News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1914-03-11
w here
There's
A w i'll
BY
Mary Roberts
Rinehart
Aufhor OF 9TH. Circular
Staircase, % The Man In
Looer Ten" WHEN a Man
Mdr,ies. etc.
illustrated by
Edgar Bert Smith

doctors rooms. | knew right off what
1t meant. Mr.. Pierce had gone to bed,
or pretended to throw them off the
track and Thoburn had locked him
in! Thoburn hadn't taken any
chances. He knew the influence Mr..
Pierce had over them all, and he and
his champagne and tin cans had to
get in their work before Mr.. Pierce
had another chance at them.
1 had no time to wonder how Miss
Summers knew l was in the pantry.
I tried the window again, but it
wouldn't work. Somebody in the
spring-house was shouting, "'Hot bW-
ter blue beans, please come to sup
perl" and l could hear them crowd
ing around the tables. worked
frantically with the hairpin, and just
then two shadowy figures outside
slipped around the corner of the build
ing 1t was Mr.. Pierce and Doctor
Barnes!
I darted back and put my ear to
the door, but they did not come in
at once. Mr.. Thoburn made speech,
saying how happy he was that they
civilization again, where the broiled
lobster flourished like a green bay
tree and the prune and the cabbage
were unknown.
There was laud applause, and then
Senator Biggs cleared his throat.
Ladies and gentlemen, distin-
guished fellow guests" he began, 81
suggest toast to the autocrat of
Hope Springs. 1t is the only blot on
the evening, that, owing to the ext
gencies of the occasion, he can not
be with us. Securely fastened in his
room, he is now sleeping the sleep
that follows a stomach attuned to
prunes a mind attuned to rule"
EAT, drink and be merry!" some
body said, for tomorrow you diet!"
There was swish and rustic, as if
a woman got up in hurry.
DO you mean," said Miss Patty's
clear voice, that you have dared to
lock Mr.. Pier-Mr. Carter in his
room?"
my dear young lady" several of
them began, but she didn't give them
time.
'It is outrageous, infamous!" she
stormed. | didn't need to see her to
know how she looked. "How dare you!
Suppose the building should catch
firei"
"Fire!" somebody said in a bewil-
dered voice. "My dear young lady"
Don't my dear young lady me-
she said angrily. Father, Bishop,
will you stand for this? Why, he
may jump out the window and hurt
himself! Give me the key!"
Miss Julias fingers were beating a
tattoo behind her, as if she was afraid
I might miss it.
IF he jumps out he probably will
hurt himself. 1t is impossible to re-
lease him now, Miss Jennings, but if
you Insist we can have a mattress
placed under the window"
Thanks, Thoburn. 1t won't be
necessary" The voice came from the
door, and hush fell on the party. l
slipped my bolt and peeped out.
Framed in the doorway was Mr..
Pierce, with Doctor Barnes looking
over his shoulder.
The people in the spring-house were
abject. That's the only word for it.
Craven, somebody suggested later, and
they were that, too. They smiled
sickly grins and tried to be defiant,
and most of them tried to put down
whatever they held in their hands and
to lock innocent.
Mr.. Pierce never smiled. He
wouldn't let them speak word in de-
Tense or explanation. He simply
lined them up as he did at gym, and
sent them, one by one, to the corner
with whatever they had in their
hands. He made Mr.. Jennings give
up a bottle of anchovies that he'd
stuffed in his pocket, and the bishop
had to come over with the cheese.
And when it was all over, he held
the door open and they went back
to the house. They fairly ducked past
him in the doorway, although he
hadn't said a dozen words. II was a
rout. The backbone of the rebellicZ
was broken. ! knew that never again
would the military discipline of Hope
Springs be threatened. Thoburn
mlgRL as well PACK anu 20. IL was
Mr.. Pierce's day.
Mr.. Won invalid was almost the last.
He stood by, sneering, with an open
bottle of olives in his hand, watching
the others go out. Mr.. Pierce held
the door open and eyed him.
an trouble you to put that bottle
with the others in the corner" Mr..
Pierce said sternly.
They stood glazing at each other
angrily.
And if I refuse?"
You know the rules. If you re-
fuse. there is a hotel at Ffnleyville."
Mr.. Won invalid glanced past Mr..
Pierce to where Doctor Barnes stood
behind him, with his cauliflower ear
and his pugilist's shoulders. Then he
looked at the bottle in his hand, and
from it to Miss Patty, standing haugh-
lilly by.
Il have borne much for you, Pa
tricia," he said, but l refuse to be