The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1907-07-16

THREE MEN FIRED THEIR GUNS AT MEL"
blissful defiance of his bedtime His
sharp eyes quickly sensed the situation,
and he sat down to talk it over with an
odd assumption of elderly dignity that
would have been amusing had Deering
been less upset.
Archie had mixed more with his
elders than with children of his own
age and had acquired an odd faculty
of observation. Now he swung his
stocky legs to and fro from the high
est chair he could find and regarded
Deering with the impression of owl-lil1e
wisdom.
odd. l heard mother say so. When
she gets mad the only way is to get
her scared. Then she'll come around
quick. The time she got mad at me
for losing that invitation l set the dog
ON her and then grabbed him quick
She was frightened and thought
saved her, and she cried over me and
gave me candy and said l was dear"
81 don't believe that it would work
in my case" said Deering, with
smile.
'Tll fix 1t for you," offered Archie,
'if you'll make me one promise"
whats that?" demanded Deering.
you remember when Tommy Null
lens sister got married they made him
wear white satin pants and hold up her
trainY
81 remember the ornate Master Null
len," chuckled Deering as he recalled
Arches pointed remarks at the time of
the wedding.
'If l fix 1t so you can marry Lefty
] don't want that sort of thing done to
me-"
ITS PROMISE" said Deering
'Shake hands"
Archie shook hands and slipped from
the chair. 81 guess you'd better be
going now" he said Hospitality. you
come round Thursday"
Archie solemnly superintended Vance's
departure and then disappeared down
cellar. 1t was nearly IL when at last
his sister remembered that he was sup
posed to be In bed at 7:3O and found
him innocently reading in the dining
room.
II thought you was with Vance
Deering." he remarked casually, "and
didn't like to disturb you"
"Mr. Deering is not coming here
again." Lefty said severely, but her
eyes filed.
But for all of that a box of flowers
and a note preceded his arrival, and
Thursday evening found him i'll the
Shelby parlor and not at all happy over
the fact. Lefty wore her most i'm
penetrable armor of reserve, and the
slightest suggestion of reconciliation
was met by frigid silence that was
most depressing.
Mr. Shelby had gone out of town,
and Mrs. Shelby was calling on a
neighbor. Archie was safely tucked
away in bed, and they had the lower
part of the house pretty much to them
selves.
Suddenly from the basement came
the sound of pistol shots and frighten-
ed cries, followed an instant later by
the appearance of Archie in pink and
white pajamas and bare feet.
II slipped downstairs to get drink
of milk" he yelled, "and three men
fired their guns at me! Go down and
kill them, Vancev
A wink from Archie conveyed deal
OF meaning and Vance headed for the
stairs leading to the cellar. Lefty sat
in the parlor with her fingers In her
ears and could not possibly have heard
Archie's whispered injunction.
BILLY Widner's pistol is at the head
of the stairs" he explained as he pat
tered out into the dining room after
Deering.
Feeling half ashamed of the subter
fuge, Deering carried out Arches OBJ
vious scheme. The house was some
distance from the street, and his ar
tistic stimulation of fight attracted ne
attention. Archie was doing solemn
ly ecstatic dance in the dining room
when Vance came back up the stairs.
II saw 'em from the kitchen running