Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-22
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/ 81 am very grateful to you," said Mrs. Gra-
ham, who did not look upon the matter as a
trifing sacrifice for the doctor to make. Il
think we can make you comfortable however.
"Of course, you can, Mrs. Graham; and then
just think of the fame that awaits me if the
burglars do come. Why, the papers will be full
of me. DIR. Pennington defends two helpless
ladies from desperate burglars. His only weapon
horse pistol without hammer and so on
| II don't see how you can joke about such hor-
rid men; the very thought of them makes me
shudder. But we mustn't keep you up all night,
doctor. 1t is long after eleven. Clara, take
my hand; you couldn't persuade me to go up the
stairs by myself. Doctor would you mind stand
ing in the hall till we get to our room"
| Like the White Knight and Alice" laughed
Clara. ''You remember he asked Alice to wait
till he was out of sight, because her presence
would cheer him"
Clara, you saucy girl!'' cried her mother.
Doctor, 1 will send Bridget down to make
up bed on the lounge. Goodnight" she called
again, as she reached her room.
Don't treat the poor burglars too cruelty, DR..
Pennington" cried Clara, looking the bal
uster, and then with laugh she vanished.
| 81 wonder what she meant by that" thought
Pennington, as he went back to the library. In
a minute Bridget appeared with sheets and blan-
kets, and in short time had made up a bed
on the broad lounge. Then she departed and
Pennington was left alone.
Suppose the burglars should come" he
thought as he prepared to turn in "But it's
not likely they will At any rate, I mustn't
let my imagination run away with me- so here
goes" And with that he turned out the gas
and settled himself on the lounge, where, in spite
of discomforts present and burglars to be, he
was soon fast asleep.
He had been asleep, it seemed to him, foI
hours, when he suddenly sat up, wide awake in
an instant. Had he dreamed that he had heard
footsteps at the back of the house. or there
really some one moving about? Pennington lis
tened with every nerve strained to its utmost
tension There it goes again! He was sure
he heard a noise 1t came from the dining room
4 and il sounded like rattling of silver.
They're here" he muttered, and drew a Ions
breath. 'What in thunder am / to do? All
I'll get that old pistol and use the poker al
hammer; the old thing had cap on it" Crawl
ing softly from the lounge, he groped his way
toward the fireplace The room was as dark al
pocket, and before he had finished his uncer
tain journey he struck his foot smartly against
the coal scuttle. 1t ratified. He made dive tC
stop it from falling, and in so doing upset it
1t fell with crash loud enough, 1t seemed tC
him, to wake the Seven Sleepers.
Despite the pain of his stubbed foot, Penning
ton did not hug his injured member with the
affection usually displayed on such occasions, bu
ground his teeth and listened intently for any
sign from the burglars that they had heard him
moment of suspense; then he assured him
self that they had heard nothing, and securing
pistol and poker, started for the library door
He reached it safely, and, opening it noiselessly
looked out into the hall. narrow streak o.
light from the partly-opened dining room door
showed him where to steer, and grasping the
poker firmly in his right hand and the pistol il
his left, he tiptoed across the hall, The rat
ting of silver in the dining room continued, anC
almost drowned the nearer and solemn tick o.
an old eight-day clock, whose brass and iror
} nerves the doctor envied.
Creeping cautiously to the door, he looked
through the crack, The light was turned half OF
in the dining room At the farther end of Tho
ROOM with his back turned towards him, was al
, old man, who seemed to be taking silver from th'
| drawers of the sdeboard and putting it into
basket at his side.