The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-03-07
CHAPTER XIV.

Count Won Fits came from his hiding
place and discreetly lifted the ladder.
"Wait a minute" he said to him.
self. Quietly he went into the house.
and as quietly reappsared in . few
moments, carrying the hat box which
Lucy had taken from Primmer, and
which she had left in the hallway.
Brains In der head beats cash In
der pocket" he moralized.
He wedged the hatbox under his
arm and crawled up the ladder to the
window. Tapping gently upon 1t. he
almost fell of the ladder when Mrs.
Biaxes swung 1t open.
BE careful. voman!" he urged. IT
l fall of diss ladder on diss hat you
stay in diss house for life"
"Give me the hat! Give me the
hiatt" Mrs Blases exclaimed.
"Giff me my ring" the count 70
piled.
She slipped his ring from her finger
and offered It to him hastily. But.
with one hand clutching a round Of
the ladder and the other arm about
the hatbox, he was hardly In . posi-.
ton to take It.
"How can II" hs sputtsrsd. 1T iss
. ring. not der mumps."
Put the hat In the window: then
you can take the ring" she advised.
"Und den you get der hat und GIN
ne der Taught"
''Nonsense!" che answered. II nev.
Or want to ~ your ring. or you
ayain!"
Der same To you. und many OF
dem." he retorted. swinging the hat.
boz around and trying to shove It
through the window. She caught hold
a II. also. but II Wa too wide to 90
through the opening. In the effort
70 force II through the count lost his
balance and came perilously near 60
ing down with crash. He saved him
sslf By clutching the window frame.
however. Mr.. Blases frstfully said:
Clumsy! Let me show you"
She united the string on the box.
took OF the Id and took out the hat
; She let tho box drop to the ground.
and with . little scream Of delight
stepped back into the room and hur.
riedly donned the hat
ITS . perfect duplicated" she said.
happily. Then. while the count was
descending the ladder she started to
climb out Of the window, but the
count stopped her.
my ring, ID you blease!" he said.
For goodness sake! Take 1t and
let me go!"
She thrust the ring into his hand,
and he ran down the ladder and stead.
led 1t at the bottom. Mrs. Blazes
carefully crept from the window, with
much manipulation Of her skirts, and
anxiously let herself down a rung ut
time. When she was half way down
she cried:
"Oh! I'm scared! I'm going back"
She started up the ladder again,
and the count almost tainted. He
shook the ladder violently and threat
ened:
IN you 60 up anudder round. l up
set it,"
Timorously, she came down, and at
last stood on the ground.
"Oh! How heavenly 1t is to be
free!" she exclaimed.
Up the walk again stormed the gen.
eral. and Mrs. Blazes at sight Of him
screamed, and would have climbed
the ladder had not the count caught
her arm and restrained her.
General Blases had not found her
at home. and had returned to hold
counsel with Harry - to the best
way to locate her. And now he found
her in the company Of the count. in
Harry's lawn. with . ladder leading
to . window in Harry's house.
"Aha!" he shouted.
"Merciful heavens! Ny husband! +"
she walled.
"Und he only buries nodding Of
dem but DER hats!" the count reflect.
ed. keeping Mrs. Blazes between him
and the general.
Sol" the general roared, confront.
ing her. This has been your plan,
has IT." He turned on the count vim
dictively. Trying to inveigle my wife
to climb into that housed"
MY dear. you are wrong!" Mrs.
Blazes wept. Listen . moment, and
! can explain"
Wrong? Explainf Woman, I see
It all now! You have planned an
elopement with this-this pret4el!"
"Bretxel! Ach Colt! Und I must
stand dist" the count fumed.
'What!" Mrs. Blases demanded. Il
J elope with thati"
She pointed . sconful finger ct the
count.