Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-04-11

W sat around and talked in Whisper.
and Leila Mercer told Of the time her
grandfather had had struggle with
| an escaped lunatic.
In the midst Of the excitement Tom
appeared In . bath-robe. looking worry
pale. with . bandage around HE head.
and the nurse at his heels threatenin9
to leave and carrying bottle OF med.
icine and spoon. He went imme.
diately to the pantry. and soon We
could hear him giving orders and the
rest hurrying around to obey them.
The hammsring ceased. and the H.
lence was even worse. It was more
! suggestive.
IN about fifteen minutes there was
. thud. as Il the cage had fallen, and
the sound Of feet rushing down the
cellar stairs. Then there were xrpans
and loud oaths. and everybody talking
At once, below. and the sound of a
struggle: In the dining room We all
sat bent forward, with straining ears
and quickened breath. until We dis.
tlnctly heard some one laugh. Then
We knew that, whatever It was, It was
! over. and nobody was killed.
! The sounds came closer, were com.
! Ing up the stairs and into the pantry.
linen the door swung open. and Tom
and policeman appeared in the door.
way, with the others crowding be-
hind Between them they supported
q grimy, unshaven object, covered
! with whttewash from the wall Of the
shaft. an object that had its hands
f9SfonnH 1.,lkI
that leered at us with pair Of the
most viilainously crossed eyes I have
ever seen.
None Of US had ever seen him be.
fore.
Mr.. Lawrence McGuirk, better
known as 'Tubby'." Tom said cheer
fully. "a celebrity in his particular
line, which is second-story man and
all-round rascal A victim of the
quarantine. like ourselves"
We've missed hira fer a week"
one Of the guards said with grin.
We've been real anxious about you.
Iubby. Amt week goes by, when
you're In health. that we don't hear
something of you."
Mr.. McGuirk muttered something
under his breath. and the men chuck.
led.
1T seems" Tom said, Interpreting.
that he doesn't like US much. He
doesn't Ike the food. and he doesn't
Ike the beds. He says Just when he
got good place fxed up in the coal
cellar. Flanagan found It, and IL
asleep there now, this minute"
Aunt Selma rose suddenly and
cleared her throat.
Am I to understand" she asked se.
vereay. that from now on We will
i; have to add two newspaper reporters.
three poaicemen and . burglar to the
occupants Of this Guaranteed house1
Became. II that IL the case. abso.
!; lutsly refuse to feed them."
But one OF the reporters stepped
forward ana bowed cereEnoniously.
Madam" he said. II thank you for
your kind invitation. butt will bs
Impossible for US to accept. had in
tended to break the good news earlier.
but this little game of burslar.in-a-
corner prevented me. The fact fs.
your Jap has been discovered to have
nothing more serious than chicken.
pox, and-tf you viii forgive 4 poul.
try yard joke, there 10 no longer any
necessity for your being cooped up"
Then he retired. quite pleased with
himself
One would have thought we had ex-
hausted our capacity for emotion. but
Jim said joyful emotion was SO new
that We hardly knew how to receive
1t. Every one shook hands with
every one else. and even the nurse
shared In the excitement and gave
Jim the medicine she had prepared
for Tom.
Then We all sat down and had some
champagne. sud while they were wait.
Ing for the police wagon. they gave
some TO poor Ac0uirk. He was still
quite shaken from his experience
when the dumb-waiter stuck. The
wine cheered him . little, and he told
his story, In q voice that was creaky
from disuse, while Ton held my hand
under the table.
He had had dreadful week. no
said: he spsnt HE days IN . closet In
ono Of the mAids' rooms-the one
whore Ne had put Tim. Il vas Jim
waking out Of nap and declArlnS
that the closet door had moved BY
Itself and that somstAins had crawl
I'D under HE bed and out Of the door,
that had roussl The susDlcaoos Of the
men IN the houssand te slept at
night an the coal n the cellar. He
was actually fearful when he rubbed
his hand evsr has saruhby chin, and
.saiA hs hadn't he'd shave for week.