The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-07-10

herund which lzy : nncC s1el1A-
Twsurr fest ont. caught On clEnp o.
reads anz trailing IN the Uno0E hlaasss
was \ sheet-zbe sheet Of conrsez
The professor lad Low shoes ne
thought Of the lady u whose behalf Ne
was lsborsng and became reckless, 81
nsrssucsng = keen sense Of chiTElT7e
devotion. Re wa6ed and sank II The
bogET SCI. but he gof the sheet II
was not tam. but fhe mud had stained
Il and AZ be could do Was 20 wsd L
m n . sort Of daEreputzbls roll
Fl won't take Il back 10 Mrs Briggs
IN this condition" he decided Ihsre s
he tCvu laundry. III have Il aone NJ
nicely and send if-er. na. II take =
hack myself. Il may entezAtn her 70
kn0x hcw tsr The wind carried =
Several people STARED hroediy = the
vet. muddy and dissrdsred professor.
He reached the iszn6ry. The shsst
would be al ready for him that ere
ming, Be was informed
Hwss 0 few minutes altar eight that
evening when the professor rsscAsd
the Briggs cottage. Il bad warmed hss
heart every time that day ks bad
thought Of the winsome LAZY. Els
ardor ooolsd AZ be reared the house
In front was shaded and dark A light
showed In the sitting room He stole
around the side Of the house and
peered IN
~Cracious." he uttered and shrsnk
back. fairly appalled,
A beetlebr0wed individual occupied
the apartment He had Just pried open
an escritoire and had taken thence q
small lacqusred and worried box he
tucked IL under his arm, picked VI
from the table big revolver and start
ed to leave the house by the side door
"A burgisr!" gasped the professor
@And / an ungrmed! He is coming
All 8 thought"
Quick as lightning the professor tort
open the package containing the sheet
He grabbed up from the ground piees
Of stick. He entolded himself In th'
ample folds Of the sheet Holding tn
fragment Of wood, against the ngh
contrast of the sheet resembling th'
barrel Of q pistol. as the burglal
opened the door he extended his hand
Drop everything, or your doom 1
sealed" be voiced in q deep. sepul
chral tone.
Ghosts" yelled the burglar in
wild scream. dropped both pistol an
box. and took to his heels. The prc
fessor rushed forward and secure
both. Then. not knowing why. b
pulled the trigger.
Bang. bang. bang-bang-bang. banl
bang!
The side door Of the next hous
opened Its owner. brawny fellos
alarmed by the pistol shots. stood pee
ing all about. Following him was hi
wife and Mrs. Briggs and her tw
children
There's something white movtn
about the house," chartered the man
wife.
Hey. what's all this!" challenge
her husband. advancing.
your sheet" spoke the excited pr
fessor. remextng 1t from his shoulder
Your box" he added, rendering III
object indicated
MY jewels. my bonds. AL safe, Blu
oh. how careless was to leave thel
almost open to anybody" cried Mr.
Briggs. But what does II all mean
Come in. come in. all OF you!" an
she actually pulled the biushing pr
fessor by the arm Her bright eye
viewed him approvingly as he stumble
through his story.
"Oh. what is q lonely woman wit
out O strong. brave man to prote.
herr" uttered Mrs. Briggs, and the
flushed peony red at the bold intimI
ton. and the professor experiences
new thrills.
1 What came Of 1t ALI What could
and did. widowlike. Mrs. Lam
Briggs read the innocent, transparei
mind OF the professor clearly. an
was glad that she had interested hiE
Ten years later It became . reguli
event stormy evenings. to have Il
two children nestle up to their adoT
ed father and beg Of him to tell the
the sheet story.
Then Laura. his wife, woald 60
the clothes-press and bring out q
cherished sheet Then the profess
would dramatically don the sheet. a
take up from the mantel the capture
weapon. and begin his weird story.
And after that he would say. with
quixzical glance at his happy wife.
had to stay here ever since for fe
the burglar might come back again