The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-06-21


from below"
Lillian mad stood at the side OF the
fireplace, her hand upon the knob OF
the little door which led into her
grandfather's retiring room. Now
Blagg jumped down from the table to
her side, aud together they threw open
the door. Lillian broke out instantly
into shrill laugh.
why, look who's herer' she cried.
"If IL isn't my dear old friend, Mrs.
Rensselaer,"
Mrs. Rensselaer, stepped back from
her vain attempts TO bolt the door.
With her gray hair and her neat gown
and her calm dignity she overawed
Lillian for moment, and then anger
came as a natural reaction.
"Why, how delightfulg said lillian,
with mock suavity. Mrs. Rensselaer,.
you must come out and let me intro
duce you TO some of my friends. La
dies" she called. II am going TO turn
Mrs Rensselaer, over to the reception
committee"
The women. hideous travesties Of
their sex In all their grim frowsiness
and excitement, grinned and pressed
forward.
'This is Mrs. Rensselaer," continued
Lillian, dragging forth her many
years companion. ''She is the last
lady of one of our very, very oldest
families. None Of her ancestry has
worked since America was a nation.
Her nephew is General Rensselaer,,
who is commander I'm chief OF the ar
my OF Emperor Kelvin. Phillip IL i
know you will enjoy her society,""
A mere slip of a girl. thin and form
less. but whose face already bore the
unmistakable traces OF living death.
laughed a shrill laugh and with soil
ed cap that had once been boys
slapped Mrs. Rensselaer, across the
face.
Flushing crimson with the indignity.
Mrs. Rensselaer, turned to Lillian, but
she had neither time TO protest nor
need Of II, for lillian, obeying anoth-
er of the sudden tigerish impulses TO
which i'm the past week she had Who'll
ly given herself. changed her attitude
completely and with blazing eyes
rushed between Mrs. Rensselaer, and
her tormentors.
'That will dor she cried. Mrs.
Rensselaer, was my friend for n great
many years and treated me more pa
tiently than | deserved. She is my
guest now and must be respected as
such. Mrs. Rensselaer,. sit here" and
she seated her one time social tutor
I'm the chair that Breed had lately va.
Gated. whitney! Gaspar! Williams!
Harvey! Perth! Greenl Stand around
this table and project her from any
further insults in my name! As for
you"-and she turned TO the young
woman who had slapped Mrs. Rensse-
laer; her eyes narrowed and grew cold
as she confronted the girl-"take her
out and throw her In the lake." she
directed.
Two men, laughing cruelty, seized
hold of her and began dragging her to-
ward the door.
But l can't SWIM shrieked the girl.
'That's why am having you thrown
in the lake." said Lillian coolly. 1.-THE
rest Of you will take note by this that
Mrs. Rensselaer, is TO be protected"
She started back toward the door of
the smaller room. The girl. struggling
against the two who had her I'm
charge. suddenly burst into a stream of
vituperative profanity so vicious that
even Lillian. Injured as she was by the
past weeks experience to language of
the sort, shuddered.
IL must have your rings and your
brooch, think, Mrs. Rensselaer," said
she. and. swiftly going behind the table.
she dlsengaged the diamond cluster
from Mrs. Rensselaer's throat and
the rings from the unresisting
fingers. Even as she did this her mood
changed again, and she whispered, lit
is the best thing for you" Taking the
jewels in her hand, she cried. "a gift
from aristocracy TO equality and fra
ternity" and she tossed them in the
air.
A hundred hands reached for them
as they came down. and clamor OF
excited voices told how popular that
action had been.
''Come on" she said; 1--WE have work
TO do" And, followed by Blagg and
his score Of picked men. she hurried
through the little rear room.
They found the closet door open and
its rear wall pushed back. revealing
the narrow secret staircase. Single
file they hurrledly descended this, Lii
liam at the head. and turned into the
wide cemented vestlbule where an
electric light was already burning
Lillian dropped down before the com
knob and turned It carefully
backward and forward several times.
II feared So" she said to Blagg. who
knelt beside her. 1.-The combination
has been changed"
Blagg took the knob In his long, sen
sitiye fingers and. not looking at IL,
bent his ear close to II. while Lillian
laid her bare arm loosely across his
shoulders. lie turned the knob slowly
and gently, he stopped and turned It
slowly and gently, and then
smiled as he gave the ring of the door
n clutch and pulled. The door came
open.
ITS a good thing that 7 practiced