The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1918-03-22
CHAPTER IV.-contlnued.

All the time | was listening my
mind was occupied with trying to ac
count for the thrill which had jolted
me when had taken Luclle's hands In
mine ut 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 TIarry' me.
Kent, tile telephone man, retired first.
II think III sit up awhile" said,
stealing n look at Lucille and hoping
that she would comprehend my inten.
tiOn.
III you're going to sit up I'll stick, F."
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 IL o'clock
Then Lucille decided to retire and spoil
ed the whole game.
II guess I'll turn in now. too" sug-
gested tentatively, hoping at least that
| would get 4 chance to speak to her
on the stairs.
But no. BOpp developed a sudden
fOndness for my society and accompa-
MED me to my room and sat on my bed
for awhile talking about affairs the
atrlcal, assuming that | was interested
In them, which / was not.
When lie finally departed the house
was dark and the wind of the storm
made unearthly noises around the
caves. was more tired than re-
membCred to have been for years, but
not sleepy. | don't know whether it
was actual hunger or merely the idea
that 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. ! might just as we'll have
pictured a chocolate cake or a dough-
nut 10 myself but, mott was dog
biscuit.
After an hour or so of that kind of
torture | at last decided to satisfy my
fool imagination by showing it dog
biscuit in the life and proving that it
was not desirable at all. That was the
only reason that went downstairs
u Vas IdlaiII liNhllSl buSllltSS
ing around strange house wearing no
other padding than suit of paiamas
banged my shins numerically
against several hundred pieces of fur
niture, but | toned my remarks there
at to a pitch below the bowling of the
storm. An occasional fash of light
ming helped me momentarily from time
TO time, but left me foundering in the
intervals.
Finally In the kitchen. 1 groped my
way to the shelf. and the box of dog
biscuit was in my hands. Furtively I
took one out, fondled it and shifted it,
Being alone there with that unprO-
teCted 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 sound on the
stairway. I listened intently-the creak-
ing of a 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 dog biscuit firmly in one
hand. determined to sell my life as
dearly as was consistent with the high |
cost of Lying. The box containing the
rest Of the biscuit put back on the |
shelf and crouched behind the stove.
ready to spring at the intruder un
Rwares as soon as he entered.
had one OF those flashes of insane
bravery which is nine-tenths fear when
! saw the light Of a pocket lantern
along the wall at the foot
Of the stairs. l jumped four feet
up in the air when something
wet touched the sole Of my bare foot
which was extended behind me as |
knelt behind the stove. My exclama-
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 second flash of
lightning showed me-oh, horrors! 1t
was Tootles frislling around my feet