Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-22


Suddenly the burglar turned half around, as
Though he were about to leave the room. Pen
nington shrank back.
"I can't shoot the fellow in cold blood he
said to himself just then his hand touched the
knob of a door which he knew opened into a
large closet An idea struck him: lie opened
the door very quietly, and then, picking up tine
rug from the hall floor was ready to carry out
his plan.
The burglar was nearing the door. Come up
| as soon as Won can" he said, and as muihed
voice from somewhere answered, "All right" he
opened the door and stepped into the hall
With bound Pennington threw the heavy rug
over the mans head, deity twisting 1t SO tnat
he could make no sound to warn his comrades
Bnt the doctor had not thought of the basket
of silver which the man carried, and 1t fell to the
floor with crash There quick movement
in the direction from which the answering voice
had come and scream from upstairs. Penmng
ton fairly hurled his prisoner into the closet ana
locked the door; then he stood moment un
certain whether to run upstairs to the ald OF Mrs'
| Graham and Clara or to search for the other
burglar Suddenly he heard step behind him.
BEFORE he could turn he received blow on the
side Of his head He fell to the floor, where ne lay
half stunned Then his hands were tied behind
him. and he felt himself picked up by his as
sailant and held a moment uncertainty in mid ar
"Put him in here, Fred" said voice, ana
| to his horror, L enn1nRUOn uedlu bhC MY 'NiN -
the lock. and the next instant he was thrown
into the closet with as little ceremony as he had
himself used towards the burglar. Then the
door was locked.
A sudden cough from the burglar made Pen
ninrton's hair stand on end, and he shlvered
when he heard the man, suffering and coughing
To his Joy, he found that the hashly,ueo
knots binding him would give way at httie
straning.
Meanwhile. upstairs Mrs Graham and Clara
had gone to bed together for additional safety.
Clara did not tell her mother, but to herseif
confessed that she had every confidence IN Dr'
Pennington and so went calmly to sleep MIS-
Graham was less confident than her daughter
and her sleep was light and broken. The conse-
ouence was that the fall Of the silver basket woke
her up instantly. She gave scream
"Clara!" she cried, shaking her daughter
'Clara the burglars are here!'
"Where?" demanded Clara, sitting bolt upright,
and looking in bewiderment out from the mist
of her long brown hair.
"Down stairs" said Mrs Graham in hoarse
whisper. Help me- Clara, and scream" With
that she set the example by uttering shneK
that rang through the house, waking the servants
in their rooms. Clara sprang from the bed, and,
scarcely knowing what she did, began pihng all
the movable furniture in front of the door, while
her mother uttered scream after scream with the
regularity of piece of clock work.
There was step in the hall, then another.
"There are two of them!" gasped Mrs. Gra-
ham, in an interval of screaming. The door was
opened slightly. "Push up the bedstead, Clara!
and the two women pushed the heavy piece OF iur-
, nitnre against the door. The movement was so
sudden that the door closed upon the intruder &
fingers There howl of pain
"Scream!" commanded Mrs. Graham, as Clara
caught her by the arm. The girl did not at once
obey.
ooh, mother" she cried, what do you sup
. nose they've done to John-I mean DR.. Penning-
toni"
'Let me in, cried voice in the hall. Let
: me in" The two women screamed again. Inc
door was pushed open and a mans head and
shoulder thrust in In desperation, Mrs. Graham
. picked up the water pitcher. Rushing towards
the man she threw it at him. 1t struck the wall
and broke. near enough to him to drench him.
'Hold on. sayl" he cried. Mother, what are
YOU doing? Are you hurt? Have those scoun-
drels hurt you?"
"Pbill Why, what are you doing here? How
did Won Gomez" And they rushed upon him, drag
. pinp him through the narrow opening and EN-
bracing him rapturousy
! "Wbat are you doing here?" asked Mrs Ora
ham again, as she released him. He could not
answer at once, but after Clara had let him 60
e he answered.
"Well father at first forgot all about the burg
lars: then he decided we had better come home
\ SO we came up on the other road and walked
across We brought Fred with us, too"
"Fred Austin?"l asked Mrs. Graham. Phil nod
+ ded, and went on
t "Father was sure you'd be awake, but yo'
didn't seem to be, so we looked around, and pret
n Nv soon got in through the front window, which
was open" Mrs Graham looked frightened. "Ihel
we felt sure there was something to pay, especial
! " when we saw the silver basket and the silve
s scattered around on the table and sdeboard an'
! the safe open So father picked up the silver
y while Fred and l ran into the kitchen" Mrs
s Graham had gasped when she heard of their dis
: covery, and stood listening with almost tragi
= intentness
o owe found no one there, but we heard
. crash in the hall and ran back. Fred CAM
o through the door into the pantry, while cam
bv the dining-room First thing ! knew hear
: somebody fall in the hail. and then Fred callc'
: me. He'd found big fellow standing by tn
:, door, evidently waiting for me, and he'd hit han
, pretty hard on the head Then we tied his hand
" With handkerchief and threw him into the clo
Q set"
; "Weu." said Mrs Graham, looking relieved
= while Clara drew a long breath, that was good
{ Where is your father? Bring them both here.
= "Isn't father hereT asked Phil why, h
came up stairs frst-Has that scoundrel touche
! him, I wonder?" And Phil darted out of tn
. room and down stairs
4 "Then there was some one in the house." sal
4 Mrs Graham, Tor fhll slu VhaI rieu had I
\ strike some one"
Mamma" said Clara, tremuously seizin
A her mothers arm, Erred hit DR.. Penningtonl !
! And she looked at her mother with wde-ope
y ewes of alarm. Mrs Graham went into the hal
j her daughter following her
= "Be still" commanded Mrs. Graham, openin
a the door into the servants hall; Girls, II