Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-03-13
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Ia PREMATURE
/ REFORMATION
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ing. Put the hateful thing down,
Tom. You'll let it go Off"
But Tom magnanimously returned
the old-fashioned pinfire revolver to
his great coat pocket and resumed his
discourse on his new-found friend.
Wrightley, with all the enthusiastic
hero-worship of eighteen years.
And the things he's done-and
seen, he said. why, that old pistol
there has killed men, he thinks. He
took 1t from dead man after some
revolution fight in Guatemala. He
was there working on some railroad,
and this chap tumbled into the little
station with his shoulder all smashed
and died on the platform, Wrghtley
says. He lent ME the revolver to
show Wylie-and he was in South
Africa, too, in the war; and he's been
in Florida an California; almost ey-
erywhere. I'm glad he's come to live
next door. But he's going back to
Africa in the spring. He's only stay
ing in England while some models for
his inventions are being made, and
he likes this street because it's near
the foundry Il wish was an engi-
neer. See where Wrightley's been
an he's only six-an' -bwenty now"
Sally made a final attempt to re-
gain the respect due to her two years
superiority.
"And what can boys do?" She de-
manded with fine scorn. You're only
a boy, Tom"
Tom leaned over and gently tapped.
her on the shoulder with derdding
forefnger.
"They can handle old firearms with
out screaming and stopping their
ears" he said, and with a brief Good
night" went to bed
Something click-clicked loudly in
the darkness; and Sally, wide awake,
sat up in bed and listened, every
nerve like a harpstring.
The window in the sitting room be-
low slid up slowly, squeaking as it
rose; and the sound of heavy body
climbing into the room was distinct
ly audible. She was out of bed and
and at the window in trice, her
bare feet moving silently on the worn
carpet. The roadway outside was
empty and dim.
To scream to the vacant night was
evidently unwise. The burglar would
surely escape. She wrapped herself
hastily in her dressing gown and step
ped out on to the landing. In an
other moment she was descending
the stairs, and from the pocket of
Toms overcoat, hanging in the hall,
she took out the dreaded revolver
and pushed open the sitting-room
door.
Sure enough, there was man
there! And all the blood in her body
seemed to rush back to Sally's little
heart for shelter.
Eve got a revolver" she said
huskily, land if you don't do what
tell you, I'll shoot you. Hold up
your hands!"
Up they went instantly; and the
figure turned toward her, showing
momentary startled profile as it
turned.
'.W-why, w-what the dew" 1t
began, with little stammer.
Sally's courage came back with a
rush.
Don't make matters worse by
swearing" SHE sad, reprovingly.
There's box of matches in the
drawer of the writing desk to your
left. Take them out and light the
gas, and then stand perfectly still,
or I'll shoot you. Really l will"
The shadowy figure turned and
stopped; match scratched and flick
cred, the gas lit, and the black shad-
ow against the gray window instantly
became flesh and blood reality, I'M
washed. unshaven and addressed,
against a white background of spot
less window curtains and clean blinds.
He stared at her, bewildered, and
then his startled eyes made a tour of
inspection of the little room. The
supper things upon the table, the
walls, the carpet, the mantelpiece,
came in fora share of his attention;
and then he turned his gaze to her
and took off his cap, displaying
clean. brown forehead and fair, curly
hair, so suddenly that Sally certainly
would have fired-if she'd known
how.
Her dark hair was loose, and lay
in a tangled heap over her shoulders
A white frill at her neck overlooked
the deep reds and yellows of the
dressing gown. In her haste she had
neglected to fasten the girdle, and
her left hand punched the folds shape
lessly together at her waist, whilst
from beneath the skirts one row of
pink toes peeped at the intruder.
-Im very sorry" the burglar said.
There's some mistake"
She cut him short, There is," she