Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-02-16

and the solution depended solely on
her.
She thought and thought while Nell
cleared the table. She offered TO help
Nell and was permitted To aid ia the
work. When the last dish was re-
moved To the wash basin Gloria and
Nell took opposite ends Of the coarse
the two girls began to bring the two
ends together. ~ people do who are
folding ta~blecluths.
Nell stopped short mt the proper mo-
men Gloria went toward her. The
solution came 10 her In a flash. In
stead of putting the two ends Of the
tablecloth in Nell's fingers. she sudden
ly whipped the cloth owe her head,
brought II down around her elbows
and, after a furious struggle. forced
Nell back into IA chair and knotted
the tablecloth corners under the arms.
She snatched a pair OF dish towels
from the wall and tied Nells feet 70
the legs Of the chair. Nell fought like
a mad woman In a straitjacket. but the
knots held.
Gloria was out Of breath. but she
was proud as Punch over her victory.
She stood up painting and exclaimed:
"Welll'
So far so good. But there was still
Trask to settle with. and Jed. also.
She had not tablecloths enough for all
three, and she doubted IL she could
~hoodwink those giants In The same
way.
Another scheme occurred Ia her.
She had noticed Nell poking up the fire
in the little stove. Now Nell was
quicting down and II was safe to leave
her.
She ran 10 the stove. lifted the iii
and set the poker la the red Goals.
Ii was a grand idea aud she was tre-
~mendoEsly enthusiastic. But the polk
er was not. Ii was In nc hurry what
ever. They say that a watched poker
never CLOVIS. Gloria heard somebody
working at the hatch before the poker
had attained as much blush as a hard
ened sinner feels on his cheek al IA lit
tie mistake.
She heard Trask's footsteps. She
could see his feet on the stairway.
She stared al the poker and whis-
pcred Hurry up" The poker was
in ne hurry
1rnsk paused 10 call Jed. then he
began 10 come down the stairway.
Gloria was stupeiied 10 see how much
there was OF him. His face appeared
last Of all and 1t appalled, her. lie
carried a rope In his hand.
Trask did not see Gloria at first.
But he caught sight of the animated
bolster in the rocking chair and ii
frightened him. He stared back. But
n mufIled shrek came from the depths.
Pa Pa Its me. She did it,"
Trask understood that the witch
woman had performed another VI her
featS and he was sure that he was I'M
der the vondoo. Then he saw Gloria
standing by the stove. She looked 90
small and 50 tiinid that he regained
courage. He roared ut Gloria and
moved toward Nell. Gloria cried
stand back
Trask was so astonished by her i'm
pudence that he laughed.
why. you little fluffy pullet, I'll tie
you up and drop you in the river"
'Oh. you will?" said Gloria.
She snatched the poker from the
fire. Trask laughed att. She hit the
table with ii and sparks few. She
rubbed ID on the wooden TOP ~ the
table and smoke arose. There was
Il kissing sound. Trask shuddered.
Gloria jahhed at him with her red-hot
sword. lie could feel the soaring pain
81 IL before II reached him. When ii
arrived where he was he was not
there. Gloria was a trifie conceited
over her success.
And now. what next? She saw the
rope in his hand. lie had brought IL
to tie her with. The next idea came.
She gIonted a trifle.
You thought you would tie me w,
did you? Well, you can just tie your
self up"
Trask could hardly believe that any
one would be cruel enough ~ inflict
such an insulting injury. But Glnrin's
arguments were pokes with the poker.
III Trask had been more intelligent
and less confused. aud had known how.
he might have tied himself up a. the
cabinet tricksters do-so that he could
slip out easily. But this was beyond
him at the time, and Gloria was Wig
liant.
She made him fasten the rope
around Il stanchion. then knot ID about
one wrist. then pass 1t around him till
H. looked like a package Of Glorin's
own tying. The last knots she attend
cd ~ herself. She set the poker On a
plate within easy reach, and knnttcd.
and knotted. and knotted. Trisk
CRASHED his teeth with rage. but lie
could not bulge. lie yelled just once.
then she seized a dish towel. whirled ii
into n roll and gagged him So that he
could not even gnash his teeth.
Gloria heard footsteps along the
deck overhead. Probably Jed was
coming down. The poker vas cold.
There was no time for relocating IL.
Something must be done al once. She
Put out the lamp that Nell had light
al Uhn uat nt tl.. e.. 80 -. .t.4