Metropolis weekly gazette., 1915-02-05

envious Of RafleG took trip into
the country. driving himself IN his
runabout. He passed grounds after
grounds, and house after house. In
. {urtive way he surveyed the latter
and made mental notes. When he
slowly passed 4 fine colonial man.
sion with an oldish man and \
young lady sitting an the veranda,
man running 2 lawn mower and
two dogs lying on the grass, he
smiled and said to himself:
"Ill bet that is one of the houses
that that bungler. Raffles. has had
to pass by as too nard :. nat for him
TO crack"
! Half mile further on he turned
about, and as he passed the house
again the girl looked up and queried:
Father. that may be Raffies."
Yes? Well. III give him a job
at moving the grass
They say he drives around by
day to pick out houses TO rob by
night"
We'll, bought you a gun the
other day. and it's up to you to pro
tect the house o. nights"
But IL | shoot him. then what!s
why, you would be heroine and
have your picture in the paper. Per-
haps you could sell enough of your
photographs to pay for a trip to
Europe"
There was silence for FIVE minutes.
and then the girl said: Il should hate
to kill Raffles."
But you needn't. dear" smiled the
father. 1T will be just as well IL
you shoot him In the shoulder"
And then"
I'VE can nurse him right here, and
it will give you chance TO fall in
love. marry and reform him."
you silly old goose!"
An hour later Miss Estelle Purdy
asked the man who was moving the
lawn: James. do you think Raffies
will try to get into our house?s
Il do. miss" was the prompt reply.
"When?"
Tonight"
'Lordy. but what makes your"
I've got hunch that he will"
And when viii he come?"
"On the stroke of midnight. IL you
get up at midnight and look out of
the window you'll see him stealing
under the big willow tree"
"And I'll call to him that he is
known. and that he'd better make
himself scarce"
II wouldn't. MISS" replied James.
who kept a very sober face. but was
nevertheless "joshing" bit. You
should open fire on him without a
word. If you called to him he might
shoot
Il see.'
That evening the girl read until
ten o'clock. and then going to her
room she prepared to stand sentinel
until midnight She realized that
were she to lie down for five min
utes she would fall sound asleep and
miss midnight and Rallies. As II
was, she had hard work to fight
drowsiness. and had 10 think OF ghost
stories to win out At eleven O'Clock
she shaded her light Half an hour
later she carefully peered out. AS the
old colonial clock down in the hall
struck midnight she took her revolver
from the dresser, knelt by the window.
and her heart jumped into her mouth
as she looked toward the big willow
tree.
A man was standing under the tree.
1t was dark under there, but he was
darker spot against the darkness.
The girl waited until she saw a move
ment that left her no room for doubt,
and then she fired. There was an ex-
clamation and fall, and she ran TO
her fathers room and pounded on
the door.
"Hurry-hurry, father! have killed
Raffies!"
But she hadn't. The bullet had
buried itself In his shoulder, and he
was found trying to sit up,
Anything to say before we tele-
phone for an offlcer?' asked III.
Judge as the household gathered
around the victim.
''Yes-don't do it." was replied.
Got trick to play?"
Il am not armed. Please send for
doctor instead of an officer. III
make things clear to you presently"
"Oh. I'm willing you should have
the bullet dug out before you go to
jail"
A number of things happened with
in the next few hours. The bullet
was dug out; the wounded put to
bed; Captain Brayne sent for; the
family sworn to secrecy. and two or
three councils held. AS the last one
broke up Miss Estelle asked her
father:
well. have you found out just who
it is?"
"Oh, yes"
"And IL is"
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