Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1914-07-19
THE SUNDAY STORY
A TINID
GIRL
By JOHN Y. LARNED

was a sign or danger she would col
lapse. In a thunderstorm she would
go upstairs, get on a bed and tremble
like leaf till it was all over. II any
one talked of robbers she would listen
with wide open eyes and soon get into
shiver. So much terror did she
show at imaginary dangers that every
body said il anything really happened
she would go all to pieces. Something
did happen one day. and this is what
it was and how Miranda acted:
Miranda was very good looking girl,
and l would have fancied her If she
had had more grit I'm a practical
sort Of fellow, and it never seemed to
me that wanted a wife who. II left
her alone for an hour and peddler or
a tramp came along, would be scared
to death. l would always be worrying
about her till l got back to her. Still
always had a liking for Miranda.
and the principal part of it was that
| | felt very sure she had a decided
liking for me.
But, as was saying. this is what
happened: One day all the Jones fam
| lily was invited to go over to spend
the day with Deacon Wirts' folks. Mi
randa had a headache or something
and thought she wouldn't go. The
rest OF them went off in the wagon
after the morning chores were done
and were to be back about O'Clock.
How they dared leave her all alone in
farmhouse with no nelghbor nearer
than a mile ] don't know Miranda
told me they were going. and kind
of thought she fancied | might happen
along while they were gone. and
might do a little counting.
The family hadn't been gone very
long before man came down the road
and when lie got to the house turned
in at the well for a drink of water As
he was pulling up the bucket and
drinking out of the gourd he kept a
lookout on the house. 1t must have
looked pretty quiet and as If there
wasn't anybody there. When he got
| through drinking he went to the house.
opened the door and walked in.
! The only way to get the rest Of the
story was from Miranda herself, so
there's no use in telling whether she
acted brave or cowardly. She said she
wanted to run across the fields. but
she didn't dare do so because she was
afraid the man would kill her while
she was running. The truth is. when
her grandmother died she had left Mi.
| 20 do CE0n ha Al ioJ hoJ a
ing Il period of many years. 1t was In
quarters. dimes. nickels and cents. and
i'll the same wooden stocking the grand.
mother had kept it. Miranda, in seek
| ing safe place for it. had hit on the
big chimney. She had climbed up in
it. found loose brick. taken it out.
put in the stocking and covered it With
a part Of the brick, protecting it from
fire and concealing the place where she
kept t.
| remembered what Miranda had said
about the folks going AWAY, though
hadn't said Id go over. After dinner.
the weather being fine and the driv-
ing good, allowed Id harness up my
mare. run over and ask her To 80 for
u drive It's four miles from our farm
to theirs. and | logged along. thinking
of the drive | was going 10 have and
wondering what Miranda was doing
there all by herself. When | got pref
~ near the house | saw her sitting
on the stepping platform in front of
the house. A moment after ! first saw
her she got up and raised a gun she
held i'll her hands and pointed it as
though she was going TO shoot bird
off the top of the chimney.
well. I'll be dod rotted." said to
myself IF that isn't the queerest sight
ever saw Miranda daring to use
gunP'
/ drove right up to her, and as l. did
so | glanced at the chimney top to see
the bird she was trying to get shot
at when / was aabbergasted at seeing
mans bead pop up above the bricks.
Then Miranda. seeing me. dropped the
gun and fell in faint.
Ii didn't require more than few
seconds TO take in the situation. Mi
randa had man up the chimney.
Who he was or how she got him there
didn't concern me just then. Leaving
her ON the grass 10 come to herself
when she got ready, | picked up the
gun. Then / called to the man to
show himself He did so. and | ask
ed for an explanation.
THAT gall" he said. has got the
devil in her. ! might as well confess
that. finding her alone. told her II
she didn't tell me where the family
Kept their money I'd kill her. She said
they kept it up the chimney. | went
up after It and she barricaded the fire
place with heavy furniture so
couldn't get out THAT way. and when
climbed mp 10 get out this way she
was watching me with gun. I'm
glad you've come along. Im nearly
dead in this cramped place. I've been
here nearly three hours
Well. Thurs the end OF the story.
/ fold the mnn 70 come down the WASN'T