Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1918-06-08
CHAPTER lV.-Contlnued.

s.
Ali the time | was listening nv
mind was occupied with trying to ac-
count for the thrill which had iolted
me when l had taken Lucile's hands in
mine at the top of the staircase. |
decided to put my fortunes to the test.
would sit up until BOpp went to bed
and then ask her to marry me.
Kent, the telephone man, retired first.
II think I'll sit up awhile" | said,
stealing a look at Lucille and hoping
that she would comprehend my inten.
ton.
IF you're going to sit up I'll stick, "
said Bopp, with Machiavellian cordial
ity. IN split a gallon of water with
you"
There we sat, and we drank glass
after glass of water until II o'clock.
Then Lucille decided to retire and spoil
ed the whole game.
Il guess I'll turn in now, too" I sug-
gested tentatively, hoping at least that
! would get a chance to speak to her
on the stairs.
Il
fondness for my society and accompa-
MED me to my room and sat on my bed
for awhile talking about affairs the
atrical, assuming that was interested
in them, which was not
When he finally departed the house
was dark and the wind of the storm
made unearthly noises around the
caves. / was more tired than 1 re-
membered to have been for years, but
not sleepy. 1 don't know whether it
was actual hunger or merely the idea
that l had not eaten anything for for
ty-eight hours which haunted me. At
any rate, every time that l closed my
eyes I'd have a vision Of those dog
biscuits. l might just as well have
pictured a chocolate cake or a dough
nut to myself; but, mott was a dog
biscuit.
After an hour or so Of that kind of
torture l at last decided to satisfy my
fool imagination by showing it a dog
biscuit in the life and proving that II
was not desirable ct all. That was the
only reason that went downstairs.
1t was rather ticklish business roam
ing around a strange house wearing no
other padding than a suit Of pajamas.
I banged my shins numerically
against several hundred pieces of fur
niture, but l toned my remarks there
at to a pitch below the bowling of the
storm. An occasional flash of light
ming helped me momentarlly from time
to time, but left me laundering in the
intervals.
Finally in the kitchen. I CROPPED my
way to the shelf. and the box of dog
biscuit was in my hands Furtively l
took one out, fondled it and shifted IT.
Being alone there with that unpro-
Il tted dog biscuit was too much for
my moral courage. l decided to throw
honor to the winds. There was so
much wind and so little honor that no
one would notice it.
set my teeth in the dog biscuit!
Suddenly there was a sound on the
stairway. listened intently-the creak-
ing of stair
Who could 1t be? Possibly It was
Kent. the ex-wire Taper. His early
training might have proved too much
for him and he had decided to loot
the place and make his escape. / made
up my mind to behave valiantly and
grasped a dog biscuit firmly in one
hand, determined to sell my life as
dearly as was consistent with the high
cost of living. The box containing the
rest Of the biscuit l put back on the
shelf and crouched behind the stove,
ready to spring at the intruder I'M
Awares as soon as he entered.
I had one Of those flashes Of inscne
bravery which is nine-tenths fear when
I saw the light Of a pocket lantern
Ftra,~ ing along the wall at the foot
OF the stairs. I jumped four feet
straight mp in the air when something
wet touched the sole of my bare foot
which was extended behind me as
knelt behind the stove. Ny eXciama-
ton was drowned In a crash Of thun-
der. Burglar or no burglar. was
about to run to him for protection
from that clammy thing which had
touched me when a second flash OF
lightning showed mech. horrors! II
was Tootles frisking around my feet.