Pocahontas star herald., 1915-02-19


digging at something In the ground"
Very likely answered Jennys EN-
ployer indlfferently, she goes for a
walk every afternoon II she has
leisure. and she sometimes does a lit.
tie botanizing She's very superior
girl and a good deal OF a student
have never seen any one who glorihed
manual labor as she does
Then the ladies wandered into the
library, ana Jenny cleared on the
table. She did not go out botanizing
that afternoon. She sat In her room
sewing, instead.
The Innings OF a neat waist we're
ripped, thin layer OF cotton batting
was laid against the dress material.
and to this were neatly secured. with
few invisible stitches, many tiny
packages covered with oiled silk.
Then another layer Of cotton batting
covered these and the lining was
again adjusted
When she had finished her sewing
lin which she exhibited the same
neatness and dispatch that she dis.
played In her household dutiesl. she
passed ner hand caressingly over her
bodice and smoothed out and arranged
another one In her bureau drawer
She then took out a clean cap. collar.
and cuffs, 10 brighten her black gown.
That night. before che went to bed,
Jenny carefully examined leather
case which vas none the worse for
Aaying been buried
She pressed the spring and looked
earnestly at the shining yellow stones
In their old,fashloned settings
"Lucky | heard about that star
shaped defect she said TO herself.
Guess IN send them hack-it would
be a Joke She looked carefully at
the stones. but could not see, with
her naked eyes, the telltale marks.
Then she yawned. locked the door.
opened the window, and crept into
bed. leaving the leather case upon
her bureau. She was awakened from
light sleep by the sound OF a ereak-
ing board and a gently raised window.
She knew that there was some one
In the room. She held her breath for
while and heard In the stiffness
the sound OF some one breathing.
button near the head OF the bed
controlled the electric light, and her
hand slid gently and cautiously toward
H. As II moved she heard the clock
on the old meeting-house chime two.
There was nothing cowardly about
Jenny. She snapped the button and
sat up straight In bed
As the burglar swung arouhd-a
tall fellow. with his mouth and chin
covered by a black muller, and a soft
hat pulled low over his forehead-she
again slid her hand under the pillow.
In an instant a revolver confronted
him. Jenny looked toward the bureau;
the Jewel case had vanished.
Stay where you are" she said in
low. cautious voice, keeping him COW
cred with her pistol as she slipped
out Of bed and made a few steps
toward the door.
Il beg your pardon. madam" the
burglar whispered. Il assure you that
| am not what ! seem You'll regret
IL II you alarm the household. Surely
| you cannot have lived here long and
! failed TO hear that limitations are
sometimes very-er-peculiar? -
OH" said Jenny. She favored him
with long stare and weighed his
words carefully. "What initiation Is
taking place tonight?"
Lady" said the burglar pleading
ly-and the dissyllable and the whmo
with which Il was uttered destroyed
Jenny's shortlived tendency toward
credulity-"lady, I'm sworn not TO tell
and not to let any one know that ] am
not a regular thief. My stunt is TO rob
some one of something, to get away
with the goods, and TO show them to
the initiators as proof"
His eyes, quick and furtive under
his soft hat, measured the distance
to the window. Jenny smiled and
shook her head But the hand that
held the weapon did not shake.
Don't move. OF I'll shoot" she said
calmly Il mean II. I'm not Dlufling.
You can explain all about the initia-
tion TO Professor Wilson
And, with eyes ana pistol still point
ed unfaltering at him. she backed to-
ward the door, opened 1t with her free
hand, and flled the hall with a loud
call for help.
The burglar sprang toward the win
dow bullet stung his arm.
The next one will not be in your
sleeve said Jenny tartly Then. as
the room filled with people and the
professor of political economy grappled
with the intruder, she added modest.
ly:
Wen, | hope that this ends the
Athenetown burglaries. Though this
man declares that this is only an in
itiation trick"
1t was quite clear to the community
that the intrepid little waitress cap
tive was indeed the skillful burglar
who had kept them ali on the anxious
seat for two months. For they found,
concealed upon his person, the very