The Cairo bulletin., 1910-10-19
swav pantcd heavily IN the back

What you doing. Cellar demanded
Mr.. DIlIaway testify. You'll fall and
break your neck. that's what you'll: do.
Go in the house" Quite confident
that he had been oboyed. Mr.. Dill
away walked across the creaking. rat
Ting tin roof to the cistern whose top
rose three feet above his head Lead
ing up to the top Of the cistern was a
narrow iron ladder One half OF the
circular lid Of the cistern was propped
open. From this opening there pro-
'ceeded the strange sounds heard from
below.
N what is it," asked Mrs. Dtllaway
anxiously.
Il don't know, Maybe it's the cat.
4 "The cats in the Kitchen, Samuel.
Now, be careful" for Mr.. DiIlaway
was propelling his small. round person
up the ladder with dangerous rapidity.
'.Hello!" exclaimed Mr. DillaFay
fiercely, peering inside.
"What is it?" pleaded his wife.
Nothing much" returned Mr.. Dilla.
way sarcastically. Only one Of my
prize cockerels chasing bis tail around
down there. He's got to get out Of
there tonight or he'll run himself to
death. Can you get the stepladder out
to me. Celia? I've got to climb down
inside here"
/ 'I'll fetch II In minute, Samuel.
The telephones ringing. Ill be right
back. You might just drop down that
three feet and be catching your bird;
i can get the ladder over to you"
With that she was gone. and Mr..
Dillaway waited in vain for her re-
turn. each moment growing more pep
perry as to temper. Having requested
his wife to bring the stepladder Mr..
Dillaway would not demean himself By
fetching it himself, so after a period
of impatience he threw himself gin
gerly over the edge. clutched tightly
the rim and swung down inside the
cistern. Then he dropped with clang-
ing thud to the dry. zinc lined floor Of
his cistern.
Around this slippery surface he chas-
ed the elusive cockcrel In narrowing
circles until In some inexplicable man
ner he found that he was pursuing
himself frantically around the well
while the cockerel leaned exhausted
against the side. II was ap ensy mat
ter to capture the bird and tie his legs
securely with handkerchief.
Cellar called Mr. Dillaway In a
commanding voice. I&e looked up at
the semicircular opening overhead and
saw the deep blue OF the sky and moth
ing else. Celia" he called again
where is that ladderg'
His voice echoed with d hollow me-
tallic boom and seemed thrown back
upon him. The cockerel squawked
feebly.
Steps creaked slowly across the tin
roof without and some one laborlously
climbed the iron ladder and peered
rosy faced over the opening 1t was
Mrs. Dillaway.
Where Is the stepladdcr?' demand
"a III. Dnlaway irascibly.
In the house"
"Why don't you bring 1t out here
I've got to get out Of this"
81 should think you'd like to stay In
Tits a dreadful nice cisten. You
think lot more of 1t than you do OF
your own daughter" returned Mrs.
Dillaway quietly
Nonsense, Celia! won't listen to
such talk. You get that ladder down
here at once"
Not yet" said Celia mot TIL you
give your consent to Stella's marrying
Joe Mellen tonight"
I'll do no such thing" roared Mr..
piilaway wrathfully. Il SEQ now,
Celia. You put this cockerel in here
yourself. It's shameful imposition
you coming to the weddingr' de-
handed Celia.
'No" beloved Mr.. Dillaway. "pll
stay here till doomsday first"
VERY well. Samuel. I'll drop you
down some wedding cake. The min
ister's coming now, They'll be married
at @ o'clock. and Stella hoped you'd
give her awny--the Dillaways was al
ways married in style. you known she
flung back over her shoulder as shG
backed down the ladder.
If Mr.. Dillaway had not been toe
busy working himself into rage be
might have noted the strained anxiety
In her voice. When her steps hac
creaked away into the house he peereC
at his watch. IL was $50 now, and In
a half hour. IL Celia kept her word
Stella would be Joe Mellen's wife. He
had been nicely duped.
When several hours had passed Mr.
Dillaway again consulted his watch
and found 1t to be 5;45. Time certain
ly dragged In q zinc lined cistern Will
no companion save a draggled cooke
! rel. H
/ There were distant sounds OF arriy
ing guests. Once he heard his nam,
mentioned. They were asking for him
expecting MN TO give Stella away
Let the ungrateful hussy give hersel
away!
Another hour dragged. and 1t wal
FIVE minutes before g. Steps creaket
across the roof and climbed the lad
der This time 1t was Stella's fai
head outlined against the pale evening
sky.
PA, won't you come out ana CIV,
me away? don't want to be marie,
without you're there" faltered th
bride tearfully A hot drop splashet
IN ca 1nrnl,n fntirnad fnnn md [