The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1912-04-03
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I1ANnQlph CHESTER.
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(Continued.)

n lean little man with eyes as sharp
Is steel needles suddenly whipped a
Knife from his belt and stabbed the
timer In the throat. He fell without
groan- Those around him only laugh
ed. but order was obtained.
This Is business in the name Of
liberty and equalityw commanded
6agg. 'Hold yourselves in restraint
Remember that we came here to get
q billion and a half Of dollars for the
cause. Every one Of you must help Us
20 carry It from here, and remember
that we have all sworn to kill the flrst
man who tries to make away with any
Of 1t or TO appropriate 4 dollar to his
own uses. After we have established
equality and fraternity then every man
may do as he likes. but tonight we
must act for the commonweal Come
forward As your names are called"
They came to him as he called until
he had named 4 score.
THAT is all for now" he directed.
'sThe rest Of you wait here In your de-
tachments Of tens until you are called
from below"
Lillian mad stood at the side Of the
fireplace. her hand upon the knob Of
the little door which led into her
grandfather's retiring room. Now
Blagg jumped down from the table to
her side. and together they threw open
the door. Lillian broke out instantly
into shrill laugh.
why, look who's here!'' she cried.
~If il isn't my dear old friend. Mrs.
Rensselaer,"
Mrs. Rensselaer, stepped back from
her vain attempts to bolt the door.
With her gray hair and her neat gown
and her calm dignity she overawed
Lillian for a moment. and then anger
came as a natural reaction.
~Why. how delightfulr' said Lillian.
with mock suavity. Mrs. Rensselaer,.
You must come out and let me intro
duce you to some Of my friends. La
dies" she called. II am going to turn
Mrs. Rensselaer, over to the reception
committee"
The women. hideous travesties Of
their sex In all their grim fr0wsiness
and excitement. grinned and pressed
forward.
This Is Mrs. Rensselaer," continued
Lillian. dragging forth her many
years companion. "She IL the last
lady Of one Of our very. very Oldest
fAmilies. None Of her ancestry has
worked since America was q nation.
who Is commander In chief Of the ar
-
know you win enjoy her society,""
A mere slip Of a girl. thin and form
less. but whose face already bore the
unmistakable traces Of living death
laughed a shrin laugh and with a soil
ed cap that had once been a boys
slapped MIS-. Rensselaer, across the
face
Flushing crimson with the indignity
Mrs Rensselaer, turned to Lillian. but
she had neither time to protest nor
need OF II. for Lillian. obeying anoth
er Of the sudden ugerish impulses to
which In the past week she had Who'll
~ given herself. changed her attitude
completely and with blazing eyes
rushed between Mrs Rensselaer, and
her formentors.
THAT win dol" she cried. "Mrs
Rensselaer, was my friend for a great
many years ard treated me more pa
tiently than ! deserved. She is my
guest now and must be respected az
such. Mrs. Rensselaer,. sit here" and
she seated her one time social tutor
and sponsor behind the library table
in the chair that Breed had lately va
Gated whitney! Gaspar! Williams
Harvey! Perth. Green! Stand around
this table and protect her from any
further insults In my name! As fol
you"-and she turned to the young
woman who had slapped Mrs. Rensse
laer: her eyes narrowed and grew cold
as she confronted the girI-"take her
out and throw her In the lake." she
directed.
Two men. laughing cruelty. seized
hold of her and began dragging her to
ward the door.
But can't swimr' shrieked the girl
That's why am having you thrown
In the lake." said Lillian coolly. THE
rest Of you will take note BY this that
Mrs. Rensselaer, II to be protected"
She started back toward the door OF
the smaller room. The girl. struggling
against the two who had her ir
1harge. suddenly burst into a stream OF
Vituperative profanity 30 vicious that
even Lillian. Injured as she was by the
past weeks experience TO language OF
the sort. shuddered
Il must have your rings and your
brooch. ! think. Mrs. Rensselaer," sale
she. and. swiftly going behind the table
she disengaged the diamond cluster
from Mrs. Rensselaers throat and
stripped the rings from the unresistina
fingers. Even as she did this her MOOD
changed again. and she whispered. II,
Is the best thing for you" Taking the
Jewels In her hand. she cried. "A gift
from aristocracy to equality and fra
ternftyr' and she tossed them In the
air.
A hundred hands reached for then
n they came down. and a clamor OF
excited voices told how popular thai
action had been.
Come on" she said; I'VE have work
10 do" And. followed by Blagg and
1ia score of picked men. she hurried
through the little rear room.
They found the closet door open and
IS rear wall pushed back. revealing
the narrow secret staircase. Single
die they hurriedly descended this. Lii
Han at the head. and turned into tn.
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