The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1910-05-12
A FALSE ALARM.
Nv Nat. naulinn

refused me. had no idea how or when
the guests left, for while that took
place I was walking up and down the
library floor like an animal In a cage,
repeating over and over-"Nellie has re-
fused me-
Suddenly her brother Tom came in.
What the deuce are you doing here,
old boy?" he cried.
I only looked at him.
You do not look well at ALL he said
and no wonder. It is no childs play
to lead cotillon as you did. But what
Is the matter with you and Nellie?"
why do you ask?" said as calmly
as could.
dance as often with her as with Grace
Curtis
Why. never thought Of that at all;
but 1 am very tired"
You'd better go to bed. Jack: 20
morrow you will be all right"
mo. think will rather return to
New York tonight"
"Nonsense!" Tom said. "Come along.
Your room is ready and you do not need
to say goodnight to anybody; I will
ask them to excuse YOU"
And with these words he took me by
the arm and pushed me up the stairs
into my room, looked around to see II
anything was missing, and started to-
ward the door.
Goodnight, Jack" he said.
opened my mouth to say good night,
but instead of this I stammered
Nellie has refused mel"
He did not hear me. however, and
closed the door.
I sat down on the edge Of my bed
and started to think. 1t was evident
that could not stay, but how could
get away? There were no more trains
for the city that night, but there was
milk train at three, and I made up my
mind to leave. sat down and wrote
of my sudden departure. Then ] put
the letter in my pocket and sat down
to wait.
At half past two I put on a business
suit and started downstairs. AS knew
that the hinges Of the front door al
ways squeaked, I decided to go out
through the basement, and found the
door leading to the stairs locked, but
the key was in the lock. / started to
turn it, but was so nervous that I
dropped It and could not find 1t again
in the darkness. Then I suddenly re-
membered that the whole house was
wired with burglar alarms, which
would set off an Immense gong in
Toms room in case a door or window
was opened. Tom never went to bed
without setting the alarm, so there
was no other way to get away than to
sneak into his room and turn off the
current. A snoring noise assured me
that he was asleep, and I went over to
the keyboard, which was dimly illumi-
mated by diminutive incandescent
light There were number Of switches,
all pointing upward with the exception
Of one.
Confident that this was the right one.
i turned it, and Immediately the i'm
meuse gong went off, making enough
noise to awaken the dead.
A cry rang out from the bed, but 1t
was not TOMS voice, but that Of his
aunt, Miss Agathe Renham, an old
maid whom he had given his large
room, while he had taken q small bed
room on the floor above.
Her cry robbed me Of all sense and
without stopping to think / rushed into
a closet in the hall and pulled the door
closed.
From my hiding place could hear
the commotion all over the house.
heard Nellic's voice asking what was
the matter and her father calmly as
surfing her that 1t was probably moth
ing but a burglar.
Then / heard Aunt Agathe say:
do not dare to come into my room
with that gun, Tom, am more afraid
of that than Of dozen burglars"
l heard him calling my name up
stairs and then hurry down again.
We'll, that is strange" heard him
say, II wonder what can have hap
pened to Jack!"
us he not in his ROOM" his father
asked.
mo, but I bet he is out looking for
the burglar"
BE careful, Tom," his father said.
"Do not shoot at Jack, and look out
that he does not shoot you"
"Oh, Tom, DEAR" came Nellie's voice,
do not shoot anyway, II 1t Is burglar
ask him please to go away. Ask him
first If he is Jack Do you hear, Tom!
Do not shoot until you are sure 1t is
not Jack"
"You stay right here with me, Nellie."
i heard Aunt Agatha say.
Then voice came from below.
Say, father, the cellar door is locked
and the key Is gone"
"Oh, Aunt Agatha, the burglar has
murdered Jack and locked him up in
the cellar. Oh, let me go to him.
love him. I was jealous Of Grace Cur
tbs and refused him, and now he is
dead and will never know"
At these words I forgot everything
had torn herself loose and had run
away, followed by her aunt, so the
room was empty. AS reached the hall
I saw only two Of the servants. Their
backs were turned towards me, SO
hurried to my room, threw my dress
suit case on the floor, took off my coat
and vest and rushed down again.
This time the servants saw me and
shouted again:
mr.. Alden is here. He is safe-he
has not been murdered"
A second later Nellie was In my
arms, crying as If her heart would
break. None Of us said a word.
Where the deuce have you been ?"
cried Tom. IT have looked for you eve
erywhere."
II was looking for the burglar"
replied.
''How brave you are, Jack" Nellie
cried land you did not even have a
revolver"
But to this day 1t is a mystery to
the family what caused the alarm to
go off.
Not even Mrs. Nellie Alden knows.