Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1911-07-20

He wedged the hatbox under his
arm and crawled up the ladder to the
window. Tapping gently upon IL, he
almost fell off the ladder when Mrs.
Blazes swung it open.
BE careful, voman!" he urged III
/ fall off diss ladder on diss hat you
stay in diss house for life"
GIVE me the hat! Give me the
hiatt" Mrs Blazes exclaimed.
Gift me my ring" the count re-
piled.
She slipped his ring from her finger
and offered it to him hastily. But,
with one hand clutching a round Of
the ladder and the other arm about
the hatbox, he was hardly in a posi-
ton TO take It,
How can -" he sputtered. ut ISIS
a ring, not der mumps."
Put the hat in the window; then
you can take the ring" she advised.
"Und den you get der hat und Gift
me der laugh?'
"Nonsense!" she answered. Il new
er want to see your ring, or you
again!"
Der same to you, und many off
dem" he retorted, swinging the hat
box around and trying to shove it
through the window She caught hold
OF it, also but it was too wide to go
through the opening. In the effort
to force il through the count lost his
balance and came perilously near 60
ing down with a crash. He saved him
self by clutching the window frame,
! however. Mrs Blazes fretfully said:
Clumsy! Let me show you
She united the string on the box,
took off the lid and took out the hat.
Suy let Che box drop 20 the ground.
aud w:b a little scream of delight
stepped back into the room and hur-
riedly donued the hat.
It's a perfect duplicated" she said,
happily. Then, while the count was
| descending the ladder she started 70
climb out of the window, but the
count stopped her.
My ring, if you blease!" he said.
For goodness sake! Take it and
let me go!"
She thrust the ring into his hand,
and he ran down the ladder and stead
| led it at the bottom. Mrs. Blazes
carefully crept from the window, with
much manipulation of her skirts, and
anxiously let herself down a rung at
time When she was half way down
she cried;
"Oh! I'm scared! I'm going back !"
She started up the ladder again,
| and the count almost tainted. He
shook the ladder violently and threat
ened
'Iff you go up anudder round, up
set it,"
Timorously, she came down, and at
last stood on the ground.
oh! How heavenly it is TO be
free!" she exclaimed
Up the walk again stormed the gen
eral and Mrs. Blazes at sight of him
| the ladder had not the count caught
her arm and restrained her.
General Blazes had not found her
| at home, and had returned to hold
| counsel with Harry as to the best
way to locate her. And now he found
her in the company Of the count, in
Harry's lawn, with a ladder leading
to a window in Harry's house.
Aha" he shouted.
"Merciful heavens! Ny husband"
she walled
"Und he only buries nodding of
dem but DER hats!" the count reflect
ed keeping Mrs. Blazes between him
and the general.
SOL" the general roared, confront
ing her. This has been your plan,
has it?" He turned on the count vim
dictively. Trying to inveigle my wife
to climb into that housed"
MY dear, you are wrong!" Mrs.
Blazes wept. Listen a moment. and
/ can explain"
Wrong? Explain? Woman, see
| It all now! You have planned an
elopement with this-this pretIel!"
'Bretzel! Ach Colt! Und | must
stand dis!" the count fumed.
'What?" Mrs. Blsses demanded. II
elope with that'"
She pointed q scornful finger at the
| count
Don't try to palsver mel" the gen
sral shouted.
All this noise and shouting OF
course was heard by those in the
house, and first Harry came running
out. followed by Lucy and her father
What in the world is happening
Harry asked, rushing up to the ex.
cited trio.
| II have trapped this wretch" Gen
eral Blazes yelled, indicating the
| count with a gesture of his clenched
| fist
Harry, helpless, looked from one to
the other. Mrs. Blazes, desperate,
glanced at him and said:
mr.. Swifton can explain. have
| nothing more TO say"
She assumed an air of supreme in
| difference to whatever fate might hold
in allegiance for her.