Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1918-01-05
CLEVER KATIE.
BY JAMES ALLEN THORPE.

and brother. They Will be welcome"
'And, oh, so happy!" sobbed Katie
Duncan so overcome with joy that
she broke down utterly. "Nr. Whar-
ton. how can I thank you for this
browning blessing of my life. and
mother and the children. the wearying
worry and struggling past, and all of
us together. Oh--bless you! bless
you! A real home for them ut last"
"Child you paint this rickety old
place of mine as though 1t were par
adise."
at is to me, it will be to them," de-
clared Katie.
poor lomb!" spoke Ebcn Wharton,
with sincere feeling. ut was u lucky
day for her. You have been here u
year, and it Is the only year i'm my life
that has brought me comfort. oh, but
you are a thrifty, helpful little house
keeper, and I've got sense enough to
know enough that some one else will
come along and rob me of my jewel"
"Never that, Mr.. Wharton" spoke
up Katie, emphatically. 81 wouldn't
leave you, after all your kindness, II
II king offered me u palace
"Yes, you're true blue, know that"
commended Eben, "bnt you IRE pretty
| as well as Industrious, Katie, and many
young man will find that out as time
goes on. Why, only last week that
half-nephew of mine, Walter Morse"
Instantly Katie looked up. flaring red
and confused. II forbid YOU to speak
about him." she fluttered.
Maybe he spoke to your intimated
Eben.
"Yes, he did," acknowledged Katie,
truthfully, but with some agitation of
manner, land told him never to do
so again" .1N
Katie came home from q neighbours
one evening about eight o'clock and
hurried down the hall as she detected
strange faint of smoke In the air.
| A grOan sounded, Enthusiastically In the
accents of Mr.. Wharton. She turned
into the room where they sat evenings,
to stand spellbound. Her employer,
his feet bare, sat tied back In his arm
chair. A poker was stuck deep into
the hot embers of the crate. A man,
low-browed and Misunderstanding
sprang towards her. slammed the door
shut, turned the key in the lock and
pushed her forcibly back into chair.
didn't expect visitors" he chuckled
Familiarity, but you'll sit pretty quiet
there Or" and he slapped the butt
of n revolver protruding from his
pocket. Nov, old man, II you don't
tell me where you have that hidden
store of yours, Wen make another ap-
lication of that red-hot poker to the
soles of your feet"
| Mr.. Wharton was writing in agony
Us he gasped out: katie, the six
hundred dollars. You know where 1t
give IL up"
"You never spoke n truer word"
glOwered the wretch. 4 "Come, Sis"
The man seized the poker paan Ingly'
you've got the key to ,tiN room
where the hives are" painted Her tor
tured employer. "Give him the money"
Katie took up the lamp and moved
towards the door. The man unlocked
II.
"You first" he ordered, as they
reached the stairs. "No tricks, or II
will be the worse for both of you"
"This Is the roOm," said Katie, as
they reached upstairs. She had paused
before an apartment always used In
winter, as now, to store the hives from
the garden, to keep them from freez
ing.
! Get in," directed the man, as Katie
unlocked the door. "Now, then, where
Is that money!"
'It's In Il wooden box down In that
crock on the shelf" replied Katie
. pointing, and with eagerness the un
welcome visitor hurried to the spot
indicated, climbing on keg and crop
ing In the crock.
81 feel it, he cried with satisfac
ton, and In his urgency to pull out the
box he placed his revolver on top Of
one of the hives.
The moment that clever, watchfu
!; Katie had been waiting for had ar
rived. She acted In n flash. Her hant
reached out quickly and seized the re-
vOlver. She dropped 1t as she reached
the hall, slammed shut the door, locked
, 1t and placed the lamp on the floor
There was imprecatiOn and then I
; crash. There followed terrific yell
whole series of them. FlOunderin,
ground in the dark, the Gagged burgla
sad tipped over one of the hives.
Katie ran downstairs and released
the bonds, securing Mr.. Wharton.
snow, then, hurry upstairs" di
rected Katie; and although he had t
limp and groan over his bllstered feet
he followed her. She set down tn
: lamp and handed him the revolver.
"Shoot, If he tries to burst down tn
door," she said. "Keep the fellow n
bay at all hazards until run for neigh
bOrs."
Katie sped down the staircase, alon
n the hall, out upon the porch and dow
4 the steps.
:. sob, my" she gasped, as she ia
squarely into the arms of an approach
ing visitor.
. "Why, Katie" cried Walter Morse
"What is the trouble?"
Katie declared later that she wa
not aware of the fact that, amid tn
excitement, she remained close with
the grateful grasp of willing arr
rs she recited me urgency of the occi
9 sion, but Walter Morse was Dol
). enough to refer to that ecstatic mt