The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-06-23

Kitten had been put to bed. She |
was wide awake and fairly tingling |
with excitement, but officially it was
understood that small persons under |
ten, even if they had been flower girls,
should not remain up during the re-
ception after the wedding
And she had wanted to see all the
presents laid out in the front suite
upstairs, SO very much. She sat up
in bed and listened. Everyone was
down on the first floor, in the long
reception rooms. She slipped out into
the hall, and peeped cautiously over
the, balustrade. The coast seemed
perfectly clear. And yet she heard
Aunt 'Stasia give explicit instruc-
tons to Jeanne not to leave the front
suite during the entire evening.
Kitten didn't like Jeanne. She was
unsmiling and cross no matter how
much one smiled at her, and her eyes
were gray and somber, with heavy,
dark brows and lashes. Aunt 'Stasia
said she was very able and reliable
maid and tried to induce Lenore to
take her away on the honeymoon.
why, mother, darling, I'd just as
soon engage the obelisk," Lenore had
laughed
Still, she had a great deal Of respect
for Jeanne, and tonight when she
reached the front suite she was sur
prised to find it empty. It really was
pleasant in a way to be undisturbed
She tiptoed about, admiring gift after
| gift until all at once she heard some
thing strange. It sounded like some
body outside on the long roof of the
stucco veranda, somebody creeping
| along over the tiles.
! Kitten never stopped to investigate.
! She just Topped right down on the
/ floor and rolled under the bed out of
| sight. Downstairs they were dancing
now. Kitten kept still, for Jeanne had
come into the room and crossed to
the window, where the noise came
! from. She Unmatched the screen noise
| lessly, and a man climbed in. They
spoke in French, and Kitten did not
understand at all what was said, but
Jeanne stood by the bed, so near she
might have stepped on yellow curls
almost, and the man was lingering the
iewelry and silver.
Kitten held her breath as they
passed into the next room, and then it
just had to come. She sneezed, a
funny, half-smothered sneeze.
Jeanne hurried back, alert and
startled. She listened at the door, and
spoke in a whisper to the man. Then
she opened closet door, and he went
in as she told him to.
When Kitten stuck her head out
Aunt 'Stasia was calling Jeanne, and
she hurried away to answer So, with.
out stopping to think much about it
Katherine-she was always Katherine
on great occasions-just stepped over
and turned the key in the closet door
1t was one of Jeanne's favorite pun
ishments. this shutting persons away
in closets and turning keys on them
to keep them out of mischief, only she
had not thought she would dare dc
it to a grownup. Only. of course, she
had forgotten to turn the key. Sc
: Kitten did it for her The doorknoI
turned cautiously, and again. and
again, but the captor turned her shoul
ders away resolutely. Discipline haC
to be maintained somehow, and HI
, certainly had been mussing up lie
| nore's presents awfully.
, And then there came the sound o
feet on the stairs, and laughing CIR
voices. Lenore was leading, holding
{ up her white satin skirts about he
: as they chased her. 1t was time 70
the going away, and the one who III
: pinned the bridal veil would be tn
/ first married that year
, But when Lenore saw the dignifie
little figure in the white nightgow,
t standing with her back against tn
: closet door, she stopped short an
j gathered it in her arms.
: why, blessed Kitty Katherine
|, whatever is the matter?" she asked.
/ 1--WE got him locked in here" sal
: the Kitten, firmly. Until Jeann
Q comes back. He was going to take a
!, your presents, l guess, Lenore."
j. Lenore rose and looked about, he
:. face paling.
Girls, call father and Andr
please she said. There's a burgla
here"
. At the door stood Jeanne, her daT
= eyes glowing, her lips compresse
80 Without word, she took in the who
scene. and threw herself at the clos,
door, striking blindly at Lenore an
4 the others. But there was no key
. it. Some of them held Jeanne, WI
II was sobbing Historically, and Unc
III Broderick ordered everyone dow
HI stairs, Outside the Kitten hear
III whistles blowing, and wondered VIII
NJ that was for, but perched high on A
NJ dres shoulder. she gave up the ke
HI and allowed herself to be borne dow
III stairs with the bride and bridesmaid
III and all the startled, white-faced thro1
III of women and girls.
II However did you do it, Kitty Kat
III erine?" asked Lenore, after it WI
III over, and the police had taken Jeanl
~ 2waV and her faT Doroh eli M HI =