Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-18

and opened window and looked ou.'
The window was a side one, open
ing on to a space perhaps eight Ieet
wide, which separated 1t from us
neighbor. Across from me was only
a blank red wall, but the night ar
greeted me refreshingly. The wlnd
was blowing hard, and a shutter was
banging somewhere below. leaned
ont and looked down into the well-ilke
snace beneath me. 1t was one OF those
annarently chance movements tnat
have vital consequences. and that
have always made me believe In the
old Calyinistic creed of foreordinatlon.
Below me, on the wall across, was
rectangle of yellow light, reflected
from the library window OF the Flem-
ing home There was some one IN the
house.
AS I still stared, the light was slow.
" blotted out-not as If the light had
been switched off, but gradual de-
creasing in size of the lighted area.
The library shade had been drawn.
NV first thought was burglars: my
second-Lightfoot. No matter who It
was. there was no one who had bust
ness there. Luckily, l had brought
NV revolver with me from Fred's that
day. and it was under my pillow; TO
get it. put out the light and open the
door quietly, took only minute. !
was in pajamas. barefoot, as on anoth-
err almost similar occasion, but | was
better armed than before.
got to the second floor without
hearing anything suspicious, but from
there I could see that the light in the
hall had been extinguished. The I'M
familiarity of the house, the knowl
edge of the silent figure in the draw
, ing room at the foot of the stairs, ana
of whatever might be waiting in the
library beyond, made mp posltlon uh-
comfortable, to say the least.
I don't believe in the man VINO Is
never afraid: he doesn't deserve the
credit he gets. It's the fellow VINO ID
scared to death, whose knees knock
together, and who totters rather than
walks into danger, who is the real
hero. Not that l was as bad as tnat,
but would have liked to- know where
| the electric switch was, and to nave
/ seen the trap before put my head IN.
The stairs were soldily built, and
did not creak. felt my way down
| the baluster, which required my right
hand, and threw my revolver TO my
left. / got safely to the bottom, ana
around the newelpost: there was still
light in the library, and the door was
not entirely closed. Then, with my US
ual bad luck, ran into heap OF fold
| ing chairs that ha6 been left by the
undertaken, and if the crash paralyzed
| me, don't know what 1t did to the IN
truder in the libraray.
The light was out in an instant, ana
with concealment at an end. broke
for the door and threw 1t open, stand
! ing there with my revolver leveled.
We-the man in the room, and were
both in absolute darkness. He mad
! the advantage of me. He knew my TO-
cation, and could not guess his.
! Where is here?' demanded.
! Only silence, except that l seemed
to hear rapid breathing.
Speak up or I'll shoot!' said, not
without an ugly feeling that ne might
be-even probably was-taking care
full aim by my voice. The darkness
was intolerable: / reached cautiously
to the left and found, just beyond the
door frame, the electric switch. AS
turned it the light flashed up. Inc
room was empty, but portiere IN a
doorway at my right was still snaK-
/ ing.
| leaped for the curtain and dragged
li+ aside, to have a door just close in
my face. When had jerked it open,
/ found myself in short hail. and
there were footsteps to my left. !