The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-03-02

walt, the klnd-hearted nelghbor left
his bed to answer the insistent tele-
phone. Falterlngly Prudence explained
their predlcament, and asked him 20
come and search the house. He prom
lsed to be there In Ave minutes, with
his son TO help.
"Now." 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 Well
be perfectly safe" To the kitchen,
then, they hurried, and found real
comfort In its smallness 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 nc every step.
Every breath OF wind against the
windows drew startled cries from the
younger girls, and both Fairy and Pru-
dence were white with anxiety when
they heard the loud voices of the Al
lans outside the kitchen door. Pru-
dence began crying nervously 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. Everything's sus-
piclous when folks get scared. told
my wife the other day l bet you girls
would get a good fright sometime, left
here alone. Come on, Jim, and we'll
go over the house In a jiffy."
lie was standing near the dining
room door. He lifted his head sud-
denly, and seemed to sniff little.
There was undoubtedly faint odor
of tobacco in the house.
"Been any men in here tonight?" he
asked. "Or this afternoon? Think,
nOww
"No one" answered Prudence. 81
was alone all afternoon, and there has
been no one in this evening"
He passed slowly through the din
by his son and the five girls, already
much reassured. AS he passed the
dungeon door he paused for a moment,
listening intently, his head bent.
"Oh Mr.. Allan" cried Prudence,
Tets look in the dungeon first l want
to see If the money is safe" Her hand
was already on the lock, but he showed
her away quickly.
''Is there any way out of that closet
besides this door?" he asked.
mo. We call 1t the dungeon"
laughed Prudence. her Self-possession
quite recovered. "It Is right under
the stairs, and not even mouse could
gnaw its way out, with this door shut"
"Who shut the door?" he inquired,
still holding Prudence's hand from the
lock- Then, without waiting for an
answer, he went on. Lets go back in
the other room a minute. Come on, all
of you" In the living room he hur-
ried to the telephone, and spoke to the
operator in a low voice. Call the pO-
lice headquarters, and have them send
two or three men to the Methodist par
sonage, right away. We've got a bur-
glar locked in a closet, and they'll have
to get him out. Please hurry"
At this, the girls crowded around |
him again in renewed fear.
Don't be scared he said calmly, |
''we're all right. He's in there safe
enough and can't get out for a while.
Now tell me about it, How did you
get him in the closet? Begin at the
beginning, and tell me all about it,"
Carol began the story with keen rel
ish 81 woke up, and thought I heard
someone in the room. l supposed it
was Prudence. I said, Prudence and
nobody answered, and everything was
quiet. But l felt there was someone
in there. l nudged Lark, and she woke
up. He moved then, and we both heard
him. He was fumbling at the dresser,
and our ruby rings are gone. We
heard him step across the room and
into a closet. He closed the door after
him, didn't he Lark?"
"Yes, he did" agreed Lark. His
hand was on the knob"
$50 we sneaked out of bed, and
went into Prudence's room and woke
her and Fairy" She looked at Connie
and blushed. connie was asleep, and
we didn't waken her because we didn't
want to frighten her. We woke the
girls-and you tell the rest, Prudence"
"We didn't believe her, of course.
We went back into their room and
here was no one there. But the rings
we're gone. While they were looking
at the dresser, l remembered that I
forgot to lock the dungeon door, where
we keep the money and the silver
ware, and l ran downstairs and
the door and locked it, and
went back up. 1 didn't hear a sound
downstairs"
Mr.. Allan laughed heartily. "Well,
your burglar was In that closet after