The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1914-03-05
CHAPTER TX.

I went to bed early that night.
What with worrying and being alter
nately chilled by tramping through the
snow and roasted as II was sitting
ON a 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. Tho
hand covered my mouth at that, and
something long and white and very
thin beside the bed said: "Sh! For
heavens sake, Minniel"
II was Miss Cobbl lighted q
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 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 saw 1t
was her room key.
Il have locked a 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 a mistake. The more
| looked at her, with her hair standing
straight out over her head, and her
cambric nightgown and a high collar
and long sleeves, and the hump on her
nose where her brother Willie had hit
her in childhood with baseball bat
the surer | was that somebody had
made a mistake-likely the man.
sat down on the side of the bee
and put on my slippers.
What did he look like?" ! asked
Gould you see bim2"
She uncovered one eye.
"Not-not distinctly" she said "I-
think he was large. and-and rather
handsome That beast of a dog mus
have got in my room and was asleel
under the bed. for it awakened me b.
snarling."
There was nothing in that to maxi
me nervous, but it did. AS l put ol
my kmono was thinking pretty hard
could not waken Mr. Pierce b.
knocking, so | went in and shook him
"Mr. Piercel Mr.. Pierce!"
II was two or three minutes at leas
before ! had him sitting on the sid
OF the bed, with blanket spread owe
his knees, and was telling him abou
Miss Cobb.
After he seemed pretty well wal
ened l went out. / waited In the 81
ting-room and ! heard him growing a
he put on his clothes. He was qulS
when we got to the bedroom floor
however. and when we stopped outsid
Miss Cobbs door he was as sober g
any one could wish him.
gave him the key and he fitted
quietly in the lock. Arabella, just ou
side, must have heard, for she snarle
But the snarl turned into yelp, as
she'd been suddenly kicked.
Mr.. Pierce, with his hand on II
knob, turned and looked at me in Il
candle-light. Then he opened Il
door
Arabella gave another yelp al
!. rushed out; she went between my fe
e like a shot and almost overthrow m
and when I'd got my balance again
n looked into the room. Mr.. Pierce WI
o at the window. staring out. and Il
room was empty.
D. The idiot" Mr.. Pierce said
Ie It hadn't been for that snow-banl
It Here, give me that candle!"
He stood there waving It in circle
~ but there was neither sight nor soul
m from below. After a minute MIR. Pier
x put the window down and we star
Is at the room. All the bureau drawe
ID were out on the floor. and the lid
re poor Miss Cobbs trunk was open a
the tray upset.
AZ We brought her hasS to her roo