Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1909-03-05
! ."LANDING" ;
IA BURGLAR;
BY Martha Cobb Sanford.
Copyrighted. 1908. by Associated
Literary Press.

So0oOo@o0o@o@OoOo0o0o0oOo0
The wedding was over the goodbys
and the good nights had all been said,
and the Monteiths' big stone house, ra-
dlant only few hours ago with light
and laughter, was now grlmly dark
and silent.
But excitement had set the maid of.
honors pulse to throbbing and she
could not sleep. Over and over again
she went through her part Of the state
ly ceremony to the slow, majestic mu-
sic of the wedding march,
Over and over again she remembered
that endless, measured walk down the
long church aisle. with the magic scent
of roses everywhere and the trembling
consciousness OF the best mans gaze
fixed unwaveringly upon her
And she recalled oil the pretty things
he had said to her afterward-that she
was like dream girl come true, that
she was more beautiful than the blush
ing bride herself What shameless
heresy, when the bride was his very
own sister!
Wedding nights, sighed Elsie, were
much like Halloweens- dipped into
the future and saw sweet visions, but
only visions, after all! Yet still she
sat In her shimmery green maid of
honor frock, the moonlight shedding
wondrous frost upon It. From some
distant point a clock struck twice. She
rose with determination. then suddenly
became tense and rigid. Her heart was
in her mouth.
In the room just diagonally across
the hall, which was the upstairs sitting
room, she had distinctly heard a win
dow opened 1t flashed across her In
stantly that burglars had come after
the wedding presents. Her own door,
the night being sitting warm, stood
part way open, but she was too para
lyzed with fear to run and lock 1t.
She listened with strained ears for
any further sound. 1t soon followed.
The burglar stumbled against some
thing. For few minutes after that
all was horribly still Then, with cat
like step, Elsie heard him coming into
the hall.
Should she scream2 She tried to. but
could not. Her voice "stuck In her
throat"
BY the aid Of the moonlight Elsie
could make out dark form creeping
past her own room toward the stairs.
Thank goodness, he was not going to
bind and gag her or hold her up at the
point Of a pistol
But the wedding presents! Should
she let him steal them without trying
to give an alarm? Yes, she would
The bride and groom could not be 30
very much attached to them. They
had not had them long enough, and 1t
was an awfully long way down the
hall to Mr.. Monteith's room
There was no one near her except
two of the bridesmaids, and precious
lot Of good 1t would do to wake theml
This reflection had the effect OF stlmu-
lating her own latent courage. No; he
should not carry Off those wedding
presents-she, Elsie Laurie. would see
that he did not
She was relieved to find that she
could really move. She tlptoed TO the
door and listened. Not sound. SO
she ventured stealthlly out into the hall
and even peeked over the bnlustrade.
Still no sound and as dark as pocket.
Could she have been dreamlngf Be
fore she reused the house she would
make quite sure. Creeping down to
the landing OF the stairs, she crouched
behind the balustrade and waited. her
heart humping rapidly,
Suddenly the dining room portieres
parted, and man holding lighted
cigarette stepped out from behind them.
Elsie gave frightened cry OF Rob
ertv and tainted.
When she recovered she was choking
over something very strong and burn
Ing that some one was pouring down
her throat. She opened her eyes and
recognized Robert Montieth bending
over her.
did you catch the burglarT she
asked him weakly.
'Elsie, my poor child" he said, lift
Ing her gently till her head rested
against his shoulder, there wasn't
any burglar. 1t was just me. Pm 80
sorry"
She looked dazed. as II she could not
understand.
"You must have been awfully scared,
dear" he went on tenderly. "Pll tell
you how 1t happened. chased the
bride and groom. you know, to find out
where they we're going, and when 1
finally got back here remembered
hadn't any key. 30 climbed up over
the porch and got In through the sit
ting room window. / thought you
were all asleep. and knew II l did
that I wouldn't disturb anybody" he
ended, with somewhat sheepIsh smile.
Elsie smiled little too. She was be-
ginning TO SEQ the humor Of the sltua-
ton. By degrees she told him her side
Of the story.
You're tho bravest girl In all the
world, dearest, and p
Did yousetub your toe against some
thing juscIafter you got inT she inter
rupted, with teasing irrelevance.
He admitted, rather shortly. that he
did.
ut was awfully quiet for few min
utes afterward," she observed dryly.
Yes, wasn't saying much-out loud.
But, say, Elsis"-he broke on resolute-
ry, swinging her thoughts round to
more personal matters again what
would you say II turned into a real
burglar after all and tried TO steal you
on the spotT'
I'm not a bit afraid" she answered
him calmly, her eyes looking with ador-
able assurance straight into his ITO