Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-02-19
GQoNpIGT N9Z2 81 REPS. CO.

ana she Q1QQC Know Wlether to be
happy that she was indicated or mad
at the state her things were in She
drew my head down to her and her
eyes were fairly popping out OF. her
head
Il feel as though I'm going crazy,
Minnie!" she whispered, but the only
things that are gone are my letters
from Mr.. Jones, and-my black wooden
tights!"
I slept late the next morning, and
when I'd had breakfast and waded tc
the spring-house it was nearly nine.
AS I foundered out I thought l saw
somebody stink around the corner of
the spring house, but when l got there
nobody was in sight. I was on my
knees in front Of the fireplace, raking
out the fire, when I heard the door
close behind me, and when l turned,
neck, with his hat almost over his
face.
What the deuce kept you so late
this morning?" he demanded, in a
sulky voice, and limping over to a
table he drew a package out Of his
pocket and slammed it on the table.
Il was up half the night, as usual, -
said, rising. You oughtn't to be
here, Mr. Dicki"
He was pulling something out of
his oVercoat pocket, an inch at time
For Gods sake, Minnie" he ex-
claimed, return this-this garment to
.-whomeVer it belongs tot"
He handed it to me, and it was Miss
Cobb's black tights! I stood and
stared.
"And then" he went on, reaching
for the package on the table, when
you've done that, return to 'Binkie'
these letters from her Jonesie.
Don't stand and stare" he con-
tinued irritably, when I didn't make a
move, ''at least get that-that Internal
black garment out Of sight"
$50 it was you'll" I gasped, putting
the newspaper, over the tights why
in the name of peace did you jump out
of the window, and what did you want
with-with these things?"
Want with those things!" he
snarled. Il suppose you can't under
stand that a man might wake up in
the middle of the night with a mad
craving for a pair of black wooden
tights, and"
you needn't be sarcastic with me-"
I broke in. you can save that for
your wife. I suppose you also had a
wild longing for the love-letters of an
insurance agent"
And then it dawned on me, and l
sat down and laughed until 1 cried.
"And you thought you we're stealing
your own Ietters!" I cried. "The ones
she carries fire insurance on! Oh, Mr..
Dick, Mr.. Dick!''
How was l to know it wasn't Jul
Miss Summers room?" he demanded
angriIy. Didn't I follow the drafted
dog? I gave her the beast myself. On,
l tell you, Minnie, if l ever get away
from this place"
you've got to get away this min
ute, broke in, remembering. They'll
be coming any instant now"
He got up and looked around him
helplessly.
"Where'H I go?" he asked. ct can't
go back to the shelter-house
l looked at him and he tried to grin
Fact" he said, hard to believe, but
fact, Minnie. She's got the door
locked. Didn't I tell you she is of
suspicious nature? She was asleep
when left, and mostly she sleeps all
night. And just because she wakes
when I'm out, and lets me come in
thinking she's asleep, when she has
one eye open all the time, and she sees
what I'd never even seen myself-that
the string of that damned garment,
whatever it is, is fastened to the hook
of my shoe, me thinking all the time
that the weight was because I'd broken
my leg jumping doesn't she suddenly
sit up and ask me where I've been?
And I'm unsuspicious, Minnie, by
nature, and I said I'd been asleep.
Then she jumped up and showed me
ing to my shoe, and she hasn't spoken
to me since. l wish 1 was dead"
And just then dog barked outside
and somebody on the step stamped
snow off his feet We were both para
lyZed for a moment.
"Julia!" Mr.. Dick cried, and went
white.
l made leap for the door, just as
the handle turned, and put my back
against it.
Just a minute" called. THE car
pet is caught under it,"
Mr.. Dick had lost his head and was
making for the spring, as if he thought
hiding his feet would conceal him.
l made frantic gestures to him to go
into my pantry, and he went at last,
leaving his hat on the table. left
the door and flung it after him-the
hat, of course, not the door-and when
Miss Summers sauntered in just after,
l was on my knees brushing the
hearth, with my heart going three
four time and skipping every sixth
beat
'Hello!" she said Lovely weather
for polar bears If the natives wade
through this all winter it's no wonder
they walk as if they are ham-strung.
Don't bother getting me a glass. I'll
get my own
She was making for the pantry when
oooOooo~oOooo-
HADN'T MADE HIS HANDICAP