La Junta tribune., 1910-08-13

''' '"Nies' we uay Ue SURE tudt
they are men,
hearens" exclaimed hundred
voices and 200 hands were clasped
over another hundred bosoms.
lou ladies' were appointed to show
these-these intruders the premises.
TO at once and make search for
them Bring them and the three MISS
Ing girls here. All others remain
where you are"
Meanwhile there was a coucentra.
ton OF the enemy's forces. The three
VISITORS and the three missing young
iadies were In room together. and
thr girls knew that the visitors were
men who had walked into lions or
rather liOuesS' den Miss Butler was
terror stricken on behalf OF her cous-
In. ahd the other two girls sympn.
thized with her and them. The girls
were startled at the sound OF the sig.
nal order for all TO appear in the pres.
idents office. Miss Butler. seeing that
the battle was on took command
Two points OF retreat were to be con
sidered, the cellar and the cupola. She
chose the latter
you girls" she said TO Misses Fair
child aud Waterman, go and report
Leave these boys to me-
''lt would not be honorable" said
Miss fHIrchild. ito let you shoulder
the matter. shall go with you"
Me, too" said Miss Waterman. her
t,.f, hA IA, 90 h..,-
grammHr
The six OF them ran up to the Gu.
pola aud closed the trapdoor behind
them. Then they all sat down on the
door. screened from any one below by
the enclrcllnG railing and seat
Battles are often won or lost In con.
sequence OF some triflIng incident, and
II was so In this case. one OF the
search"rs whose part II was to visit
the cupula attempted to open the trap.
door Since she could not move IL. she
assumed that It was locked. She was
about to 20 for the key when II oc-
CURED 10 her that II II were locked no
one could hide there. SO she reported
nothing found"
When the search committee returned
TO the president and reported that not
only the three visitors, but the three
pre'tlcst girls In the home, had van
ished hundred voices mingled. each
voice suggesting some means whereby
the vanlshment might have occurred.
In this way much time was consumed.
and n couple of hours had elapsed bc.
fore any further action was taken.
"'Sight or Bluchcr.' as Wellington
said at Waterloo" moanel Griggs.
''What do you mean by thati" asked
Hughes
II mean that IL We don't get show
to leave the place pretty soon under
cover of darkness It's all up with US"
Fortunately while he spoke the shnd
ows were deepening, As soon as 1t
was dark he told the others that he
was going to slide down u steep de
scent OF the roof to lightning rod and
thence TO the ground. II he was not
put OUT OF the fight. then the next man
was TO leave by the same route. The
girls told him the rod had been In place
Tor thirty years or more and surely
would not hold. But Griggs determined
TO try IT, Hughes watched him rs he
descended TIL he was lost In the dark.
ness, Presently there was the sound
Of a shake on the rod. a signal agreed
upon to indicate that he was on terra
lrma.
Hughes followed GrIggs. and Mason
followed Hughes. The girls were
alone.
Now. II needs TO be stated that all
this occurred NJ the time when Hal
lcy's comet was Haunting It's tail at
the earth In the western sky. No soon
rr had the last man descended than
Miss Butler. looking up at the heavens
FOR inspiration IN forming n plan to get
out of the dilemma. saw the comet
Girls. ! have IT," she exclaimed.
Howl whatf whlchr' cried the
other two at once.
open the trap and call down for
them to come up and see the comet"
The very thing" exclaimed the 9th
er Two
Miss Fairchild pulled up the trap,
and all called out:
Hello. hello, Mary, Blanche, Sadie,
rycrybody, Come up and see the com.
ct"
The indics. who were scattered about
below. all ran To the foot of the cupoln
stairs.
call Mrs, President cried Miss
Wrinkles. vice president AMI custodian.
The president was called Mean.
whIl" the calls from above were con.
liuacd.
oh. do everybody come up mud see
the comet. It's beautiful The tails
are ns long as n broom handle"
Young ladies'" cried the stern voice
u The president, come down aud give
nu account Of yourselves
III. girls descended. each wearing n
well fcign.d look OF innoccn, surprise.
How long have you been up thercr'