Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1912-03-29
CHAPTER III.
I Don the Pajamas.

Don the Pajamas.
"By Joye, jenkins, they fit like q
dreami"
| twisted before the glass and sur
veyed the pajamas with much salts
faction. They looked jolly right from
every point. Moreover, with all their
easy looseness, there was not an inch
too much. They had comfortable,
personal feel.
Lucky thing they weren't made
originally for some whale like Jack
Billings-eh, Jenkins?" l commented
musingly.
Behind his hand Jenkins INDUCED in
what Is vulgarly known as a smoker.
"Mr. Billings, sir, he couldn't get
one shoulder in 'em, much less a
h'h-leg," he chuckled. They'd be
in ribbons, sir"
I yawned sleepily, and Jenkins in
stantly sobered to attention. He held
his finger over the light switch as
punched a pillow and rolled over on
the mattress.
Gall right" I said; push the jolly
thing out" And with a click dark
ness fell about me.
Good night, sir" came jenkins
voice softly.
Might" I murmured family and l
was off.
Sometime, hours later, I awoke, and
with a devilish yearning for a smoke.
It often takes me that way in the
night.
l climbed out in the blackness and
found my way into the other room. l
remembered exactly where | had drop
ped my cigarette case when we were
fooling with the pajamas by the table,
and | found it without difficulty.
In the act of stopping for 1t, my
hand clutched the edge of the table
and I felt spot yield under the
pressure of my thumb. 1t was. the
button controlling the bell to Jen-
kins' room.
Lucky thing he sleeps like a jolly
porpoise," I reflected.
I pushed a wicker armchair into
the moonlight and breeze by win
dow, and pulling flame to a cigarette,
leaned back, feeling jolly comfy. For
the breeze was ripping and delicious,
and the delicate silk OF the pajamas
flowed in little wavelets all the way
from my heels to my neck.
was just about dropping off, when
7 heard some one hu,rying along the
private hall leading from the back.
Jenkins himself popped into the room.
did you ring, sir?" he inquired,
and advanced quickly.
And then, before I could think about
it to reply, he halted suddenly, almost
pitching forward Then, with a kind
of wheezy howl he sprang to the wall.
Next instant, was blinking under the
dazzling electrolier.
Here, say! Shut off that light"
I demonstrated, half blinded.
l heard a swift rush across the
rugs, and the next thing knew was
roughly jerked from out my chair;
strong fingers clutched my throat, and
l found myself glazing into a fright
ened but resolute face.
"Jen-Jenkins!" I tried to gasp, but
only gurgle came.
was so taken unawares, knew 1t
must be some dashed dream. Per-
haps another minute, and I would
wake up. But he gripped me tighter
and shook me like rag.
Say, who are you?" he Kissed.
"How did you get in here?"
And then, of course, I knew that he
was crazy. Whether he was crazy
In dream or crazy with me awake, l
couldn't guess. 1t made very little
difference, anyhow, for I knew that In
another minute I should be either
dream dead or real dead; and dash
me il I could see any odds worth TOSS
ing for In either, you know.
But | don't belong to the athletic
club quite for nothing, and have man