The Democratic advocate., 1907-08-02

summer morning. "The raids are gettins
pretty near home, Dotr'
Dorothy looked up from the cooking
stove. "Yes, I'm expecting the thieves,
she said 'They're coming to this cor.
ner of the township, of course. My white
Leghorns aren't any safer than other peo
pies chickens. But" and she straight
ened her slim seventeen year-old figure
with lift of her small head, "Tve thought
out plan if they do come. -
Burglar alarm?'' suggested Dan, with
brotherly contempt. "They cut the wires
of the one at Aliens before taking the
chickens They We poisoned three dogs
so Bruce would be of no use. What Car
you do, when every farmer round has beer
beaten so far?'
'Tm not planning to keep them from
taking the chickens replied Dorothy
mysteriously. 'They re bound to do that
My idea is different You needn' t laugh
1t is an idea-only I don't know whethel
it will work or not, until after
''After they steal the chickens?' sale
Dan, laughing. "What good will it dC
then, Dot? Girls aren't bit practical.
'Lots of things have to be theory be
fore they're practice, y returned Dorothy
"Wait and see.
That afternoon Dan heard great cack
ling and commotion among the chickens
Dorothy was treating them to ''some O
her notions" as her brother expressed it
"You'll have complexion washes TO
those pullets of yours next, he said
teasingly, looking in on her as she stooc
beside a pail of some sticky, paint-lik'
substance, dipping each Leghorn' s legs ii
it, amid of chorus of protesting clucks ant
squawks.
"What is it? Tar? A specific for los
of appetite, and keeps the feathers from
falling out, I suppose? But it looks bad
Dot, to turn those innocent and inexpe
rienced chickens into blacklegs, even if i
does keep them from having the pip
sit won't strike in,' said Dorothy
methodically and busily catching and dip
ping the Leghorns.
They were plump, pretty creatures, th'
best flock, although a small one, in tn
neighborhood. Dorothy had taken inf
mite pains with them, as Dan knew, ant
kept every remedy and mixture on tn
market for them. The meanness Of tn
chicken thieves came over him as he say
his sister among her petted flock.
II declare, those fellows ought to b.
shot, stealing honest peoples chickens!
he cried, warmly.
eff they steal mine something will hap
peh, said Dorothy. She sat down th'
last Leghorn pullet to shake out its rufflo'
feathers and walk off on its Minorca huet
legs.
"It will happen to the hens, not to th'
thieves, I'm thinking. In another week
Dot, you Il probably not have CHECKER
left to try toilet preparations on. Cassan
dra was no chicken herself-Pm not sur
that she ever saw chicken-and IN no
dressed for her part, but I'll be Cassandr
on this occasion. prophesy disaster, ant
have faith that my prophecy is the tru
Cassandra kindr'
1t certainly was. Two mornings late
the chicken yard lay desolate-not on
cherished Leghorn left. There were wago'
tracks in the lane, in the soft places lief
by the rain. But they told nothing, AM
were soon lost on the beaten highroad. 4
piece of newspaper was found near tn
gate. But it was only a scrap OF the loca
paper, the Warrendale Gazette, and ha
no identifying mark whatever.
"Dan," said Dorothy, 'will you lie
me have the light buggy and Rex?''
"What for?'
"Never mind.
"Don't you want me to 60 along?''
"No, thank YOU" Dorothy disap
peared into the house. She drove off tiv
minutes later with a mysterious box, care
fully brought out and packed under th'
seat by her own hands.
'sT m going to take dinner at Cousi
Mary's, in town. she said," and Dal
was left to conjecture her errand as best h
might. OF two things, however, he fel
equally sure. One was that she was afte
the chicken thieves; the other Was tina
she would not find them.
"Dot might as we'll be going to sew
ing circle; but then, it diyerts her min'
from her loss, said the young philosopher
and went off to dig the potatoes.
Young Frank Evans, station master
ticket seller, telegraph operator and freigh
and express agent Of Milby Junction, si'
miles away, thought Dorothy the pretties
girl in the township as she drove up to tn
platform. He had thought SO since the,
went to school together in pinafores.
Perhaps Dorothy knew it, too. Atan..
rate, she came to him prepared to rel.
upon his utmost assistance.
Crank" she began, as he hitched Re,
for her, ssdo you ship many crates of poul
try from here, or barrels of dressed poul
try p
"Yes, ship good many" said Evans
"Why do you ask p
give just had all my white Leghorn'
stolen-forty of them. Everyone rount
here is losing chickens. Now those chick
ems have to be marketed somewhere-ant
not around here. It's fifty miles to th'
city, which is the safest place to marke
them. IF stole chickens, I'd freigh
them down, dressed and packed in barrels
So thought if anybody round here wal
doing the thieving- and the thieves, who
ever they are, take the local paper, ant
certainly do know this part of the county
as well as their hand-I might get som'
hint from your shipments.
s'That's, first rate idea, J" said thu
Young man, "But don remember any