The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-03-16

girls must lock the door after mo-, 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. If 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 neighbors across the
street. After q seemingly neyer-ending
wait, the kind-hearted neighbor left
his bed TO answer the inslstent tele-
phone. FalterIngly Prudence explained
their predicament, and asked him to
come and search the house. He prom
Used to be there In five minutes, with
his son to help.
snow" said Prudence more cheer
fully. ''well Just go out to the kitchen
and wait. It's quiet there, and away
from the rest Of the house, and we1i
be perfectly SAFE" To the kitchen,
then, they hurried, and found real
comfort in Its smaIlness and secure
ness. Prudence raked up the dying
embers OF the fire. and Fairy drew the
blinds to their lowest limits. The
twins and Connie trailed them fear
fully ut every step.
Every breath OF wind against the
windows drew startled cries from the
younger girls, and both Fairy and Pru-
they heard the loud voices Of the AL
lans outside the kitchen door. Pru-
dence began crying neryously the mo-
ment the two angels OF mercy APP
peared before her, and Fairy told their
tale of 0
"Well. there now" Mi. Allan said
with rough sympathy, you just got
scared, that's all. Everything's sus-
picious 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
60 over the house In a jlffy."
He 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 tonightf" he
asked. "Or this afternoon? Think,
nowr'
mo one" answered Prudence. 81
was alone all afternoon, and there has
been no one In this evening"
He passed slowly through the din
ing room into the hall, closely followed
by his son and the Ave girls, already
much reassured, AS he passed the
| dungeon door he paused for a moment
listening l~ntently. his head bent.
ION, Mr.. Allan" cried Prudence
'Iet's look In the dungeon first. i wan
TO see IL the money Is SAFE" Her hant
was already on the lock, but he shovel
her away quickly.
SIS there any way out of that close
besides this doorT" he asked.
mo. We call 1t the dungeon,
laughed Prudence, her self-possessiol
quite recovered. ut is right unde
the stairs, and not eve n mouse coul,
gnaw It's way out, with this door shut.
"Who shut the doorf" he inquired
stu holding Prudence's hand from tn,
lock. Then, without waiting for al
answer, he went on, Lets go back II
the other u minute. Come on, al
Of you" In the living room he hur
ried to the telephone, and spoke to tn
operator In a low voice. "Call the pc
lice headquarters, and have them sen,
two or three men to the Methodist par
sonage, right away. We've got a bur
glar locked in a closet, and they'll hay
to get him out. Please hurry"
At this, the girls crowded aroun
him again in renewed fear.
"Don't be scared" he said calmly
"we're all right. He's In there saf
enough and can't get out for a Will,
Now. tell me about 1t. How did 20