The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1906-11-01
Detective
Dorothy.

one Dl6dsdHl luOl INNS hN
raids are getting pretty near home,
Dot!"
Dorothy looked up from the cook
ing stove. Eyes. I'm expecting the
thieves" she said. They're coming
to this corner of the township, of
course. My white Leghorns aren't
any safer than other peoples chick
ems. But" and she Strengthened her
slim seventeen-year-old figure with a
lift of her small head, I've thought
out plan if they do come"
Burglar alarm?" suggested Dan,
with brotherly contempt. They cut
the wires of the one at Aliens be-
fore taking the chickens. They've
poisoned three dogs, so Brace would
be of no use. What can YOU do, when
every farmer round he's been beaten
so far?"
I'm not planr.ng to keep them
from taking the chickens replied
Dorothy, mysteriously. They're
bound to do that. My idea is diff
ferent You needn't laugh, 1t is
an idea--only l don't know whether
it will work or not, until after
After they steal the chickens?"
said Dan, laughing. What good will
it do then, Dot? Girls aren't a bit
practical"
Lots of things have to be theory
before they're practice" returned
Dorothy. wait and see."
That afternoon Dan heard great
cackling and commoton among the
chickens. Dorothy was treating them
to "some of her notions" as her
brother expressed it.
You'll have complexion washes
for those pullets of yours next" he
said, teasingly, looking in on her as
she stood beside pail of some sticky,
paint-like substance, dipping each
Leghorn's legs in it, amid of chorus
of protesting clucks and squawks.
What is it? Tar? A specific for
loss of appetite, and keeps the feath-
ers from Mailing out, l suppose? But
1t looks bad, Dot, to turn those in
nocent and inexperienced chickens
into blacklegs, even if it does keep
them from having the pip"
at won't strike in," said Dorothy,
ulelnOulCdliy anu Justly 'dbCuluS anu
dipping the Leghorns.
They were plump, pretty creatures,
the best flock, although q small one,
in the neighborhood Dorothy had
taken infinite pains with them, as
Dan knew, and kept every remedy
and mixture on the market for them.
The meanness of the chicken thieves
came over him rs he saw his sister
among her petted flock.
81 declare, those fellows ought to
be shot, stealing honest peoples
chickens!" he cried, warmly.
IF they steal mine something will
happen" said Dorothy She set down
the last Leghorn pullet to shake out
it's ruffled feathers and walk off on
its Minorca hued legs.
1T will happen to the hens, not
to the thieves, I'm thinking. In an
other week, Dot, you'll probably not
have chicken left to try toilet prep
arations on. Cassandra was no
chicken herself-I'm not sure that
she ever saw a chicken--and I'm not
dressed for her part. but I'll be Cas-
sandra on this occasion l prophesy
disaster, and / have faith that my
prophecy is the true Cassandra
kind!"
It certainly was. Two mornings
later the chicken yard lay desolate-
not one cherished Leghorn left. There
were wagon tracks In the lane, in
the soft places left by the rain. But
they told nothing, and were soon lost
on the beaten highroad. A piece of
newspaper was found near the gate.
But it was only 3crap of the local
paper, the Warrendale Gazette, and
had no Identifying mark whatever.
DAN" said Dorothy, will you let
me have the light buggy and Rex?"
what for?"
"Never mind"
Don't you want me to go along?"
mo, thank you" Dorothy disap-
peared into the house. She drove
off five minutes later with mysterl-
GUS box, carefully brought out and
packed under the seat by her own
hands.
I'm going to take dinner at Cous-
In Mary's, in town." she said, and
Dan was left to conjecture her errand
as best he might. OF two things,
However, he felt equally sure. One
was that she was after the chicken
thieves; the other was that she
would not find them.
Dot might as we'll be going to a
sewing circle; but then, 1t diverts her
mind from her loss" said the young
philosopher, and went off to dig the
potatoes.
Young Frank Evans. station master
ticket seller. telegraph operator and
freight and express agent of Milby
junction, six miles away, thought
Dorothy the prettiest girl In the town.
ship as she drove up to the platform
he had thought so since. they went
to school together in pinafores.
Perhaps Dorothy knew It, too. Al
any rate, she came to him prepared
70 rely upon his utmost assistance.
Frank" she began, as he hltched
Hex Tor her, do you ship many
crates OF poultry from here. or bar.
rels OF dressed poultrys"