The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1908-03-05
A Chase Across
The Square


lErhood had been shaken out Of
;. cir usual reserve by these occur
I'nes. and were on edge with ex-
&; ement.
lack Lane, who lived happily with
.t's Jack in a corner house on the
W st side of the square, was very
',iosophical regarding the burglar.
Don't worry, dear" he said one
asening, as they were going to bed.
II have burglar insurance you
know"
Burglar Insurance would not
JriLt back all my lovely wedding
presents. You men have absolutely
no sentiment" declared Mrs. Jack.
We'll, dear. go to bed" laughed
Jack. II will stand guard" he
exclaimed striking as dramatic an
attitud, as was possible for a man
in pajamas, "and | will shoot down
any man who dares to put profan-
ing hand on the least of those berry
poons!"
Stand guard" exclaimed Mrs.
Jack scornfully. You know that
you will be asleep in tn minutes, and
then you would not hear a burglar
IL he sat down and played the piano.
We'll, it is just q, we'll. dear"
laughed Jack. because ] am not a
very good shot. and perhaps the
burglar is, and you worlC not want
him to play my funeral march, now
would you, even II he were musical"
You absurd boy! Well, | hope
we won't have the luck that Barring
tons had" she went on resignejly.
They lost such a lot of things.
And then, after a moments deep
thought she added. II wonder IL
Amy Darlington is going to marry
that Clyde Jepson."
Good gracious, / thought you
were going to PROFOUND some learn
cd theory regarding the harrington
burglary"
We'll, had rather she married
someone else, declared Mrs. Jack
positively. Even that man from
Boston, whom they say is devote 1
to her, though of course that would
take her away from here"
Jacks reply was slight but pal
pable snore.
HE is asleep!" exclaimed Mrs
'tck. II wish men took more in
rest in love affairs" she sighed.
is such fun to talk them over.
1T Jack is a dear, all the same"
sad she lay there and was having
GOOD think about Jack, when sud-
My she heard a slight but distinct
ssund on the tioor below.
"Jack!" she .;hispered.
what" Jack was vide awake
nov.
81 heard a queer sound down.
stairs
"Oh, l don't believe it is any
thing" saio Jack turning over. 1T
is probably the cat or one of those
wicker chairs creaking, or some
thing"
Jack, I believe voL would let
them take every wedding present I
have without making a move"
'All right, dear" sal, Jack, get
ting into his slippers, "Ill get my
pistol and take look around"
"Oh, Jack, you don't suppose there
really is any one, do you? Be-
cause, If there is. would not have
you go down stairs for the world"
We'll, dear, If there isn't, he
wor'- nurt me, and if there is, he
will get the presents while We are
talking about it, answered Jack,
moving towards the door.
Jack walked softly to the head
OF the stairs. The light was burn
ing IN the lower hall as usual, and
he could see that tho front door
was closed. But, as he looked, the
shining brass knob gave back :.
quick r-fection that was gone in an
instant, as thought a moving ligh.
had struck against it. The dining
room door was directly at the other
eOd of the kall, md, if the door
were open, a man working with q
tull's-Gye in that room would be
likely to flash 1t down the hall and
against the door knob.
Lane went quietly Gown the stairs
keeping close to the wall and, when
he reached the bottom, he peered
around the big old-fashioned newell
post toward the dining room, The
door was open, but he could see no
light and could hear nothing.
Taking a sure grip on his revolver
he made quick step across the hall
and touched the button at the side
Of the front door, and the whole
lower floor was blaze of light.
Lane took a quiet look around, but
saw no one and nothing appeared to
have been disturbed
When he reached the door of the
drawing room pun of air struck his
face and he saw the curtain at one
OF the side windows waving. The
window was wide open.
'Hello!" he calculated. This
Jocks like the real thing. Has he
gone, or where Is he?"
A glance down the long drawing
room showed that there was no one