The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-05-25

| laWn OF garueu on thiS Sue VI the
house.
"Out you go quickly" murmur-
ed Bob. glancing apprehensively
over his shoulder.
He closed and locked the door
carefully and stood there alone In
the great hall. In his dressing
gown. Then he sat down in a
dark corner and listened. Better
wait until all was quiet, he told
himself, before retracing his steps
to his room.
His trio of visitors must be
we'll on their way to the village
by this time, he thought. Clarence
had said they had come up from
the station in an automobile.
How long he sat there he did
not know. Suddenly 1t occurred
to him that he had better return
to his room, and YEARLY he arose.
Upstairs it seemed darker than it
had been when he had left his
room.
He had vague idea he had left
his door partly ajar, but he wasn't
sure; probably he hadn't for 1t
was now closed; or maybe a draft
OF air had closed it. Cropping his
way in the dark for his bed, he
ran against a chair. This ruffled
his temper somewhat as the sharp
edge had come in contact with
the sensitive part of the anatomy
know as the shin-bone. He felt
for his bed, but 1t wasn't there
where ii ought to be. He must
have got turned around coming in
His fingers ran over a dresser.
Some of the articles on II seemed
strange to him. And where was
that COMPOUNDED switch button?
At that moment some one else
found it, for the room became
suddenly flooded with light. Bob
started back. and as he did so,
something fell from the dresser
to the floor. He stared toward
the bed In amazement and horror.
Some one, with the clothes drawn
up about her, was sitting up
Bob wasn't the only one who had
a surprise that night. The tenn
peramental, little dark thing was
treated to one, too. Above the
white counterpart, she stared at
Bob.
"You!" said Miss Dolly in a
thrilling whisper. And then
"Pick it up, please"
Instead Of picking anything up
he didn't know what-Bob was
about to rush for the door,
when-"Stop! Or I'll Scream
exclaimed Miss Dolly. "Ill scream
so loud I'll wake every one In the
house"
Bob stopped. In his eyes was an
agony of contrition and shame.
Miss Dolly, however. seemed quite
self-possessed. Now pick it up"
she repeated.
"What?" stammered Bob in
ST rinking voice.
THE brooch, to be sure.
Didn't you drop it?"
'i?" said Bob, drawing his
dressing gown closer about him.
They were speaking In stage
whispers.
"Of course. Wasn't 1t what
you came for?"
Game for? Great heavens
Do you think"
Think" said Miss Dolly. 81
know"
Bob looked at her. Her face
appeared elf-like, uncannily wise.
His Mortified glance turned quick
ly from 1t to regard a cleaning
diamond and pearl brooch on the
rug. Jumping Jehoshaphat!
You don't think I'm"
Zone OF those thrilling society
highwaymen, or social bucca-
neers?" said Miss Dolly. "Of
course, and I'm SO glad it hap
pened like this. l wouldn't have
missed 1t for the world. Really,
I've always wanted to meet one
of those popular heroes. And
now to think my dream has come
true! It's just like a play, isn't
lit?"
ut is not" replied Bob savage
ly. This was too much.
See here" said Bob. 81 was
just wandering around-couldn't
sleep-and-and I--came in here,
quite by mistake. Thought 1t was
my own room!" With some ve-
hemence.
Cant you do better than
that?' asked the temperamenta
young thing.
Better than what?" queried
Bob ill-naturedly. He was begin
ming to feel real snappy.
Invent a better whopper.
mean?"
1T isn't a whopper, and"
"Of course" murmured Dolly.
1T was you who got Mrs. Tenn
pleton Blenfield's wonderful en-
eralds?"
1T was not" answered Bob
CURLY.
You were at that costume ball
where she lost them?"
Suppose l was?" he snapped.
And you were at Mrs. Benton
Brisco1's when a tiara mysteri-
,ously disappeared"
We'll I'm hanged" said Bob,
staring at her.
"Oh, l hope not" answered
Dolly. Are you going to Tess
up? You'd better. Maybe i