Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-01-07
The Daily Story
ORILLAS BURGLAR-BY CLARISSA MACKIE
Copyrighted. 1913 Literary bureau

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 shall miss the pleasure
OF going, but as for feeling lonely with
all these wonderful books about meg'
Orilla smiled incredulously, for, poor
little country mouse that she was, the
| Maynards' beautiful home and well
stocked library represented a wealth of
enjoyment.
Nothing to be afraid Of" murmured
| Orilla. settling herself on the wide
leather couch before the library ire
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. Poohr'
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 n
white handkerchief tied over his face,
so that all she saw was two blue eyes
sparkling beneath the visor Of a cap
and the square outline of chin below
the mask. He was a 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 at
tdNA Othtls anu IHCA oIiiid udutl
dropped and she asked with n little |
tremor in her sweet voice:
IL suppose you're a bnrglar?"
The blue eyes darkened.
II am, nowr' breathed the man |
sharply. You mustn't interfere with /
me-" he went. on hurriedly. st 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 1
love better than life or honor or any
thing else is starving-a weak, help
less little motherless boy. That's why l.
I'm stealing, for Donr' He threw |
hand sharply against his eyes as If to
shut out the sight of a strange house
into which ne had entered. Il had to
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
he had. L saw my father die poor
and disappointed old man because he
had foolishly invested in Peter May
lard's gtlded wildcat mining ventures.
I'm here to take something that should
De mine. 1 don't call it stealing
at is, just the same" remarked Drill
a calmly. Two wrongs never did
make one right, and if your mother
was here she would say so, and that
lear wife of yours, VITO is dead" she
ldded as the man WINGED at her
words
His eyes stared at her duly now,
nd his hands gripped the edge of his
,oat
But little DON" he muttered bro
,enly- I've been sick for weeks and
ost my position in the office, and / |
ant get another one, and my little lad |
5 starving. What would you do?" he
demanded fiercely.
Orilla's face flushed beautifully and |
Ter eyes shone like twin stars as she
made eager response to his inquiry.
What would 1 dog" she repeated. s
Why. I'd go to somebody, some wo-
nan who understood and loved little I
hildren, and I'd tell her all about poor
tile Don and ask her to help me- r
hen If that woman had a nice farm
i the country, where Don could have s
lenty of fresh milk and eggs and s
lay about In the lovely sunshine and h
lmble in the snow, why, she would I
SIX Don to come there and stay until h
is father got another job. And the 9
lther could come down and see Don T
very week. If he was very independ- b
Mt, why, he could pay a wee mite for Q
IONS board after he got on his feet Il
gain"
The intruder drew deep breath and v
note his hands sharply together. b
That would be very NICE" he said o
ryly. but such things only happen In
ooks A woman of the sort You de-
cribe would be one In ten thousand.
nd I don't know where to look for