The Winslow mail., 1913-12-20

That cherished spot, however,
brought up poignant memories of
hours when Ned had been by her
side Lizzie in a desolate, unhappy
way, went way over to a corner OF
the garden where network of vines
inclosed an old,fashioned tree seat.
The loneliness and seclusion led to
tears now Lizzie fairly cried herself
to sleep.
1t must have been an hour later
when the chug-chug of a machine
aroused her.
It's an automobile and it's ct or-r
ping here,' she murmured. "They nrei
strangers ano rney have driven the
machine into the shadow of the trees.
Oh. dear!"
Lizzie shivered as she thought of
the reports from the next township
of band of robbers who had raided
a score of farmhouses while the occu-
pants were absent
Two men silently and mysteriously
stole past the gate, glanced up at the
grim, silent house, went around to it's
side and then the affrighted Lizzie
heard window raised.
"oh, they are robbers, sure
enough" she gasped "They have
broken into the house What shall ]
do?"
A sudden inspiration came to her
mind as she glanced at the automo-
bile. She did not believe she could
quite run one alone, but she knew a
good deal about it's construction from
casual observation.
II can creep under the fence, reach
the machine and they can't see me-
she planned. "Then I'll hurry down
the road and give the alarm"
Lizzie reached the stalled machine
She leaped nimbly to it's step For
only moment her hand was busy
cropping over its mechanism. A little
f1utter of excitement and satisfaction
escaped her lips as she slipped some
thing into her pocket. Then Lizzie
sped down the shadowy road with
heetness.
"Oh, dear! wish I had gone the
other way--but then the robbers
might have seen me- she breatbed as
at turn the first window light that
showed was in tie Darrow farmhouse.
q quarter of mile away.
Lizzie halted as she came directly
up to the house. There was a light
in only one room and beyond its open
window sat the only occupant of the
house 1t was Ned, at table. writ
ing. Lizzie faltered. Then the urgency
of the occasion impelled her to ac-
tion. She ran into the full radius OF
the bright lamplight streaming out
into the garden.
There's robbers at our house and
the folks are all away" she cried out,
and Ned was on his feet in an instant.
He was outside, gun in hand. be-
fore Lizzie realized it.
Tell me all about it as we hurry
back" he directed, and she thrilled to
feel the firm, steady clasp of his hand
on her arm as he urged her to the
road.
Lizzie could never tell afterwards
how she blurted out her story or how
she acted during that wild run. She
lOSL all neT resentment, once again III
that dear companionship.
There they are" she f1uttered. as
they came in sight of home and the
figures of two men were to be OBJ
served moving about the automobile.
The machine was loaded with plumber
they had taken from the house.
Ned shouted at them and then fired
a shot in the air. That was the last
of the robbers.
Il don't see why they didn't make
off with the machine, he remarked
why, / had taken away the spark
key" explained Lizzie, producing the
article in question.
You wise little woman" exclaimed
Ned admiringly. Come back to the
old loving arms, darling" he added,
while ] tell you a. little story about
another automobile
And then he entirely satisfied Liz
xie that it was in the line of work
necessary and paid for that he had
Olive Bellows.
The robbers never returned to
claim their machine. By right of the
law of ietsam it became Lizzie's auto
mobile, and Ned Darrow continued to
be Iizzie's lover.
Copyright. 1913. hy W. 9. Chapman,