Middletown transcript., 1908-06-06
must be given np.

@sAAG&GA1 ob0AJs &1UA A@AO w FL Jul II
the village over their heads.
He will not dare cried Emily.
The old man shook his head.
So I have said, he replied. But
the alcalde is Mariano's friend,
and he pretends to be afraid.
When the rice goes, he, too, will
60 with Mariana. This believe
Emily was silent for moment
but she was thinking fast. She
might reserve some of the rice
for her own use, and let the rest
go. What could she do-a woman
against these men?
Then she remembered the lit.
tie children, who on the morrow
would file before her for their
daily ration of rice. There we're
families who, she knew, would
have nothing to eat besides that
meager portion. She could not
betray them
Tell the alcalde, she said, at
last, that the rice in the school
house belongs to the American
government.
Miguel held out his hand. The
senorita is brave, he said. I will
tell this to the alcalde-and will,
too, make plain to him his duty.
Emily knew that he would keep
his word. So far as lay in his
power, old Miguel had been a
help and an adviser since Burn
hams departure, and she knew
she could trust him.
After supper that night Emily
went back to the schoolhouse for
more rice to replenish her own
store. The school building was
some distancefrom the nipa shack
where she lived, but the moon,
nearly full, rose just as she reach.
ed the open space where it stood.
AS she drew near she saw a cou.
pie of white-clad figures leave
the front door and disappear
| round corner of the house.
She could not be sure in the
uncertain light, but she thought
she recognized one of them as
the alcalde.
The lower floors of most large
buildings in the Philippines are
used as carrlage-houses. The
entrance usually consists of dou-
BILE doors, large enough to admit
a carriage, and in one of these
large doors is always small
door to admit foot. passengers.
The SCHOOL, ouse doors were of
this sort, but the little door only
was in use.
This Emily found to be locked,
as she had left it. All the doors
were of thick hard wood, studded
with enormous nail. heads; and as
she entered. she took the precau.
ton to lower a great wooden bar
which further guarded the en-
trance on the inside.
Without striking a light, she
felt her way upstairs. With the
exception of the old cell where
the rice was stored, the upper
floor had been thrown into one
large room. There were windows
on three sides; but this arrange
ment had made the lighting bad,
so just before he was taken sick,
Burnham had closed the openings
on one side with heavy planks,
nailed on the inside to the tops
and sills of the easements. These
boards did not show from with
| out, as both windows and shut
ters were closed in front of them.
Emily entered the schoolroom,
and was half way across the floor
toward the shelf where she kept
a candle and matches, when she
heard a curious noise. The moon.
light shone dimly through the
shell panes of the windows be-
hind her, but she could see moth.
ing plainly. She strained her
ears to make out the sound, and
presently recognized it. Some.
one was opening one of the board
ed-up windows! She distinctly
heard the sash slide softly back,
and a moment later she made
out the edge of one of the heavy
shutters gliding out from behind
the upright boards.
Slowly it moved along until it
showed a black, oblong shadow
against the wall. Then she heard
q sharp exclamation, apparently
Of Of surprise aid anger, aas q hand
fumbled against the boards.
Emily could distinctly hear her
own heartbeats as she stood pom
dering what to do. A thought
occurred to her, and stepping
noiselessly, she passed round the
room, pausing at each window in
i turn. They were all secured,