Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-10-09
CHAPTER xxuI.
While tho Stables Burned.

clared she had seen two men slim
around the corner of the stable. Ger
rude had been sitting staring in front
# her, jumping at every sound. Now
The turned on Liddy pettishly.
Il declare, Liddy." she said, "you
ire bundle Of nerves. What if Eliza
lid see some men around the stable?
may have been Warner and Alex"
Warner is in the kitchen, MISS"
.iddy said with dignity. "And if you
lad come through what I have, you
would be a bundle of nerves, too. Miss.
tachel, I'd be thankful if you'd give
ne my months wages tomorrow. I'll
'e going to my sisters"
Every WE'LL" I said, to her evident
mazement. II will make out the
heck. Warner can take you down to
be noon train"
Liddy's- face was really funny.
You'll have a nice time at your
ister's.." went, on. Five children,
asn,t she?"
That's it," Liddy said, suddenly
ursting into tears. "Send me away,
fter all these years, and your new
hawl only half done, and nobody
nowin' how to fix the water for your
ath."
TITS time learned to prepare my
wn bath" I was knitting compla.
emily. But Gertrude got up and put
er arms around Liddy's shaking
houlders.
"You are two big babies," she said
oothingly. Neither one of you could
ct along for an hour without the 9TH
r. So stop quarreling and be good.
iddy, go right up and lay out aunty's
light things. She is going to bed
lrly"
After Liddy had gone 1 began to
link about the men at the stable, and
grew more and more anxious. Hal
sy was aimlessly knocking the bill
ard balls around in the billiard room,
nd I..cailed to him.
"Halsey," 1 said when he sauntered
us there a policeman in Casa
ova?p
Constable" he said laconically.
reteran of the war, one arm; In Of
re to conciliate the G.. A. R. element.
7hy?: -ss:'
Because I am uneasy tonight"
nd told him what Liddy had said.
Is there. any one you can think of
no Gould be relied on to watch the
ltsides Of the house to-night?'
t0ytHo iyh
10 club" he said thoughtfully TT
ouldn't be bad scheme. He's
mart darby, and viii. his mouth shut
Id his silirt-front covered. you could
t see him YARD off in the dark
Halsey conferred with Alex, and
le result, in an -Four. was Sam. His
.structions We're simple. There had
zen numerous attempts to break into
te house. it was the intention, not
drive intrudars' away, but to cap
re them. II Sam saw anything sus-.
cious outside, he was to tap at the
lst entry, where Alex and Halsey
ere to alternate in keeping watch
rough the night
AS before, Halsey watched the east
TRY from ten until two. He had an
e to comfoft. and he kept vigil in a
.avy oak chair, very large and deep.
e went upstairs rather early, and
rough the open door Gertrude and I
.pt up a running fire of conversation.
ddy was brushing my hair, and Ger.
ude was doing her own, with long
ee sweep of her strong, round arms.
did you know Mrs. Armstrong and
,uise are in the village?" she called.
NO" 1 replied, startled. How did
III hear it?"
Il met the oldest Stewart girl to.
y, the Doctors daughter, and she
Id me they had not gone back to
wn after the funeral They went d.
city to that little yellow house next
Drs Walkers, and are apparently
tiled there. They took the house
rnished for the summer"
why, it's a bandbox," 1 said. Fl
MT imagine Fanny Armstrong in
Oh a place."
Its true, nevertheless. Ella Stew
{ says Mrs. Armstrong has aged ter
oly, and looks az If she is hardly
lie to walk"
I lay and thought over some of
csc things until midnight. The elec-
C lights went out then, fading slow
until there was only red-hot loop
be seen in the bulbs, and then even
at died away and we were embarked
the darkness of another night.
Apparently only few minutes
lpsed, during which my eyes were
coming accustomed to the darkness.
zen noticed that the windows were
lecting q faint pinkish light; Liddy
tiesaa ::t ct the same time, ana i
ard her jump up. At that moment
ms deep voice doomed from some
lere just below.
FIRE." he yelled. 1.-THE stables on
BIZ"
| could see him in the glare dancing
and down on the drive, and a mo-
mt later Halsey joined him. Alex
g awake and running down the
hrs, and In dve minutes from the
ae the fire was discovered three of
maids were sitting on their trunks
the drive, although, excepting a few
lrks, there was no fire nearer than
yards.
Gertrude seldom loses her presence
mind, and she ran to the telephone.
BY the time the Casanova volun.
r hre department came toiling Up
hill the,stable was furnace, with
Dragon Fly safe but blistered,
the road. Some gasoline exploded
az the volunteer department got
work, which shook their nerves as
las the burning BUILDING. 81 The