The herald., 1913-02-13
A Singular
Reception
By RYLAND BELL

home. live in one of row of ten
houses, all alike, and many are the
mistakes | have made in trying To get
into the wrong domicile. l soon learn
ed that if my latchkey did not WORK
easily had better beat retreat. But
on this occasion | must have FOUND
the door unlatched-either this or my
key happened TO tit the lock, Tor hau
no trouble in getting in. If 1t hadn't
been for the wine | had drunk doubt
less l would have realized that some
thing was wrong, for in my own house
the hall light would have been turned
low, while here it was out
NV foot tripped on something, and ]
stumbled. but caught myself Placing
my hat and overcOat in the hall closet.
was about to feel my way upstairs
when heard n voice in the adjoining
room. 1t was apparently that or
nervous old woman trying to be reso
| lutte.
go away at once! The house is
wired for burglars. and the police will
| be here directly!"
what In the world l was begin
ming when the same voice continued:
81 don't wish you to be arrested and
| go to Jail. Do consider! Prison life Is
awful Just go right out the way you
came in. and you'll save lot of trou
BILE for yOurSelfr'
II was evident to me by this time
! that had made one Of my blunderS
| I'm getting into the wrong house. and.
not relishing being taken for burglar,
| was about TO apologize and so out
when it occurred TO me that an apollo
gy would neither be believed nor ac-
cepted and | had better make an exit
without one. Indeed. | was not quite
sure but that some man might be
waiting with a gun till he could locate
the intruder. So | concluded to go at
once, but objected to leaving my hat
and overcoat to establish my identity.
While / was feeling my way TO the
closet all was silent, but no sooner had
| l started for the door than an entire
ly different voice came from upstairs.
1t was apparently that of girl.
IF you must take something away
with you go TO the sideboard. and
hanging to rail behind ii you'll find
the key to the drawer. and the silver
Is inside. Take it all and welcome. only
go away as soon as possible"
This was too much. ] could not for
bear reassuring this timid creature.
| whose voice was melodious.
Don't be frightened. I'm not a
burglar at all. I've simply made mis-
take and got into the wrong house. I'm
going away at once"
police! Robbers! Murderw
Confound the girl! She'll bring the
police down on me and get me into a
fix.
"Shut upr cried IL mean. be quiet
Nobody's going to hurt you. | tell you
it's all a mistake. live in this block,
and my house is''-
Don't shoot! Take everything-sil
yer. jewelry. ALL"
/ hesitated between flight and going
upstairs to calm this hysterical young
woman and finally concluded on the
latter course. 1t seemed that the voice
came from the head Of the stairs. !
ran up two steps at time, but was
not quick enough. There was light
in this upper hall, but 1t was turned
so low that could only distinguish a
table with box on it, but couldn't
see what the latter was like. If the
girl was in the hall couldn't see her
heard door open and saw some
thing white cross the hall. Then the
gas jet was turned up. and l saw a
girl in her nightdress under It. What
she saw WAS a young man In evening
dress. She put her hand on her heart
and staggered.
Calm YOURSELF" | said. 1--WE been
afraid you would turn an innocent mis-
take into q tragedy. Do ] look like a
burglar:"
IF you're not. what are you doing
here?''
"Oh. Gwen" cried the old woman's
voice | had heard downstairs. "come
back He'll kill your
was puzzled. These persons hac
been talking to me, and yet they didn''
seem to have heard me- And how die
the old woman get upstairs?
Are you two deaf?" | asked. irri
tated
Gradually the girl regained her equa
nimity. Then she smiled. Her smile
, broke into laugh.
What in thunder does it all mean?'
l shouted.
"Wait a minute and I'll tell you"
II She ran into bedroom and in an
other moment emerged in kimona
, She was very pretty in either costume
Mamma and live alone and are il
constant terror of burglars, so we go
, two monographs, and mamma talket
in one and in the other the word
you have doubtless heard. Every nigh
: we connect them with a fine wire II
, the vestibule so that If a burglar brok
it with his foot it would set the pho
nographs talking"
"Well, I'll be jingedr' | exclaimed
o I'D rather be arrested and jugged TO
a burglar than be made fool OF"
o A silvery laugh from the girl ram
out, and | added:
"You need a man in this house, an
If you want me all you've got to do /
to say so."