The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-01-19

DAVID FIrz.kEALD TOUR FATEER?" return to New York5"
 For you there'll be no train under a week. You're going to stay here, since you've been the victim of a | hoax"
 "Disabuse your mind there, sir. 1 don't know when I've enjoyed any thing so thoroughly"
 "But you'n stay? Oh, yes~ as Fitz- | gerald shook his head. 'The secre- tary can do the work here while you and I can take care of the rats in the hold Laura's just imagining things. but we'll humor her. If there's any trouble with the chimney, why, we'll get a bricklayer and pull 1t l down"
 Miss Killigrew may have some real cause for alarm. saw a man, or. rather, heard him, running as I came up the road from the gates I called to him. but he did not answer."
 els that so? Wasn't the porter at the gates when you came inT -cNo. The footpath was free"
 ''This begins to look serious. If the porter isn't there the gate bell rings. can open it myself by wire. l never bother about it at night unless l am expecting some one. But in the daytime I can see from here whether or not I wish to open the gate. A man running in the park, eh? Little good it will do him. The house is a network of burglar alarms"
 ''Wires can be cut and quickly re- paired"
 '-But this is no house to rob. All my valuables, excepting these books, | are in New York The average bur gIar isn't of a literary turn of mind. Still, if Laura has really heard some thing, all the more reason why you should make us a visit. Wait a mo- l ment- I've an idea" The admiral set the burglar alarm and tried it. The expression on his face was blank. "Am I getting deaferT'
 ssNo bell rang." said Fitzgerald quickly
 .'By cracky. if Laura Is light! But not word to her, mind When she goes upstairs we'll take trip into the cellar and have a look at the main wire You've got to stay; that's all there is about it. This is serious. hadn't tested the wires in week"
 Perhaps it's only fuse"
 ''We can soon find out about that EhI Not a word to herY'
 She entered with a tray and two steaTning toddies, as graceful a being as Hebe before she spilled the precious drop. Dhe two men could not keep their eyes or her, the one with loving possession. the other with admiration not wholly free from unrest The dar- ing map1er in which she had lured him here wo1Id never be forgetable- And she had known him at the start2 And that merry Mrs. CoIdheld in the ploti
 tT hope &his will cheer you. father"
 ''It always does," replied the admiral as he took the second glass. ST have asked MT. Fitzgerald to spend a week with us''
 Thank you, father. It was thought ful of you If you had not asked him the pleasure of doing so would have been mine Mrs Coldfeld pointed you out to me as a most ungrateful fellow. because you never called on your fathers or mothers friends any more. but preferred to gallivant around the world You will stay? We are very unconventional here"
 '"Thanks. very much: shah he very happy to stay. My handbag. however. is at Swans hotel, and there's very little in h."
 "A trihing matter to send to New York for what you need,'' said the ad- mfral. nightly pleased to have a man to talk to who was not paid to reply. 'I'H have William bring the cart round and take you down."
 'No, no; I had much rather walk. I'll turn up some time in the morning say luncheon, if that will be agreeable to you"
 ~As you please. Only should like to save you an unpleasant walk in the dark''
 'T don't mind dark street in a country village this side of the Allan tic holds little or no danger"
 'tI offered to build first class light ing plant if the town would agree to pay the running expenses. but the council threw it over. They want me to build a library. Not muchI Hold on," as Fitzgerald was rising. "You are not going right away. shan't permit that. Just a little visit first"
 Fitzgerald resumed his chair.
 Have cigar. Laura is used to it."
 "But does Miss KilligreW like itY' laughing.
 Cigars and pipes and cigarettes, she returned. -I am really fond of the aroma. I have tried to acquire the cigarette habit. but 1 have yet to learn what satisfaction you men get out of 1t"
 Conversation veered in various di- rections and finally rested upon the subject of piracy, and here the admi ral proved himself a rare scholar. By some peculiar inadvertency as he was in the middle of one of his own adven lures his finger touched the burglar alarm C1ang! Brrrr! From top to bottom of the house came the shock of differently voiced bells. The two men gazed at each other dumfounded. But the girl laughed merrily.
 You touched the alarm, father"
 ''I rather believe I did And a few minutes before you came in with the fnddiea I tried if and if didn,f ruorlr