The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1910-09-15

listening with all my ears. Just at the
foot of the stairs | stubbed my toe
against Halsey's big chair, and had to
stand on one foot in a soundless agony
until the pain subsidized to a dull ache.
And them knew | was right. Some
one had put a key into the lock, and
was turning it. For some reason 1t
refused to work, and the key was
withdrawn. There was a muttering of
voices outside; l had only a second.
Another trial, ard the door would
open The candle above made a faint
CLEAN down the well-like staircase,
and at that moment, with a second,
no more, to spare, | thought of a plan.
The heavy oak chair almost filed
the space between the newell post n
the door. With a crash | had turned
it on it's side, wedging it against
the door, it's legs against the stairs. l
could hear a faint scream from Liddy
at the crash and then she came down
the stairs on a run, with the revolver
held straight out in front of her.
Thank God" she said, in a shaking
voice. Il thought it was you
l pointed to the door, and she I'M
derstood.
Call out of the windows at the
other end of the house, | whispered.
Run. Tell them not to wait for any
thing"
She went up the stairs at that, two
at a time. Evidently she collided
with the candle, for it went out, and
l was left in darkness.
l was really astonishingly cool.
remember stepping over the chair and
gluing my ear to the door, and l shall
never forget feeling it give al inch or
two there in the darkness, under a
steady pressure from without. But
the chair held, although l could hear
an ominous cracking OF one of the
legs. And then, without the slightest
warning, the cardrOom window broke
with a crash. l had my finger on the
trigger of the revolver, and as
jumped it went off, right through the
door. Some one outside swore round
ly, and for the first time l could heal
what was said.
only a scratch. Men are al
the other end of the house.
Have the whole rats nest on us
And a lot of profanity which / wont
write down. The voices were at the
broken window now, and although
was trembling violently, | was de
termined that | would hold them unit
help came. moved up the stairs un
til I could see into the cardroOm, Oh
rather through it, to the window. A:
I looked a small man put his leg over
the sill and stepped into the room
The curtain confused him for a mo
ment; hen he turned, not toward me
but toward the billiard room door.
fired again, and something that was
glass or china crashed to the ground
Then I ran up the stairs and along thu
corridor to the main staircase. Ger
trude was standing there, trying t
locate the shots, and I must hav'
been a peculiar figure, with my hal
in crimps, my dressing-gown flying, m
slippers, and a revolver clutched il
my hand. had no time to talk
q. lucIc was tHc Souuu vi lOololtpo i
the lower hall. and some n bounde'
!, up the stairs.
I had gone Berserk, I think.
! leaned over the stair-rail and fire
again. Halsey, below, yelled at me.
What are you doing up there h
yelled. You missed me by an inch.
And then I collapsed and tainted
When I came around Liddy was rut
bling my temples with eau de quinint
, and the search was in full blast.
Well, the man was gone. The stabl
burned to the ground. while the crow
9 cheered at every falling ratfer, an
the volunteer fire department spraye
It with a garden hose. And in tn
A house Alex and Halsey searched ever
corner OF the lower floor. finding n
q one.
The truth OF my story was show