The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1914-01-16
Orilla'S
Burglar
She Was Equal to the
Occasion
By CLARISSA MACKIE

+******.s+*+**** ***** s.s.ss..:
Orilla Payne felt very lonely indeed
as the carriage rolled away from the
door and she realized that she was all
alone In the big house save for the
three servants in the basement. A
sprained ankle had prevented her from
accompanying her cousins to the opera
that evening. and she would not listen
to the girls when they offered to re-
main with her.
'Of course l shall miss the pleasure
Of going. but as for feeling lonely with
all these wonderful books about mew
Orilla smiled incredulously. for, poor
little country mouse that she was, the
Maynards' beautiful home and well
stocked library represented wealth of
enjoyment.
Nothing to be afraid Of" murmured
| Orilla, settling herself on the wide
leather couch before the library fire
and looking dreamily into the glowing
mass Of Goals in the crate. "Of course
I've heard of burglars in the city. but
one would not dare enter with police
men at every corner and three serv-
ants in the house. Poohv'
Orilla's beautiful dark eyes grew
dreamy and then drowsy and finally
closed altogether, and her charming
head. crowned with golden brown
locks. was pressed against the yellow
satin pillow while she slept.
OF course she did not know that the
library door opened ever so little and
that the sharp face of the housemaid
Jane. was thrust inside an instant be-
fore the door closed again. Nor did
she dream that Jane reported to her
fellow servants that Miss Payne was
fast asleep and that there was no harm
in their slipping out and around the
corner for a little amusement at the
moving picture show.
So presently the big house was all
alone save for Orilla sleeping on the
couch in the library.
Somewhere in the house clock was
Ginning ten when Orilla opened her
eyes and looked up into the face of
man bending over her. She put her
hand over her red lips for fear she
should scream, for the man wore
white handkerchief tied over his face,
so that all she saw was two blue eyes
sparkling beneath the visor OF 4 cap
and the square outline of chin below
the mask. He was tall, slenderly
built man, and his hands were thin and
white
For a few never to be forgotten mo-
ments the man and the girl stared ut
each other. and then Orilla's hand
dropped and she asked with a little
tremor In her sweet voice:
IL suppose you're burglary"
The blue eyes darkened.
Il am, now!' breathed the man
sharply. You mustn't interfere with
me-" he went on hurriedly. II came
here to steal-understand, steal! And
I'm not going to have any one stand
in my way
Orilla shuddered
81 suppose you've just got to do it,"
she said pityingly. II suppose you're
starving"
"Yes, and. what's more, some one |
love better than life or honor or any.
thing else is starving-a weak, help
less little motheress boy. That's why
I'm stealing, for DOM He threw a
hand sharply against his eyes as If to
shut out the sight of a strange house
into which he had entered. II had to
come" he added YEARLY.
"Why did you come to Uncle Peters
house?" asked Orilla. thrilling strange
ly at this unexpected encounter with
a burglar.
why? Because Mr.. Maynard cheat
ed my father out of what little money
be had. l saw my father die a poor
and disappointed old man because he
had foolishly invested in Peter May
nard's gilded wildcat mining ventures.
I'm here to take something that should
be mine. | don't call it stealing"
ut is. just the same" remarked Drill
la calmly. 1.-Two wrongs never did
make one right. and if your mother
was here she would say so, and that
dear wife Of yours. who Is dead" she
added as the man WINGED at her
words.
His eyes stared at her duly now,
and his hands gripped the edge of his
| coat
But little Don." he muttered bro
kenly. i've been sick for weeks and
lost my position in the office, and
can't get another one and my little lad
is starving. What would you do?" he
demanded fercely.
OriIla's face flushed beautifully and
her eyes shone like twin stars as she
made eager response to his inquiry.
what would ! do?" she repeated.
why. I'd go to somebody. some wo-
man who understood and loved little
children. and I'd tell her all about poor
little Don and ask her to help me.
Then IL that woman had nice farm
In the country. where Don could have
plenty of fresh milk and eggs and
play about In the lovely sunshine and
tumble in the snow. why. she would
ask Don to come there and stay until
his father got another job. And the
father could come down and see Don
every week. If he was very independ-
ent, why. he could pay wee mite for
Don's board after he got on his feet
| apafn"