The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-04-25

her play would have done. When the
heroine followed the James brothers,
she had only a club in her hand
Here was a firearm ready at hand.
and though it was not loaded. how
was Raffies TO know?
A play, is it," queried the masked
man as he bent forward to look.
Yes"
A useless waste of time. | have
been told that there are 500 plays
written for every one accepted. What
is the plot? Perhaps can give you
a pointer or two"
IL is this!" said Miss Edith as she
pulled the drawer open and seized
the revolver and pointed it straight
at MIN. There is a closet over there
II you do not enter it will shoot you
dead"
Don't trouble yourself. In the first
place. | am not armed, and IL l were
there would be no shooting on my
side. In the second, wish to identify
myself and explain my presence here.
II you will kindly call your brother
FRED, whom | presume is in the house,
and whom l have known personally
for the last five years"
i shall do nothing of the kind, sir
Into that closet or l fire."
Il am not the rascal Raffes. We
were discussing him at the club few
nights ago and"
The revolver that did not know il
was loaded seemed about to go Oh
and send bullet into his brain, and
the intruder rose and walked over to
the closet indicated and opened the
door and entered. The girl followed
at his heels and turned the key and
then sat down all Of a tremble and
began to cry. She had not made up
her mind what further to do when
the father came downstairs with .
shotgun in his hand. He had heard
some noise that aroused him In the
front hall he stumbled over a silver
trophy that Fred had won in his
athletic days.
What the devil is happening
here?" he demanded in official Ian
guage as he looked from the fearful
daughter to the trophy and back.
"Oh, Daddy, l have cap-captured
Raffles! He is in that closet!"
Then Ill have him out and blow
the top of his head off What In
blazes are you doing capturing rob
bers without saying anything to YOU
superior officer about it? Things hav,
came to pretty pass in the service
Now, then, stand back while have
the scOundrel out. Say, you in there
if you make the least resistance II
blow you into dogs meat"
The door was flung wide open ant
Raftles walked out He had remove,
his mask and was trying to smile, bu
it was sickly effort. He began Il
, apologize and explain. but the genera
cut him short until he had beel
bound with a cord torn from a POI
there. Then the general continues
to menace him with the shotgu
, while the daughter ran upstairs t
wake up Fred. Fred came down wit
couple of guns" the mother de
scended with bottle of witch haze
clutched by the neck, and the tw
women servants were ready to tax
position on the right or the left flanl
as ordered by the general Apologize
and explanations were renewed, an
, after a time they prevailed Mis-
i, Edith was glad she had not shot an.
body with an unloaded revolver. TIL
= general was sorry that he had had a
his trouble for nothing. and Fred sal
that he would be at dinner where tn
, $500 were laid out
The next time Raffles appeared {
the manor house il was under his ow
name and he was on his best behavio
= Some few remarks were made to ca
y for bushes on his part, and the ge
eral still insisted that he had not bee
treated according to the rules of wa
:, fare, but things passed off so well tn;
Howard Burt was asked to call agai
= After that he did not appear to nee
:, any special invitation, and 1t may
that by the time the play is finisht
:, the hero and heroine will decide tn
the hand of Providence threw the
= together to prevent Edith's becomir
. an old maid.