American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-03-01

~ tAf AlOrEAI Uui infNf iIlIfI y TWIN
was empty. Should they 90 farthsri
For a moment. the girls stood looking
at n another ~qnestioningly. Then
they heard a loud thud downstairs. as
OF someone pounding on a door. There
was no longer any doubt. Someone
was Ia the hOusei Connie and the
twins screamed again and chung to
Prudence frantically. And Fairy said.
Il think we'd better lock the door and
stay right here until morning. Prue."
But Prudence faced them stubborn
~. III you think I'm going to let any
q steal that fifty dollars, you are
mistaken. Fifty dollars does not come
often enough for that. / can tell you"
ITS probably stolen already" OBJ
Jected Fairy.
"Well. II IL II. wen ind out who did
II. and have them arrested. I'm going
down to telephone to the police. You
girls must lock the door after me, and
stay right here"
The little ones screamed again, and
Fairy said: Don't be silly, Prue, II
you go I'm going with you. Of course.
Wen leave the Riddles here and they
can lock the door. They'll be perfectly
safe In here"
But the children loudly objected to
this. II prue and Fairy went, they
would gOl SO down the stairs they
trOoped, "a timorous trembling crowd.
Prudence went at once to the tele-
phone, and called up the residence OF
the Allans, their %nelghbors across the
street. After "A seemingly never-ending
walt, the kind-hearted neighbor left
his bed to answer the lnsistent tele-
phone. Falteringly Prudence explained
their predicament. and asked him to
come and search the house. He prom
ised TO be there In five minutes, with
his son to help.
snow" said Prudence more cheer
fully, wen just go out to the kitchen
and walt. It's quiet there, and away
from the rest OF the house. and wen
be perfectly safe" TO the kitchen.
then, they hurried. and found real
comfort in It's smallness and secure
ness. Prudence raked up the dying
cmbers Of the fire. and Fairy drew the
blinds 10 their lowest limits. The
twins and Connie trailed them fear
fully at every step.
Every breath Of wind against the
windows drew startled cries from the
younger girls, and both Fairy and Pru-
dence We're white with anxiety when
they heard the loud voices Of the AL
lans outside the kitchen door. Pru-
dence began crying n%ervously the mo-
ment the two angels Of mercy APP
peared before her, and Fairy told their
tale of woe.
"Well, there now" Mr.. Allan said
with rough sympathy, you just got
scared, that's all. Everythlng's sus-
plclous when folks get scared. / told
my wife the other day | bet you girls
would get a good fright sometime, left
here alone. Come on, Jim. and wen
80 over the house In a jiffy."
lie was standing near the dining
room door. He lifted his head sud
denly, and seemed to sniff a little.
There was undoubtedly a faint odor
Of tobacco In the house.
Been any men in here tonight2' he
asked. cor this afternoon? Think,
now ?"
~No one" answered Prudence. II
was alone all afternoon. and there has
been no m In this evening"
He passed slowly through the din
ing room into the hall. closely followed
by his son and the five girls. already
much reassured. As he passed the
dungeon door he paused for a moment.
listening lntently, his head bent.
"Oh. Mr.. Allan" cried Prudence,
Tets look in the dungeon first. l want
10 see II the money is safe" Her hand
was already on the lock, but he showed
her away quickly.
as there any way nj Of that closet
besides this door?" he asked.
"No. We call II the dungeon"
laughed Prudence, her self-possesslon
quite recovered. 1T Is right under
the stairs, and not even a mouse could
gnaw its way out, with this door shut"
"Who shut the door," he inquired,
stlll holding Prudence's hand from the
lock. Then, without waiting for an
answer. he went on. Lets go back in
the other room Il minute. Come on. all
of you" In the living room he hur-
ried To the telephone. aud spoke 10 the
operator In a low voice. "Call the pO-
lice headquarters. and have them send
two or three men 10 the Methodist par
sonage. right away. We've got a bur
glar locked In IA closet. and they'll have
20 get him out. Please hurry"
AT this, the girls crowded around
him again Ia renewed fear.
Don't be scared" he said calmly,
'we're an right. He's In there safe
enough and can't get out for a while.
Now. tell me about IL. How did you
gct him in the closetl Begin at the
beginning. aud tell me an about IT,"
Carol began the story with keen rel
ish. Il woke up. and thought l heard
aa..m Ia. -. $50. IL d