The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1906-11-17

/ A1Ae1AG1SSd ~ 1AS5lII tI1S gas
Literally, I caught my breath and
rubbed my eyes. For a few seconds
the scene dumfounded me past action;
but shortly I hurried into the apart,
ment and struck another light.
Hawkins was stretched upon the
floor groaning. Hs entire face seemed
to have suffered violent impact with
some unyielding body, and both hands
covered his nose, from which the life
blood flowed freely.
| And across the room. sitting against
the wall, his large person decorated
by sundry steel hoops and shreds Of
canvas, sat-William, the Hawking
butler, staring dazedly into space.
soh, Griggs, Griggs, Griggs."
moaned the inventor. Come quick.
Get my wife! I'm done for this time!
He's finished mel"
"HaWkins." ! cried, shaking him.
did he,
| Never mind him-let him escape, v
replied Hawkins, family. "Just get
my wife before I go. Good-by, old
friend, goed-by.'
"Mr.-Awkins!" gasped the butler,
his senses returning.
What" shrilied the inventor sit
ting bolt upright, black eyes, swelled
face, and all completely forgotten. rs
that you, William"
Yes, sir stanmered the man.
sWas-Was it you I hit. sir?''
WAS it, yelled Hawkins, strug-
Cling to his feet. Look at this facet
What the deuce did you mean by it?"
"Beg-beg pardon, sir, but did ytu
did you sorter strike me with a
chair, sir?"
well, yes, William, I did"
well, /, not knowing of course as
1t was you, sir. sorter hit back. But
have you got the thief, STRIP
1.-THE what?''
Indeed, yes, sir. There's one in
the house. was attacked here-right
in this very room. See here. sir,
this bag! Just as I opened the win.
dow, he KEN behind me, sir, threw il
over my head, and tried to ch1oroforua
me, sir-you can smell it, sir
eyes. All right" said Hawkins.
briefly, with what must have seemed
to the man a strange lack of interest.
you see. sir, whoever the rascal
was, he must "a known as I intended
going out this evening, sir, and that
the house would be empty like. So in
ne sneaks from the roof, bag and all.
and waits. And when 7 KEN up the
stairs, instead of going out, sir
"AH right. Thatll do. UNDER
stand" muttered Hawkins. mo one
threw bag over you. It was a new
-er-sort Of burglar a1arm-iust had
it put up to-day
Burglar alarm" cried the butler,
staring at the remnants from which
he was slowly extricating himself.
''Yes!" snapped Hawkins. And
don't stand there mumbling over 1t,
William
Yes, sir
Here" said the inventor, sis a-er
twenty dollar note. You will i'm
mediately forget everything that has
happened within the last half hour
yes, sir responded the butler,
with wide smile
Hawkins led the way downstairs
In the bathroom he paused to lave his
much abused features; and by the
time he had finished, my own features
had had a chance to regain something
like composure.
Once more in the library, which we
had deserted some 20 minutes before.
Hawkins threw himself rather Imply
into a chair
We'll, well, WELL" he muttered.
NOW, who under the sun could have
foTeseen that"
/ forebore remarks.
William ought to be in the prize
ring, continued the inventor, sadly.
But he's q bright chap. He'll keep
his mouth shut er-nobody
else was in the house, wasn't it,
How are you going to account to
Mrs, Hawkins for those black eyes?''
3Oh-We can say that we were box
ing and you hit me. That's easy"
Shell believe that, too, Hawkins
l said, gazing at the battered counte-
nance. You look more as If you'd
had a collision with an express train"
sOt, she'll believe it, all right, said
the inventor, eheerily 3tFor once
just for once, Griggs- something has
happened which my better half won't
be on to. You'll see Tn right. There
isn't a c1ew."
Well, perhaps" I sighed.
And now let's have some Of that
old Scotch. I feel a little weak"
We loitered into the next apart
ment-the dining-room. We turned
our orr footsteps toward the side
board. We stopped-both of us-as If
transformed to stone.
The door was off the siIver-safe.
The drawers lay about the floor. And
the little safe itself was as empty as
the day it left the cabinet-maker.
.D-d-d'yon see it, too?" cried Haw
kins in a scared, husky voice.
Yes, replied, stopping to look
into the safe. TT must have been a
sneak-thief, Hawkins. Every vestige
Of your beautiful service is gone.''
The inventor glared long at the
wreck.
'sAnd now that's got to be ex-
planned" he muttered at last, con-
tinuing his journey to the sideboard. |
How can get around it?"
He poured out generous dose OF
the Scotch, imbibed it at a swallow, |
and shuff1ed dreariIy back to the I