The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1909-02-18

to me. AS | took her on my lap l
heard the door close and saw that
John Benton hau disappeared.
~ want some more sugar candy"
announced Stella, imperiously.
| shall have to go down for Il,
Stella. 1t is all in the dining room,"
l said.
Wei, go down. I'll be dood."
OF course | had to go. / left Stel-
la to Alice's charge and ran swiftly
down the stairs. The nursery was
on the third floor / do not know
what induced me 10 open the door Of
my parents bedroom as l passed 1t.
] did so, however. 1t was quite dark
save for the narrow bar of moonlight
forcing its way through the branches
of the poplar outside the window.
| glanced carelessy into the room,
with my hand on the handle of tho
door, and was about to continue my
journey to the dining room when I
felt a current of air from an open
window, and saw something white
cleaning in the moonlight for an in
stant, and then disappear.
What is that? 1t looked like
hand" 1 thought, as an indescribable
feeling of terror passed over me and
left me shivering.
There was not sound to be
heard in the room save the rustling
of the curtains as the light wintry
breeze blew them from the window,
but | was certain someone was there.
He was inside the room by this
time and l noticed that his footsteps
were noiseless, as If he had no shoes
on as he moved across the bar of
moonlight toward the bureau where
my mother always kept her jewelry.
| saw round path of bright yellow
fail on the keyhole of the top draw
er and then heard metallic rattling.
The thief was picking the lock.
If l could only scream or call
VIII? The drawer opened; the man
was fumbling at the contents, when
crash The yellow fash of light dis
appeared, and, with a fearful word,
J saw the man fall, another man
holding him. Then pistol shot
rang through the room and echoed
Gp and down the stairs, and the room
was tlooHcd in light. Somebody had
switched on the light
For few seconds my eyes were so
dazzled that could not see anything.
Then l saw two men rolling on the
moor In desperate struggle, while
pistol lay just outside of their
reach. The man underneath with
his closely fitting plush cap. was
scowling at me as he tried to release
himself, and l thought l could see
murder written on his thin lips and
short, turned up lose SO plainly that
l should have been in favor of hang
ing him on the spot.
In the battle, Just as my father and
VIII reached the room the combat
ants turned over; very red face,
which, however, was anything but
sheepish now, was turned toward me.
The face of-John Benton!
VIII had the thief by the arm in q
moment, while John Benton lay pant.
Ing on the floor. Then 1t was / saw
a great red stain on the white shirt
front 1t was blood.
Somehow, l forgot all about the
thief, viii, my father-everythinga as
/ threw myself down by the side of
John Benton and pressed my hand
kerchief over the red stain.
John, John! What is it? Where
are you hurt? Oh, father, he is kill
ed" | screamed. What shall do?"
l will never believe again that
Jonh Benton was ever bashful, for he
Just put one of his hands on the back
OF my head, pulled my face down to
his and whispered:
DO just what YOU are doing now;
and as you have commenced to call
me John do 1t all the rest of your
life and let me call you Lou"
There was a sudden disturbance.
The thief had broken away.
1T is not serious" said John, SIT
ting up. That fellow cut his hand
In some way while opening the bu-
reau and he rubbed the blood all
over my shirt, that's ALL"
bit my lip and gave John a look
that should have frozen him. 1t did
not have the proper effect, however,
100 he followed me upstairs to the
nursery, where the racket Of play
had rendered the children oblivious
to the disturbance below.
AS he took Stella on his knee he
said:
You must sing Birdie on a Tree
for us again, win you?"
less, will sing it for you You
mus tiss Lou for me now She has
diven me lots and lots of tandy."
Yes, think So" said John. "Ano
III tiss her for you.
And he actually did.
| PerQuisites of FafneSa