The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1919-11-06
By JANE BUNKER


~ ~ ~ ~ IN ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ - ~ Y.
tered up to where she stood In the
open door, looking up and down the
street for somebody to call.
"You may as well tell that young
man of yours" growled he, that II he
don't let me In I'll break the door In"
81 don't think you WILL" she snid
calmly. "Now CO."
mot till l. get what came for" he
said, taking hold of the door and try
ing to move II and finding II mysteri-
ously wedged open.
"Well, you'll not do that this trip"
said she with spirit. "He isn't there
and he wasn't there. He was In the
sitting room at the end of the haiW-
she pointed to the seance room, the
door of which he could see stood
open-'and while you were trottlng
upstairs he ran out for policeman.
If you don't believe 1t walt and see
for Yourself"
Al that the fellow seized her arm
and tried to pull her back into the
house and shut the door, but found 1t
with what, rs he was on the Inside.
But the moment he laid hands on her
she began to scream. Help! HelpW
as loudly as ever she could.
He didn't wait to see what hap
pened-as matter of fact nothing
happened, for there wasn't soul In
sight on West End avenue when she
| screamed.
"Tll have q squad Of police here my
self to help you if that's what you're
ofter," he flung back as parting
threat when he bolted down the steps
and disappeared around the same cor
ner that had just hidden me. But that
was the last she heard of him that
night. She pulled her slipper out Of
| the crack and shut the door. Then
she went all to pieces and had cry.
As for me. when left the house, |
crossed the street, turned south and
into the first croSs-streel ] came to. II
seemed as though everybody knew
had q million dollars in my stocking
and was just waiting to nab me. or
hand me over to the next policeman.
But as nothing happened became a
| little more coherent, though had the
| feeling was being followed ul the
time, yet | couldn't spot my shadow.
| My whole energy of mind was bent on
giving my pursuer the slip. When at
last spied subway station jumped
off the car made bolt of II for the
stairs, rushed past the ticket chopper.
| throwing nickel into his box, board
ed train that fortunately proved to
be north-bound express; go: Off at
the next station and took local got
out and took another express and got
out for good when the guard bawled,
Huddn-n-forty-fift," walked round the
block where l live, and when there
wasn't living soul in sight ducked
into the front door of my apartment
house.
The elevator was rattllng down from
upstairs but didn't wait for 1t. ! tip
tocd up the stairs, the descending ele-
vator drowning the sound Of my steps.
I let myself in, put up the chain-bolt
and took a long breath. Then my
knees suddenly crumpled up under Inc
and went all to pieces in heap.
1t was almost two o'clock before
found strength enough to undress. and
l was so dGzy / could hardly get my
clothes Off. While | was doing 1t
had brief thoughts Of keeping on my
stocking and taking the diamonds to
bed with me; but ! decided no
there's n limit to ones obligations In
case like this: II burglars come tC
burgle-and have you ever noticed
how very near q burglar feels when
you have a million dollars In the
house?-l'll let them burgle. I'll not
help, but I'll not hinder; life Is toe
uncertain at Its best. So set the box
on the edge of the dining room table
conveniently, where burglars who
were looking for just such a shabby
little box filled with diamonds couldn't
fail to see it the instant they jimmlet
the front door off Its hinges, or got
in from the fire escape, or crawled VI
the kitchen dumb waiter. or came
down the gas log into the fireplace.
| And then l went to bed-and slept
expecting to find that box exactly
where | put 1t.