Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1911-04-14

than the rest of u.s. Lollie said "She
found him out yesterday"
Upon my word" said Anne indfg-
nantly. preparing to go, IF l didn't
know you girls so we'll. / would think
you were crazy. And now, Just to off,
set this, | will tell you something.
Flanagan told me this morning not to
worry; that he has my pearl collar
spotted, and that young ladies will
have their jokesi"
Yes, as I said before, it was a cheer
full, reproducing situation.
] sat and thought it over after
Anne's parting shot, when Leila had
fiounced downstairs. Things were
closing in; gave the situation "a
hours to develop. At the end of that
time Flanagan would accuse me open
ly Of knowing where the pearls were:
] would explain my silly remark to
him, and the Minis would explode
under Aunt Selma.
| was sunk in detected reverie when
some one came ON the roof. When he
was opposite the opening In the tent.
saw Mr.. HARRISON, and at that mo-
ment he saw me. He paused uncer-
tainly. then he made an evident effort
and came over to me.
You are-better today"
Quite well, thank you"
II am glad you find the tent use
full Does it keep off the wind?"
1T is quite a shelter -frigidIy.
He stiTI stood. struggling for some
thing to say. Evidently nothing came
to his mind for he lifted the cap he
was wearing, and. turning away be
gan to work with the wiring Of the
roof. He was clever with tools; one
could see that. If ne was profes
sional gentleman-burglar. no doubt
he needed to be. After a bit. finding
1t necessary TO climb to the parapet,
he took OFF his coat, without even a
glance in my direction. and fell to
work vigorously.
One does not need to like man to
admire him physically, any more than
one needs TO like a racehorse or any
other splendid animal No one could
deny that the man on the parapet
was splendid animal. he looked
quite big enough and strong enough to
have tossed his slender bridge across
the gulf to the next roof without any
difficulty, and coordinate enough to
have crossed it with flourish to
safety
lust then there was a rending. tear
ing sound from the corner and a nut.
tered ejaculation. | looked up in time
to see Mr.. HARRISON throw UP his
arms. make futile attempt to regain
his balance, and disappear over the
edge of the roof. One instant he was
standing there, splendid. superb; the
next. the corner of the parapet was
empty, all that stood there was a
broken, splintered post, and tangle of
wires
could not have moved at first; at
least, it seemed hours before the full
significance of the thing penetrated
my dazed brain. When | got up I
seemed to walk, to crawl, with leaden
weights holding back my feet.
When ] got to the corner | had to
catch the post for support | knew
somebody was saying: "Oh, how terri
ble." over and over. 1t was only after,
ward that | knew it had been myself.
And then some other voice was say.
ing: Don't be alarmed. Please, don't
be frightened I'm all right"
| dared look over the parapet final
ly, and instead of a crushed and un
| speakable body, there was Mr.. Harbi
son. sitting about eight feet below me
with his feet swinging into space and
long red scratch from the corner
of his eye across his cheek There
was sort of mansard there, with win
dows. and just enough coping to keeI
/ him from rolling off
/ ~ thought you had fallen-all the
way" | gasped, trying to keep my
| lips from trembling "I-oh, dom
dangle your feet like that"
He did not seem at all glad of hi.
escape. He sat there gloomily, peer
ing into the gulf beneath
If it wasn't so-er--messy and gen
orally unpleasant he replied withou
looking up. Il would slide off and g
the rest of the way
You are childish" | said. severely
See If you can get through the win
dow behind you. If you cannot. IL
come down and unfasten it." But tn,
window was open, and had chance
to sit down and gather up the scat
| tered ends of my nerves. To my sur
prise, however. when he came bacl
he made no effort to renew our con
versation. He ignored me completely
and went to work at once to repai
the damage to his wires. with his bacl
to me.
(To BE CONTINUED