Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-07-22

| IL was transparent plot on Belld
part: Two elderly maiden ladies
house miles from anywhere long even
ings i'm the music room with an open
fire and Bella at the harp playing the
two songs she knows.
When we were ready and gathered
in the kitchen, in the darkness, OF
course, Dal went up on the roof and
signaled with a lantern to the cars on
the drive. Then he went down stairs
took a last look at the drawing-rOom
fired the papers, shook on the powder
opened the windows and yelled fire!
OF course, huddled i'm the kitchen we
had heard little or nothing. But we
plainly heard Dal on the first floor and
Flanagan on the second yelling"fre, v
and the patter of feet as the guards
ran to the front of the house. And at
that instant we remembered Aunt Sc
lima!
That was the cause of the whole
trouble. l don't know why they turn
! ed on me; she wasn't my aunt. But
by the time we had got her out Of bed
and had wrapped her in an eiderdown
comfort, and stuck slippers on her feet
and a motor veil on her head, the
glare at the front of the house was
beginning to die away. She didn't un-
derstand at all and we had no time to
explain. l remember that she wanted
to go back and get her plate" what
ever that may be, but Jim took her by
the arm and hurried her along, and
the rest, who had waited, and were in
awful tempers, stood aside and let
them out first.
| The door to- the area steps was open,
and by the street lights we could see a
fence and a gate, which opened on a
side street. Jim and Aunt Selma ran
straight for the gate; the wind blow
ing Aunt Selinas comfort like a sail
Then, with our feet, so to speak, on
the first rungs of the ladder of Liber-
ty, it slipped. A half-dozen guards
and reporters came around the house
and drove us back like sheep into q
slaughter pen. 1t was the most humil-
iating moment of my life.
| Dal had been for fighting a way
through, and just for a minute think
l went Berserk myself. But Max spied
one of the reporters setting up a flash
light as we stood, undecided, at the top
of the steps, and after that there was
nothing to do but retreat. We backed
down slowly, to show them we were
not afraid And when we were all in
the kitchen again, and had turned or
the lights and Bella was crying with
her head against Mr.. Harbison's arm
Dal said cheerfully.
We'll, it has done some good, any
how. We have lost Aunt Selma"
And we all shook hands on it, al
though we were sorry about Jim
champagne and drink to Aunt Selina's
comfort, and we could have her teeth
fumigated and send them to her
Somebody said Poor old Jim," and al
that Bella looked.
She stared around the group, and
then she went quite pale.
"Jim!" she gasped. do you mean
| that Jim is-out there too"
Jim and Aunt Selina!" I said as
calmly as / could for joy. You can see
how it simplified the situation for me
by this time they are a mile away
and gong!"
Everybody shook hands again ex-
cept Bella. She had dropped into a
chair, and sat biting her lip and
breathing hard and she would not joir
in any of the hilarity at getting rid OF
Aunt Selma. Finally she got up and
knocked over her chair.
You are a lot of towards" she
stormed. You deserted them out
there, left them. Heaven knows where
| they area defenseless old woman
and-and a man who did not even have
an overcoat. And it is snowing!"
Never mind" Dal said reassuringly
He can borrow Aunt Selina's comfort
Make the old lady discard from weak
ness. Anyhow, Bella. if l know any
| tlilS VI human idluiV, th' 'iu i"u'
will make it hot enough for him. Poor
old JIM"
| Then they shook hands again, and
with that there came a terrible bang
| ing at the door, which we had locked.
"Open the door" some one COM
mcnded. 1t was one of the guards.
open it YOURSELF" Dallas called
moving Il kitchen table to re-enforcc
the lock.
"Opcn that door or we will break il
in"
| Dallas put his hands in his pockets
seated himself on the table. and whis-
comforting outside, and they made an
other appeal which was refused. Sud
denly Bella came over and confronted
Dallas.
"Thcy have brought them back" she
said dramatically. They are ont there
now: | distinctly heard Jim's voice
open that door. Dallas."
"Oh. don't let them in" walled. 1t
was quite involuntary, but the disap-
puintment was too awful. Dallas
don't open that door"
Dal swung his feet and smiled from
Bella To me.
"Think what a solution it is to all
our difficulties" he said easily. with
out Aunt Selma | could be happy hero
indefinitely"
There was more knocking. and some
hody-MaX. | think-said to let them
in, that il was a fool thing anyhow
and that he wanted to go To bed and
forget it; his feet were cold. And just
then there was a crash, and part of
one of the windows fell in. The next
blow from outside brought the rest OF
the glass. somebody was coming
| through. feet first. 1t was Jim.
He did not speak To any of us, but
| turned and helped in a bundle of red
and yellow silk comfort that proved to
hr Aunt Selma. also feet first. | had