Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1914-01-01
CHAPTER TX.

CHAPTER TX.
went to bed early that night.
What with worrying and being alter
| nately chilled by tramping through the
snow and roasted as If | was sitting
on volcano with an eruption due,
was about all in.
| guess 1t was about four O'Clock in
the morning when hand slid over my
face, and sat up and yelled, The
hand covered my mouth at that, and
something long and white and very
thin beside the bed said: Ssh! For
heavens sake, Minniel"
II was Miss Cobb! I lighted a
candle and set 1t on a chair beside the
bed and took good look at her. She
was shaking all over, which wasn't
strange. for | sleep with my window
open, and she had key in her hand.
Here" she gasped, holding out the
key, here, Minnie, wake the house
and get him, but, oh, Minnie, for heav-
ems sake, save my reputation"
Get who?" demanded, for l saw 1t
Twas her room key.
| Il have locked man in my room!"
she declared in terrible voice, and col
lapsed into the middle Of the bed.
Well, leaned over and tried to tell
her she'd make mistake. The more
looked at her. with her hair standing
straight out over her head, and her
cambria nightgown and high collar
i apd LONG claavao and tho hupnn M, n or
nose where her brother Willie had hit
her in childhood with baseball bat,
the surer | was that somebody had
made mistake-likely the man.
| sat down ON the side of the bed
and put on my slippers.
What did he look like?" asked.
Gould you see him?"
She uncovered one eye.
"Not-not distinctly" she said "T--
think he was large, and-and rather
| handsome. That beast of a dog must
have got in my room and was asleep
under the bed, for it awakened me by
| snarling."
| There was nothing In that to make
me nervous, but 1t did. AS | put on
my kimono was thinking pretty hard.
could not waken Mr.. Pierce by
knocking, so | went in and shook him,
MIR. Pierce! Mr.. Pierce!"
1t was two or three minutes at least
before l had him sitting on the side
of the bed, with blanket spread over
his knees. and was telling him about
Miss Cobb.
J After he seemed pretty well wax
ened went out. / waited in the sit
ting-room and heard him growing as
he put on his clothes. He was quiet
when we got to the bedroom floors,
however, and when we stopped outside
Miss Cobb's door he was as sober as
any one could wish him.
gave him the key and he fitted ii
| quietly In the lock. Arabella, just out
side, must have heard, for she snarled
But the snarl turned into yelp, as II
she'd been suddenly kicked.
| Mr.. Pierce, with his hand on the
knob, turned and looked at me In the
candle-light Then he opened the
door.
Arabella gave another yelp and
rushed out; she went between my feet
| like shot and almost overthrow me,
and when I'd got my balance again |
looked into the room. Mr.. Pierce was
at the window, staring out, and the
room was empty.
The idiot" Mr.. Pierce said. IF
it hadn't been for that snow banki
! Here, give me that candle!"
He stood there waving it in circles,
but there was neither sight nor sound
from below. After minute Mr.. Pierce
put the window down and we stared
at the room. All the bureau drawers
we're out on the floor. and the lid of
poor Miss Cobb's trunk was open and
the tray upset.
We brought her back to her room,
and she didn't know whether 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"
slept late the next morning, and
when I'd had breakfast and waded to
the spring-house 1t was nearly nine.
As foundered out l thought / saw
somebody stink around the corner of
the spring-house, but when got there
nobody was In sight. / was on my
knees In front Of the fireplace, raking
out the fire, when | heard the door
close behind me, and when / turned.
there stood Mr.. Dick, muhied to the
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 package out of his
pocket and slammed it on the table.
Il was up half the night, as usual .
said, rising. You oughtnt to be
here. Mr.. Dickl"
He was pulling something out of
his oyercoat pocket, an inch at time
For Gods sake. Minnie" he ex-
claimed. return this-this garment to
-whomever 1t belongs to!"
He handed it to me, and it was Miss
Qobb's black tights! 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 didn't make a
move. at least get that-that internal
black garment out of sight"
$50 It was you!" gasped. putting
the newspaper over the tights. why