The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1913-11-20

strangers and they have driven tho
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 tho
grim, silent house, went around to It's
side and then the affrighted Lizzie
heard a 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 az she glanced at the automo-
bile. She did not believe she could
quito run one alone. but she knew q
good deal about Its construction from
casual observation.
Il can creep under tho fence, reach
the machine and they can't see me-"
she planned. Then I'll hurry down
the road and give the alarm"
Lizzio reached the stalled machine.
She leaped nimbly to its step. For
only a moment her hand was busy
cropping over its mechanism. A little
flutter OF excitement and satisfaction
escaped her lips as she slipped some
thing into her pocket Then Lizzie
sped down the shadowy road with
fieetness.
"oh, dear! wish l had gone tho
other way-but then the robbers
might have seen me-" she breathed. as
at turn the first window light that
showed was In the barrow farmhouse.
n quarter OF a mile away.
Lizzie halted as she came directly
up to the house. There was light
In only one room and beyond Its open
window sat the only occupant of the
house. 1t was Ned. at a table, writ.
ing Lizzie faltered. Then the urgency
Of the occasion impelled her TO &C
ton. 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, a gun in hand be-
fore Lizzie realized II.
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
lost all her resentment, once again in
that dear companionship.
There they are" she 1uttered, as
they came in sight Of home and the
figures OF two men we're 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
81 don't see why they didn't make
off with the machine" he remarked.
Why, I 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 little story about
another automobile"
And then he entirely satisfied Liz
zie that 1t was in the line OF work
necessary and paid for that he had
been 30 much in the company OF
Olive Bellows.
The robbers never returned to
claim their machine. BY right OF the
law OF jetsam 1t became Lizzie's auto
mobile, and Ned Darrow continued to
be Lzzie's lover.
Copyright. 1913 by w @. Chapman)