The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1914-02-28
CHAPTER TX.

What with worrying and being alter
nately chilled by tramping through the
snow and roasted as if | was sitting
on a volcano with an eruption due,
was about all in.
guess it 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, Minnie!"
1t was Miss Cobb. / lighted
candle and set 1t on chair beside the
bed and took a good look at her. She
was shaking all over, which wasn't
strange, for / sleep with my window
open, and she had a 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
was her room key.
Il have locked a man in my room J"
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 a mistake. The more
| looked at her, with her hair standing
straight out over her head, and her
cambria nightgown and a high collar
and long sleeves. and the hump on her
nose where her brother Willie bad hit
her in childhood with a baseball bat,
the surer / was that somebody had
made a mistake-likely the man.
/ sat down on the side of the bed
and put on my slippers.
What did he look like?" l asked.
Gould you see him."
She uncovered one eye.
"Not-not distinctly" she said. q
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 l put on
my kimono l was thinking pretty hard
/ could not waken Mr.. Pierce by
knocking. so / went in and shook him
Mr.. Pierce! Mr.. Pierce!"
1t was two or three minutes at least
before / had him sitting on the side
of the bed, with a blanket spread over
his knees, and was telling him about
Miss Cobb
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.
l gave him the key and he fitted 1t
quietly in the lock. Arabella, just out
side, must have heard, for she snarled
But the snarl turned into a 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 a 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 III
It hadn't been for that snow-bank
Here, give me that candle!"
He stood there waving it in circles
but there was neither sight nor sound
from below. After a minute Mr.. Pierce
put the window down and we stared
at the room. All the bureau drawers
were 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!"
l slept late the next morning, anc
when I'd had breakfast and waded tc
the spring-house 1t was nearly nine
AS l fioundered 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, rakins
out the fire, when / heard the dool
close behind me. and when / turned
there stood Mr.. Dick, muffled to the
neck, with his hat almost over his
face.
What the deuce kept you so late
this morning?" he demanded, In 6
sulky voice, and limping over to 6
table he drew a package out of hi:
pocket and slammed it on the table
Il was up half the night, as usual,
/ said, rising. You oughtn't to be
here. Mr.. Dick"
He was pulling something out o.
his overcoat pocket, an inch at a time
For Gods sake. Minnie" he ex
claimed, return this-this garment tG
-whomever 1t belongs to-"
He handed 1t to me, and II was Miss
Cobb's black tights! / stood anc
stared.
And then" he went on. reachins
for the package on the table, "wher
| you've done that. return tn 'Rinkia