The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-01-18

She fumbled around on the shelf
where she supposed certain box con-
tanning the yarn was located, and
could not find it in the dark. Going
to the door she took match out of a
box tackled to it's inside frame, kept
always full. Aunt Cordelia f1ared the
match, found the yarn and, dropped the
match as Buddy called out, in a tone
muff1ed because he probably was hid
ing his head under the bedclothes:
Gall right, Aunty-rm in"
AS the last member Of the family
went upstairs to bed there crept out
through the small semicircular door
Of the snowhouSe a human figure. 1t
was that of a man who was enveloped
in the buffalo robe and resemDled some
rugged Laplander. He edged to the
shelter of some trees and stood there
motionless. His eyes were fixed on the
window Of the only one of the
upper rooms which had a light in it.
1t was that Of Aunt Cordelia. She
came to the window In full view and
pulled down the shade. The watcher
uttered deep sigh. Now he retreated
towards the hut and sat down on a
snow hummock.
"They have all gone to bed" he
soliloquized. Its safe for me to ven
ture. She has left the window up from
the bottom a few inches for ventila-
ton, and the space is big enough to
pass the letter through"
The man now removed the robe from
his shoulders, thrust it out of view in
side the snow hut and took from his
pocket sealed envelope This he
placed between his teeth, approached
the house and began hand-over-hand,
careful and nOiSeless ascent Of q broad
trellis which very nearly traversed the
entire side of the house. Inch by inch
he clambered, until his face was oppo-
site the open window space. He freed
one hand to remove the letter from his
teeth and slipped it through the aper-
ture.
The stranger was about to descend
when sudden glow crossed his face.
1t died down, then suddenly it f1ared
GUS, and at the same time somewhat
startled the man threw back his head
to obtain clearer range of vision. 1t
was to discover heap of rubbish in
the StOrerOOm which Aunt Cordelia had
visited two hours previous bursting in
to blaze.
The man was deft and agile He
rapidly marked course sideways to-
wards the window of the lumber room.
The smoldering and blazing heaps in
the apartment told him that here was
no casual problem to deal with. He
braced his feet as he got directly op-
posite the window. He could not lift
the sash from the outside.
Sire Fire Fire !" he yelled at the
top of his voice, intent on arOusing the
sleeping inmates of the house. Then
he gave his body forcible, forward
lurch. 1t impelled him through the
lower frame Of the window with q
heavy crash, carrying the splintered
sash with him.
The man landed on the floor inside
amid a shower of putty, glass and
wood. He was speedily on his feet.
He kept up his shouting, but doubly
active the while. Some smoking bits
of carpet he lifted and flung through
the window out upon the snow-covered
ground. A mass of old papers and
magazines the stuff had covered burst
forth into vivid flame He was
scOrched, half blinded, GREATNESS, but
rubbish about him.
Now he wavered and uttered chOk-
ing gasps. He felt that the smoke, Gin
ders and heat were about to overcome
him. He was about to abandon the IN