The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1918-01-11

"All of them--yopr mother, sister
and brother. They will be welcome"
"And, oh, so happy!' sobbed Katie
Duncan, so overcome with JOY that
she broke down utterly. 'rMr Whar-
ton, how can l thank you for this
browning blessing of my life, and
another and the children, the wearyip3
worry and struggling past, and ali Of
us together. Oh-bless you! bless
you! A real home for them at last p
Child, you paint this rickety old
place of mine as though it were q par
adise.'
sit is to me, it will be to them" de-
clared Katie.
''Poor lamb 7" spoke Eben Wharton,
with sincere feeling ut was a lucky
day for her. You have been here
year, and it is the only year in my life
that has bqp@Sht 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. Il wouldn't
leave you, after all your kindness, if
a king offered me palace"
Eyes, you're true blue, I know that"
commended Eben, "but you are pretty
as well as industrious, Katie, and many
a 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. Il forbid you to speak
about him. she huttered.
Maybe he spoke to your intimated
Eben.
eyes, he did," acknowledged Katie,
truthfully, but with some agitation Of
manner, land / told him never to do
so again"
Katie came home from a neighbours
one evening about eight o'clock and
hurried down the hail as she detected
a 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 revolver protruding from his
pocket. Nov, old man, if you don't
tell me where you have that hidden
store Of yours, We'll make another APP
LEGATION of that red-hot poker to the
sOles of your feet"
Mr.. Wharton was writhing in agony
as he gasped out: ''Katie, the six
hundred dollars. You know where it
is. He'll kill both of us if we don't
give it up
"YOu never spoke a truer word"
glowered the wretch. "COme, sis"
The man seized the poker menacingly.
you've got the key to the old room
where the hives are" painted her tor
Katie took up the lamp and moved
towards the door. The man unlocked
it.
"You first" he ordered, as they
reached the stairs. "No tricks, or it
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!"
cts in wooden box down in that
crock on the Shelf" replied Katie,
pointing, and with eagerness the I'M
welcome visitor hurried to the spot
indicated, climbing on keg and CROP
ing in the crock.
II 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, watchful
Katie had been waiting for had ar
rived. She acted in flash. Her hand
reached out quickly and seized the re-
volver. She dropped it as she reached
the hall, slammed shut the door, locked
it and placed the lamp on the floor.
There was imprecation and then a
crash. There followed terrific yell
a whole series of them. Floundering
round in the dark, the Gagged burglar
I'd tipped over one of the hives.
Katie ran downstairs and released
the bonds, securing Mr. Wharton
"Now, then, hurry upstairs" di-
rected Katie; and although he had to
limp and groan over his blistered feet,
he followed her. She set down the
lamp and handed him the revolver
"Shoot, if he tries to burst down the
door," she said. keep the fellow at
bay at all hazards until run for neigh.
bors."