The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1912-03-30

Adventure

That's queer" said Deadrick.
Everybody stopped talking and
looked at the small wooden box which
the maid had just taken at the door
and brought into the library.
''Why queer?" asked Horwatt, idly.
He had just had very good din
ner, and was entirely at peace with
the world. "Just a plain box,"
Deadrick looked at Horwatt stern
ly and the whole dinner party caught
its breath. Deadrick edged away
from the box, which had rope ham
dies. This morning" he announced,
Il had to discharge my man and the
proceeding was not marked with what
you might call grace and ease. In fact,
] had TO throw him out. He depart
ed, vowing vengeance. expected moth
| ing by express-the maid says the
driver says it was billed as some
kind of machine. What if it is an in
| fernal machine?"
Every woman screamed. Two of
them at once got on their feet. The
bride crossed the room and held her
husbands hand.
THAT happens only in Stories" said
Meagle. Go on and open the box"
Mr.. Meagle," said the hostess in
dignantIy, you may not care If my
husband is blown through the ceiling,
but do"
"Yes," chimed in Deadrick, "she just
got new rug in the room above and
naturally"
"You are a brute!" said his wife.
"Only please don't open it,"
I'm dying to know what's in it,"
cooed the fluffy girl
Il always thought he was queer"
pursued Deadrick, "and if you had
seen him this morning! What are
you doing?" he ended as Horwatt laid
his head tenderly on the box in an at
titude of rest.
Listening for the Textbook" Hor-
watt explained. "All these up to
date bombs are attached to an alarm
clock, set to go of at certain hour,
and"
"Ha-a-arvey!" Mrs. Horwatt shrek
ed, grabbing him. Come away! Why,
it might be set to go OF this minute!
What on earth"
do they really do such things?"
begged the fluffy girl of young
Meagle.
"Yes," he admitted. Come, let us
go and sit in the conservatory, which
is far enough away to be quite safe If |
the thing does go off,"
That's what your Internal machine |
has done!" Horwatt Kissed at his |
host. Hell propose to her in there |
as sure as guns, and her father'1l see
you further! He has a well preserv-
ed millionaire in storage for his daugh-
ter. Put the thing out of doors be-
fore it does further damage!"
Truly" said Deadrich, "i'm suspi- |
cious of it! How am 1 to get it |
opened?"
Call a policeman" suggested Mrs.
Berker. That's what they're for,
isn't it? And you could get him some
coffee and sandwiches afterward"
Assuming, of course" said Dead |
rick, that there was enough of him
left to drink the coffee. Haven't |
heard that they put suspected in
fernal machines in water before open
ing them?"
"Hooray!" said Horwatt ITO the
bath room!" He grabbed one side of
the rope handle
Deadrick took the other handle and
trailed by all the protesting women
and the other men, they marched to
the bath room. Tenderly depositing
the box in the tub, Deadrick turned on
the water.
Turn thst off at once and turn on
the cold water!" cried his wife. you
don't know what hot water might do
to a bomb! 1t would cook it or
something! told you not to hire Jo-
seph in the first place, for / neve.
liked his nose."
1T is perfectly awful" said Mrs.
Horwatt. ITO think you can't sit
peacefully in your own house with
out being attacked by dangerous an
archists! Anyhow, isn't it time we
should be going, dear?"
Not till 1 see how far Deadrick
flies when he gets blown up" said
her husband. "He's a heavy mani"
"Plpl-please dont!" begged Mrs.
Deadrick as her husband nschiu0 |