The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1910-08-11

| that many a night, about midnight,
Miss Jean had sneaked out of bed and
dressed herself and gone up through
the scuttle to the roof and remained
there for an hour. She said it was
for fresh air; tattle-tale said that a
determined young man could reach
the roof by climbing the big oak tree
growing so near the wall.
Miss Wells compressed her lips; she
would see to it.; she did see to It.
Old Thomas was set to watch at
night, but he snoozed the hours away.
His old watch dog took his place, and
was found dead of old age the very
next morning.
All, she had it at last! She would
, go upon the roof herself and catch the
criminals red-handed. She was lit
tie old to be eating around on house
roofs at night, but the honor of the
Wells school was at stake.
The second night after tattle-tale
had given things away was beautiful
summers night. 1t was night for
cats and lovers to prowl. An hour
! before midnight found Miss Wells
stealing up the scuttle ladder and out
on the roof. She was there to watch
that tree Yes, one of it's limbs &C
tually overhung the roof. It would be
no feat at all for determined young
man. Miss Wells was scantily dressed.
Her scant hair was hanging down
around her neck, and she was bare
, footed in her slippers.
The watcher had been at her post
nearly an hour when something hap
pened. She thought she heard some
one in the tree, and in shifting her
position she lost her grip and went
rolling down the steep roof until
chimney brought her up. She was
! safe from further fall, but she must
get back to her place. A cat could
have done it, but, alas, she was not a
cat She was only an old maid with
shaky nerves She wouldn't have
tried that climb for thousand dol
lars. If she called out who would
hear her? If she waited until day
light-heavens!
And then she looked up to see the
tfigure of a man above her. Some
thing told her that it was the deter
mined young man with the scar on
his chin. In addition, he told her sc
himself. He was very cool about 1t
After gazing down at her for three
or four minutes he asked:
"How are you going to get Ill
again?"
Young man, I'll have you arrested
for burglary"
"You can't. There's no breaking
and entering in climbing tree
What are you here for?'
ITO get you out of scrape, If yo'
are sensible. If not you'll be left fol
people to gaze at in the morning
About 600 hands in the shoe factory
can overlook this roof, and you are
not dressed for company
"I'll scream for help!"
"And have it in the papers that 20,
were sneaking around on the roof a
midnight! No, my dear Miss Wells
your way is the quiet way. Imagine
reporter sitting here in my place ane
interviewing you! Imagine the head
lines in the papers! Imagine him ia
king snapshot at you by flashlght!
care you the young man Miss Kell!
wanted to marry?"
"She wanted to, and she wants tt
yet. I'm here tonight to help her dow
the tree. We are going to elope.
have a rope here, and l have pro
posal to make"
"Yes?"
LET her seemingly start for hom'
in the morning with her trunk. III
take care of the rest. If you won
agree, down the tree we go, and yo7
are left right where you are!'
Miss Wells gasped out a never!
, and added that she would perish first
but when the young man started t.
slide the scuttle and signal to Mis-
Jean, things changed. She gave he
solemn word and was pulled up t
keen it. She started her Off on pre-
tense of sickness at home, and as tn
, girl was ready to depart she whispe
, ed in her ear:
"If you never, never, never say an,
thing about this I'll always say tina
if l ever marry any man it will be
determined young man who kno"
what he wants.