Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-03-11

ed in people who are unusually quiet.
Il wish Marguerite would make up
her mind to prefer Sydney Delatour."
Yes" Marguerita's voice was say
ing at the same instant, "of all faults,
detest cowardice the most hearth"
especially in a man."
so do T. chimed in Markham. "A
coward-faugh! The creature has no
right to exist
rs not timidity sometimes constitu-
tional?" asked Delatour, "and in that
case, should we judge it too severe
ly?"
Nonsense! nonsense!" cried Mark
ham, arrogantly.
"A coward scarcely deserves the
name of man." added Marguerite, with
sparkling eyes.
''The question is, what is coward
ice?" went on Delatour, musingly.
"a question, l think, which no brave
man needs to ask" said Marguerite.
"That is scarcely a fair argument"
interposed Nina, smiling. you are IL
logical, Marguerite.
There can be no logic about such
things" said the young beauty, i'm
patiently. Suppose We talk about
something else?'
And she changed the subject with
the pretty, imperious manner which
no one cared to resist.
And all the time, lurking behind
the shadows of the evergreen hedge
there were unseen auditors of the
careless ersation-auditors who
would have made Marguerita's blood
run chill and checked the gay cur
rent of her girlish chatter, could she
but have caught the CLEAN of their
watchful eyes or seen the expression
of their british faces. For old Ralph
Lees sanguine confidence was mis-
placed His exit from the bank had
not been unnoticed, the leather bag
in his hands had been carefully
scrutinized, and his footsteps had
been logged all the way from Bury
dale, and the stealthy ruffians only
waited a fitting season to possess
themselves of the coveted treasure.
Hes only an old man, and there's
no one but women about the house"
one had assured the other.
There is, too" Black Hill had sulk-
lily answered There's two city chaps
a-staying there" L
"The deuce there isl" growled his
companion. 'FThen we must take Jim
Allen along with us, that's all. We
shan't have no such chance again in
hurry. The old rats goin' to put it in
a mortgage tomorrow heard him
tell the cashier So"
''It's now or never" assented Black
Bill, who was less verbosely inclined
than his friend, Striped Charley, so
called from two CHASTITY scars across
his cheek.
The young people sat late on the
veranda-so late that Black Bill
swore oaths under his. breath, and
the patience of even Striped Charley
began to wax slender. And finally,
when they went in, and the lights one
by one died out of the windows, 1t
was necessary to wait until the senses
of every member of the household
should be lulled in slumber.
Its cloudin' over said Jim Al
len, "and we're goin' to have rain. All
the better for us. I do despise these
ere palaverin' moonlight nights.
1t seemed to Marguerite Lee and
her cousin that they had been asleep
for hours, when a maid came to their
bedside, pale, and trembling SO viol-
emily that she could hardly spear.
"Miss Marguerite! Miss Nina!
there's some one workin' at the back
dinin-room windy! l heered it with
my own ears, me and Jemima, and
some one a whisperin' like"
Marguerite sat up in bed, pushing
her hair back from her forehead.
"Nina. they are after Uncle Ralph's
money. We might have known 1t
would be So"
But Nina did not stop for argument.
Galley" she said to the girl, "go
and knock very softly at the young
gentlemen's doors, and tell them what
you have told US; l will rouse Uncle
Ralph.
LET me go, too" faltered Mar
guerita. 81 dare not stay here alone.
BE quick, them" whispered Nina.
And then the two cousins, hurrying
on their wrappers, crept side by side
to their uncle's room.
Burglars? oh, nonsense, Delatour!
It's-it's only rats. Go back to bed,
nv good girl. It's only rats, / dare
saw. or the wind in the chimney"
whether it was rats or the wind
that made Mr.. Markham's teeth chat
ter so violently might have been a
mooted question.
"At all events" said Delatour's low
firm tone, 1--WE are the only men In
the house, save Mr.. Lee, who is old
and infirm 1t is at least our duty
to ascertain whether or not the maid
has any grounds for her terror. Come
on Markham-be a man! Would you
leave the women to themselves at
such time as this? Be a man,
saw"