The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-03-13
THE EVENING STORY
CatI1leen's Capture.
(By lola Forester. }

| L1Sten!' whispered Cathleen ex-
citedly. Cant you hear him now p
/ Deed, and it's only the cracking
of the telephone wires, Miss Cathie
Don't you be worrying So" soothed
Blake, brushing out the long. beau
| tiful waves of chestnut hair. There
isn't soul out a night like this for
miles. You're tired and a bit ner-
Vous."
I'm not a bit nervous, Blake. -
Cathleen retorted haughtily. She
stared at the reflection of herself in
the oval mirror and frowned. It was
! certainly a white and troubled young
person who returned her gaze of in
quiry.
right for papa to send me out here
| at this time of year
g" Tis foine place for the asthma -
Blake said gently.
But I haven't asthma. It's papa
who has asthma. I think he should
have thought of me little in the
matter. It's cold and bleak and mis-
| cradle down here on the shore this
time of the year, and there's nobody
living here-oh, Blake, there it is
again. Don't you-can't you hear
| it ~
| It was unmistakable this time, a
steady, dragging sound on the roof.
| Cathleen reached for the pink shaded
| lights, and extinguished them with
| fingers that strove to I e steady. She
thought quickly They had arrived
that afternoon without 9u warning arm g
follow the next morning with his
nurse and secretary. Only Blake and
the old housekeeper were in the
house besides herself The chauf-
feur was in town.
The house was one of several in
summer colony the bay. The
long gardens rambled straight down
to the waters edge. 1t was the last
of th4 row, and faced the sea on two
sides. SO far as Cathleen knew, there
We're no other residents there, only
few servants left in charge through
the winter.
Blake moved cautiously to the
nearest window and peered out 1t
was stormy spring night. The rain
was pelting down in sheets. Out to
sea the lightning cut the darkness in
long glittering gashes. coming swiftly
after every crack of thunder.
The house was built with gables
Cathleen's suite was in the front, so
that the side windows commanded
full view of the sloping roof on the
east gable above the library She
leaned over Blake's shoulder. ana
watched for the next flare of light.
"There he is" she Whispered. Hes
Blake, and is crouching behind that
chimney"
for. Miss Cathie?" Blake objected.
wouldn't he go in the windows by
Il don't know" laughed Cathleen.
her nerves running to extremes May
be he prefers chimneys. I'm gong to
telephone the village and get the po-
lice ont here Just as soon as they can
come
Blake listened to the howl of the
storm outside.
shore in this gale. Miss Cathie." she
groaned. but Cathleen had already
sped down the long hall, and she spoke
ONLY to the window pane.
yves, hello. hello called Cathleen
TREMENDOUSLY. as she got the number at
Seponsett headquarters: This Is Mr..
Reid's residence on the bay shore; |
There is a burglar on the roof, and
am alone except for two servants, both |
women. Can you send help at once? |
What? I don't know. We only ar
rived about half an hour ago Ihe |
house has been closed all winter DO |
hurry I'm afraid you'll be too late.
she hung up the receiver and turn |
ed around to face Blake.
81 think he's trying to come down
the chimney, deed, and ! do. he
open fire place in the library, Miss
Cathie Do you think he'll be drop
ping down that way? e..,.
sweep over her 1t was her first ex
perience with burglars. But she
clenched both hands and stood fast.
s'Shall [ wake Mrs. Busby?'
mo" replied Cathleen, firmly. shes
too nervous The police will be here in
ten minutes. He won't come down
hot chimney You go and build fire
in the library Blake, and I'll get papa's
revolver from his rooms. and cover him
with it from my windows, and II he
breaks in. I'll shoot
The man on the east gable worked
with deiiberation. Now he crouched be-
hind the low parapet as the wind swept
in from the sea. Then Cathleen could
see him start to work with renewed
anerey. He seemed to be tearing al the
roof. There were slate plates on it,
c.atbleerl remember Mr.. Reid was
British, and had his own ideas of what
= roof should be like even on Long Is
and. She wondered if perhaps this
was a slate thief. and then choked d
laugh in her handkerchief, at the pic
hire of any burglar stealing pounds of
slate to bear away down the lonely
shore a night like this. More probably
he was a lunatic. There was private
more hopeful One might divert Iu-
matte where a burglar had preconceived
notions.
Suddenly he began to descend with ..
startling rapidity. He was down the
zeranda roof before she realized it, not
thirty feet from her.
They're coming Miss Gather called J
Blake in a hushed tone from the lower :
nall You can hear them now
Cathleen raised the window, and ,
eaned out.
Don't you move or I'll slloot.'' she :
quickly, too. She leveled the revolver ]
Ind fired into the darkness, but not | {
oward the sound. There was dead q
ilence on the roof below her, then she r