidently considering the question of telegraph
| ing Just then the carriage turned in at the
| Grahams' gate
eve must telegraph" said Mrs. Graham, nod
ding her head with great decision. eyes, we
must telegraph. and to DR.. Pennington"
! It was later than usual that evening when DR..
John Pennington dropped into the little French
restaurant near his office to which his bachelor
! hood doomed him, and, almost everyone else
| had gone he was forced to eat solitary dinner.
| As he looked carelessly through an evening paper
which he had taken up to pass the time, he hap.
! pened to notice the following bit of news:
! ,"The village of Marston is very much excited
The residence of E. L. Marmaduke, wealthy
merchant of New York city, was entered on
Tuesday night and large quantity of jewelry
and silver stolen Last night, after visiting sew
era houses with little success the burglars broke
into the railroad station. Many commutation
| tickets had been renewed the day before, and
the burglars secured nearly two hundred dollars
in money There are supposed to be three men
in the gang. No clue to them has yet been
| found
"I wonder" thought the doctor, as he slowly
| slipped his coffee. "I wonder if they have been
to the Grahams' yet If they have, I'll wager
a large amount-Td go as high as my last years
professional income-that Mrs Graham is now
| in state of violent Mysteries. If they haven't
she has at least sufficient material to keep her in
a state of worry for about one year" He fin
shed his coffee. "I believe I'll out to Mar
ston tomorrow" he continued thoughtfuly;
chat is, if I'm not too much occupied" (Pen
ninrton reigiously made this reservation, though
since he had become doctor he had never been
too much occupied) II haven't been there for
long tme and the burgaries will give me a
| good excuse for leaving my patients
| Having made this determination, he dismissed
the matter from his mind, and, finishing his
coffee sat in silence till he had smoked his cigar
Then he went home to take up his usual task OF
waiting for patients. When he reached his rooms,
| he found Mrs Graham's telegram on his table,
1t was as enigmatical women's communications
generally are, and was worded thus:
''Will you kindly take 10 o'clock train and
spend night with us? Will explain on arrival"
"Spend the night? viii explain on arrival?
What on earth can the woman mean? cried the
doctor "Can any of the family be sick, | won
der? If so, why should she send for me, when
there must be other doctors nearby? No; that
can't be the reason" But, as he could think of
no other explanation, he accepted this one as the
most plausible, and decided to take his case of
medicines with him to Marston. Looking at his
watch, he saw that he could barely catch the
train and hastily began to pack his handbag.
Then, telling his landlady that he would be back
in the morning he called cab, and reached the
station with FIVE minutes to spare
A night ride in an accommodation train is
not exciting and Pennington's trip to Marston
was monotonous enough He did not dare to read
by the vllainous light, and so he devoted his
time to speculatng on Mrs. Grahams telegram.
He stepped from the train at Marston, however,
without having come to any definite conclusion
, on the subject.
81 think, sir" said an elderly coachman, step
pnp up to the young doctor and touching his
hat 81 think you must be the gentle'n h'expected
at the Grahams' Will you step this way sir?
I ave the buggy ere. These burglaries are
h'awfu amt they sir?" he began, as he touched
, up the little mare.
"Burplaries?" said Pennington "Oh, yes,
-; did read about some burglaries up here"
eyes, SIR" said the man, IAN Mrs. Graham
!, is lust scared out o her senses, sir, an when
she got the telegram from Mr.. Graham, sir-come
up, Jess-sayin' that neither he nor Mr. Phil
: 'ud be up tonight, she sent for you t once Ye
i see sir" he continued, waxing confidential "Tm
{ out o the runnn on account o the visitor
h'expected at my ouse tonight"
For the first time it dawned upon the doc
tor that it was not his professional services that
were wanted. but more heroic ones, and he wished
l. that he had left his of medicines at home
/ Old George however, gave him little time fol
= thought but entertained him with accounts, part
e y real partly fictitious Of the daring and ferocitl
e Of the burglars who infested the village, unit
the doctor began to wish that Mrs Graham haC
It been able TO secure any other protector thar
s himself,
:; AS the carriage rolled up to the house, tn,
2 door opened. and Mrs. Graham, evidently OF
e the watch, rushed out
ooh DIR. Pennington" she cried excitedly
is "You can't tell how glad am to see you
n hope you don't think it presuming in me to senC
Y, for you?"
n mot at ALL" began Pennington, getting ou
d of the carriage; but Mrs Graham noticed hi
medicine case, and interrupted him.