Gloucester County Democrat., 1908-12-31
In Durance Vile.
BY Homer johnson.
Copyright, 1907. by Homer johnson.

All up 10 udte hduIco Hdu Sti uSA ihC
countryside and was having things all
his own way. Owners Of villas armed
themselves against him, and country
constables watched the highways, but
Raffies escaped detection and contin-
ued his unlawful way. The male pop
ulation for ten miles around could see
no romance in his doings and threaten
ed to shoot him on sight. AS nat
uraI result, the women. and more espe-
cially the young ladies, made hero
OF him and declared that it was the
most romantic thing they had ever
heard of.
Rayensrest had not yet received a
visit from the gentlemanly robber.
Fred Long, son of the widow and
owner of the villa and It's acres, rea-
soned it out that Raffles had heard OF
him. his firearms and his eternal Wig
lance. The mother hoped the rascal
would not come, but expected him
nightly. The daughter, Judith, who
had just turned twenty, was nervous
and heroic by turns, and it was left
for Aunt Martha to fret and Worry
and wake up a dozen times every night
shaking with fear She had few
mining bonds in her trunk, also few
pieces of ancient jewelry, and after
the robberies began she was insistent
upon going to the city to place her
vaiuables in safe deposit. A start was
made one morning, accompanied by
the widowed sister and Fred. and they
were hardly on their way when things
began to happen
Judith didn't care to make one OF
the party and was therefore left be-
hind to swing in her hammock and
read the latest novel. She had just be-
come interested in its pages when along
came Constable Drew, who was sup
posed to hold all the clews thus far
gathered and to be hot on the trail OF
a dozen more. He stopped his buggy
to announce:
s.Well, that fellow got into Wilkin-
sons last night and fairly cleaned out
the place, though there were three
men and two dogs keeping watch. I'm
hot after him and expect to get him
before night. If any suspicious charac-
ters should be seen sneaking around
here, hope you will let me know. This
here Rafiles spots off his houses in the
daytime and enters them at night
as the constable logged along and
Ruth returned to her book young
man who looked as much like Raffies
as anybody else came sauntering along
the turnpike from the depot and had
approached within a quarter of mile
of the house. Soon after leaving the
depot he met old Mr.. Jones and asked
his way to the Agnew place. Mr.. Jones
had been deaf for forty years, but
pride prevented his admitting his all
ment He didn't know whether he had
been asked who was governor of the
state or if the tomato crop promised a
good yield; but, wanting to be civil, he
told the inquirer to turn in at the first
drive he came to on the left. The pc
destrian came to a drive on his left
and turned in under the old walnut
trees.
He didn't act like a man who was
expecting to see anybody in particular.
From the front of the house, after gaz-
ing for five minutes, he passed to the
rear and then walked slowly along to
the stables and the garage. 1t was
then that one of the maids came rum
ming across the lawn to Miss Judith
and gasped out:
Its that Raffies, and we shall all
have our throats cutr'
"Who-- Whatw was the exclamation
as the young lady tumbled out of the
hammock in her haste.
Il saw him when he came in. He's
been spotting off the house, as your
brother calls it. He's gone now to spot
off the barns He wants horse and
buggy to take his plunder away. Just
to think that we must all have our
tllroats cut from ear to ear il broaa
daylight Shall l bring you one of
your brothers guns 2"
x yes but I never fred a gun. Per-
haps the sight of it will scare him,
though
AS Judith looked toward the garage
she saw the stranger come to the door
after evidently having inspected the in
terror Then he disappeared again. Il
flashed across her mind that he was
after the big new auto, and, gun il
hand, she made run for it. The big
entrance doors of the brick building
were closed, but the side door stood
open. In a minute she had reached it,
slammed it shut and turned the kes
Raff1es was prisoner at last There
was a skylight to the building, but no
windows. The prisoner was as safe as
if in a village lookup. A few seconds
after the door was shut he began kick
ing on the other side. His voice was
also raised in protest, but was needed
not. The gardener and the servant
girls came on the run, and the gardener
took the gun from judith, squared of
at the door and called OUT
Tvs. ~. -