Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-03-13

L
The hand that held the pistol shook
and twitched with her vehemence, and
the burglar looked anxiously at the
moving weapon. Then he smiled
again.
Excuse me-" he said. IL don't
think you-ypu understand firearms
very well, do you? You can't fire that
one like that, you know"
So he had found her out! Oh, why
hadn't she walked up Tom?
Il understand it quite we'll enough
to shoot you with it, she answered.
He put his own revolver noiseless-
ly on the table among the supper
things.
'Th-there you are" he said again.
''N-ncw. If you point that at me and
pull this trigger"-he indicated it
with a dirty, shapely forefinger-"you
will kill me d-dead B-but Lid rather
you d-didn't."
And he lightly swung a chair into
the middle of the room and sat astride
it.
"And-and now" he asked, what
do you propose to do with me?'
Sally gasped We'll" she said at
length. IL don't know. suppose
ought to call policeman. But that
seems rather unliind after you've put
yourself in my power-Wour revolver.
you know. You aren't a-exactly-a
real burglar, are your"
| ,or,o ha
said
"Oh, how could you?" she cried, hor-
rified. Just that! Wouldn't you
rather go hungry than steal?"
Mono" he said, with emphasis, II
wouldn't"
And he smiled in her eyes, cheer
full and shameless.
She got up, her knees still lnre-
liable, cut generous slice of bread
and cheese and held it out to him.
"C-can't l have it at the t-table?'
he asked. "M-my hands are filthy.
L-look at them!"
He grinned amiably and commenced
eating bread and cheese with knife
and fork, while Sally watched him.
He ate very leisurely for starving
man, she thought. And his hair was
nice, too-nice and short and curly.
4 And he wasn't really ugly, If only he
hadn't been so dirty. When he had
done he drank some water and stood
up.
Tim very much Obliged" he
said. Nov shall c-call a policeman
for you?"
| Sally, sitting on the sofa huddled
in THE dressing gown, deliberated al
length. II don't think l shall give
you in charge" she decided aloud
I'm going to give you another chance
if you promise me you'll reform. Will
/ your
It'll try he promised gravely.
I'm glad. Now take some more
bread and cheese in your pocket, and
I'll let you out of the front door,
She cut some and handed 1t to him
| and he solemnly pocketed it. Here's
your revolver" And she led the way
to the hall.
On the step he turned.
"M-Miss Trehane," he said, in a
hoarse whisper.
"Yes?" murmured Sally, from be-
hind the half-closed door.
IL said I'd reform, didn't r."
Her little white face nodded in the
| gloom.
"Then-then l think Tits only fair
| to tell you mean to steal one thing
from-from your house yet, and will,
too, d-dashed If don't!" And he fled
silently.
"Oh, dear!" sighed Sally, as she
shut the door and went upstairs. And
not till she was in bed did she say,
with start: Goodness! he knew
my name!"
"Mr. Wrightley-my sister Sally"
said Tom, and, the Introduction ac-
compl.shed," lodged away between
the waltzing couples to find his own
partner.
Sally looked up from her already
half-filled programme into the eyes of
her burglar.
"Y-you look warm" he said polite
~. I've ventured to take this dance,
a-among others. Would you c-care to
go out into the cool?"
She took his proffered arm, and he
found her a chair in the deserted hall
way, behind some palms.
Il shall be glad if you will kindly
explain your extraordinary behavior
of the night before last, Mr.-Mr.
Wrightley."
"Th-that's all right" he said. "Td
been d-down to the works. The fur
naces were g-going all night, and it
never does to leave every-every thing
to your men, yknow. And-and when
IL came back found I'd forgotten
my latchliey, $3.50 l climbed in
through the window Only-only
made mistake in the house. Those
those houses in our street are aw-
fully alike, aren't they?"
He delicately accumulated the our"
YES" she said, somewhat ap-
peased. But why didn't you ex-
plain?"
And another wave of shame at the
thought of the old dressing gown,
loose hair, and bare feet reduced her
to silence again.
"Y-you wouldn't let me. You know
you wouldn't" he said almost de-
family. "Y-you said you'd shoot me-"
And he laughed outright.
WELL" she said at last, Il sha'nt
tell if you won't. But, one thing, what
did you mean by saying you'd steal
something from our house-when you
went, you know? Was that just to
carry out the burglar idea?"
NO" he replied slowly II meant
it."
"What?" she asked.
Cant you guess?" And all his
stammer was gone.
"No," she said, wide-eyed.
MOP" he asked "I'hen must tell
you. While in that room l made up
my mind that there was one thing in
your house that must have, even
though l had to steal it-you, your
Selfin