The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1911-12-29

when the McLanes' man had his back
turned for a fatal instant is n Of the
mysteries of bovine PSYCHOLOGY which
nobody car figure out.
In something like a panic she lum-;
bered along through the trees until
she saw a light. "Aha!" said the COW.
home at last" .
The light shone from the cottage oc-.
cupied by Miss Atkinson. a maiden Of
a considerable number OF years, who
was entertaining at the moment three
other staid and elderly women at
bridge. .
Just as one of the three had said,
disgustedly that she made it spades
Miss Atkinson. who was facing the
porch. gave a b%loodcurdling shrek
and her cards few all over the room.
"A mani" she Kissed. There was
a man peering in through the porch
screen door! He disappeared when T.
jumped" /:
One Of the bravest of the -four VEN
,tured out to the. porch and In a quav-,
ering voice demanded to know who,
was there. while the others supported
her with the carving knife and the|
broom.
Nothing answered from the silence,
which made it all the worse.
The guests put Miss Atkinson to;
b. with the hot water bag and the
smelling salts and locked every win,
dow in the cottage. Then, shivering!
with fright. the three held hands and
!bolted for the hotel.
It was a little later that the Bundy,
cottage was upset. Mrs. Bundy had!
put the children to bed and was GRO,
cheting while her guest. Mrs. Hutton.
was reading aloud a particularly grew;
some detective story. Suddenly Mrs..
,Bundy made a startled clutch at Mrs.,
iHuton's wrist and said: "Lis-s-ten!"
Mrs. Hutton heard it, too. "Th.th-
there must be t-t-two OF emf" STAN
,mered Mrs. Hutton. Il can hear four
if.f-feet just as plain!"
There certainly were several differ.
ent footsteps outside the cottage
slow. careful footsteps. There was
also deep breathing. Then Something
blurred against the low diamond
Ipaned window over the corner win
dow seat. Thereupon Mrs. Bundy,
gave a cheep like a strangled chicken
and nearly went over backward in her
rocker.
Holding the family revolver at arms
length and with her head turned the.
other way, Mrs. Bundy sat down again.
land they listened. There was moth
ing to be heard. They passed the rest
of the night o guard.
Farther down the lake shore. ON.
the rustic seat facing the moon, Laura.
Spilger and her young man sat talk
ing. Their absorption in each other
was so great that they heard nothing
until something strange was thrust
over Laura's left shoulder. Young
Burmaster made a wild but futile grab
at Laura as she leaped In the air.
Landing on tho extreme edge Of the
slippery terrace. she tnmbled down
into the tapping waters with q CUR.
Cling splash.
Then as young Burmaster. too.
sensed the presence OF something
weird and inexplicable he felt his
scalp witch in freezing horror. and
leaped after Laura. Hand in hand they
arose. dripping. and stood affrighted
In the two feet of water at the shores
edg-
From the Spilger's cottage came
questioning rumblings. Laura's IA
Their was demanding to know the rea-
son for all that uproar. Getting no
answer. because the two in. the lake
were still paralyzed vocally. he came
forth to Investigate:
What do you, want?" he roared at
something creeping BY. '11l teach you
to prowl around my house. consarn
you!" Presently there was the spite
full pop Of the little Spilger boys air
gun.
Nothing happened. The Spilgers
and young Burmaster sat up very late
discussing the mystery. It wac dis
cou,aging to the spilgers to find that
their peaceful summer home was get.
ting Just like every other place. and
n had to lock and bar doors and
windows and take in the washing at
night
The Doggetts were reused from
slumber by some one fumbling at the
kitchen window. At the Plunketts'
some n was distinctly heard at the
chicken house. Mrs. Pilkins said she
heard footsteps on the Pilkins' front
porch that night and the Pixies report.
Cd that their mignonette bed had been.
trampled.
AZ an impromptu mass meeting q
the next morning the cottagers voted
10 spend $50 . month for q watchman.
Then they took maps all the rest OF
sthe day to make up for their wakefui
night
weary and hcmesick COW had broken
into - gallop as she spisd the Nc.
Lanes barn and IN two minutes moro
49,