Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-04-18
WHlTIAKER'S
PLACE
BY JOSEPH c. LINCOLN
Copyright. 1908. BY D. Appleton o Co

BY JOSEfd u. LlNSOLN
Copyright. 1908. by D. Appleton 9 Co
voices at the door, The captain nod.
ded
"It's them" be said "Well. here
goes. Now. don't you show yourself"
do you think am afraid? Indeed.
I shant stay below. as you call It! ]
shall let them see
Captain Cy held up his hand.
I'm commodore Of this heet." he
said. land. that bein' the case. expect
my crew to obey orders. There's moth.
in you can do. and Why, yes. there
Is too. You can take care Of Bos'n
Georgianna." to the housekeeper.
"send Bos'n In here quick"
They're there" whispered Georgian.
na-"Mr. Atkins and Tad and that
Thomas critter and lots more. And
they've come after her. What shall
we do?
Jump when speak to you: that's
the first thing Send Bos'n In here"
Emily came running. Miss Dawes
put an arm about her. Captain Cy
stepped forth.
They were there. as Georgianna had
said-Mr Thomas on the top step. He
man and Simpson on the next lower.
and behind them Abel Leonard and n
group of interested volunteers.
"Evenin. gentlemen" said the cap:
tain. opening the door briskly.
"EveDin'." repeated Captain Cy.
Quite u surprise party you're sivin'
me. Come in"
Cyrus" began the Honorable At,
kins. I'VE ure here to claim
Give me my daughter. you robber!'
demanded Thomas from his new po-
sition In the rear Of the other two.
Mr.. Thomas" said Heman. ''please
remember that I am conducting this
affair. | respect the natural indigna.
ton of an outraged father. but-ahem!
Cyrus. we are here to claim
"Then do your claimin' inside. It's
kind Of chilly tonight. There's plenty
of empty chairs. and we don't need to
hold m overflow meetin'. Come ahead
in"
The trio looked at each other In
hesitation. Then Mr.. Atkins majes-
tically entered the dining room.
Thomas and Simpson followed him.
"Abe," observed Captain Cy to Leon
ard, who was advancing toward the
steps, ,"I'm sorry not to be hospitable.
but there's too many Of you to invite
at once, and 'tain't polite to show par
tiality. You and the rest are welcome
to sit on the terrace or stroll round
the deer park. Good night"
He closed the door in the face Of the
disappointed Abel and turned to the
three in the room
"Well," he said. "out with It You've
come to claim somethin'. under
stand"
II come for my rightsr' shouted Mr..
Thomas.
"Yes1 Well. this amt state prison
or I'd give 'em to you with pleasure.
Heman. you'd better do the talkin'.
We'll probably get ahead faster"
The honorable cleared his throat and
waved his hand
Cyrus" he began. '.you are my boy
hood friend and my fellow townsman
and neighbor. Under such circum-
stances it gives me PAIN
"Then don't let US discuss painful
subjects. Let's get down to business.
You've come to rescue Bos'n-Emily,
that is-from the .robber-Tm quotin'
Deacon Thomas here-that's got her.
SOS to turn her over to her sorrowin'
father. ls that III Yes! Well. you
can't have her-not yet"
Cyrus" said Mr.. Atkins, "Tm sor'
ry to see that you take 1t this way.
You haven't the shadow Of q right
We have the law with us. and your
conduct will lead us to invoke It The
constable Is outside. Shall I call him
in?'
Uncle Bedny" was the town con-
stable and had been since before the
war. The purely honorary Office was
given him each year as joke. Cap
tain Cy grinned broadly. and even
Tad was obliged to smile.
Don't be inhuman. Heman." urged
the captain. "You wouldn't turn me
over to be manhandled by Uncle Bed
ny. would your
This is not humorous affair." be-
gan the congressman, with dignity.
But the .bereaved father" had been
prospecting on his own hook. and now
be peeped into the sitting room.
"uere she is" he shouted. II see
her! Come on. Emmie! Your dads
come for you. Let go Of her. you wo-
man! What do you mean by holdin'
on to herr"
The situation. which was mot hu-
morous." Immediately became much
less So The next minute was live
ly one. 1t ended as Mr.. Thomas was
picked up by Tad from the floor. where
he had fallen. having been pushed vio-
lently over a chair by Captain Cy.
Bos'n. frightened and sobbing. was
clinging wildly to Miss Dawes. who
had clung Just as firmly to her. The
captains voice rang through the room.
That's enough" he said. THAT'S
enough and some over. Atkins, take
that feller out this house and of my
premises. AS for the girl. that's for us
to fight out in the courts. I'm her
guardian. lawfully appointed. and you
nor nobody else can touch her while
that appointments good. Here 1t Is
right here. Now look at 1t and clear
outr'
He held for the congressman's In
spection the document which. inclos
ed In the long envelope, had been re-
ceived that morning. His visit to Os
table, made some weeks before. had
been for the purpose Of applying to the
probate court for the appointment az
Emily's guardian He had applied be
fore the news Of her fathers coming
to life reached him. The appointment
itself had arrived just In time.
Mr.. Atkins studied the document.
"Humphm he grunted. "Humph!
see. Well. sir. I have some influence
in this section. and shall see how
long your-your trick will prevent thu
child,s going where she belongs.