Jackson County journal., 1919-09-05
Friend Burglar
-
BY R. RAY BAKER

"A wv ~ SUdppcu anu u lISlt udSICus
Inez Lawton jumped. 1t seemed that
she went at least three feet straight
up, but she afterward admitted that
the distance was probably no more
than one.
The snap of the tWig was OminOus
and the light was weird, casting long,
fantastic shadows that cavorted above
and around the trees in a way to give
one a creepy sensation. 1nez expert
enced chills all over her body and her
teeth chattered. She felt herself sink
ing to the ground, weak from fright,
but managed to steady herself by back
ing against the trunk Of tree.
Her nerves somewhat calmed by the
brace, she clasped weapon in her
right hand and waited. The weapon
was one Of those long, sharp instru-
ments used to keep hats from blow
ing from heads.
Two more twigS were released
from pressure and voiced resentment
at being crushed by foot. The light
flashed on again and remained steady,
circling round the glen in menacing
manner as if determined that no OBJ
ject, large or small, should go unre-
vealed.
But bush interposed between IneZ
and the flashlight, which tried in vain
to penetrate to the place where she
; was standing.
Some more noisy twigs indicated the
holder of the light was approaching
u,ith or Iu Ctr; ho hn11
ground, determined to put up a fight.
Presently the brush was pushed back
and the sweeping arc of light almost
: found the girl. A hand reached out in
:. front of the bullSeye and pointed a
formidable looking object at her-a
, long, narrow object that reflected the
) light.
! Don't dare to move" warned a
. harsh masculine voice. "Tve got you
i covered"
S' The hatpin fell from the girls nerve
less grasp and she trembled again. She
was as good as dead, she felt con
vinced. Even in those moments OF
what appeared to be dire peril she
chided herself for SO reckleSSly ven
luIO Tie udUHtS VI lllG uOlc
burglar. She should have known hi
would be lurking somewhere in tn,
Avonshire woods, waiting for night t.
come so he could ply his trade.
A spirit of adventure, however, hat
prompted her to accept Bessie Elv
ridges dare to walk alone through tn
woods back to the hotel and ru
chances of meeting friend burglar,
as she jocosely called him.
She had started out bravely enough
but as darkness approached and sll
-, saw no signs that she was approach
ing the hotel she became more an
more apprehensive.
Finally she was forced to the belle
! that she was lost, and had wandere
about aimlessly until she came acros
the dark glen in which she was no
being obliged to pay for her intrepit
of ity.
10 II was fool!' she told hersel
al while her teeth ratified. I'm in I'll
worst plight imaginable. Here l stan
sta helpless before that desperate ma
oy who has terrOrized the resort for thrt
Tn. weeks"
tlv The light found her and rested {
lns her few seconds. 1t showed a sill
hit light-haired girl, with a small, rath
I'M. round face, standing at bay, ba,
against tree. Her big hat was tilt
on one side of her head with a rakis
ness that was not intended
rar A laugh came from the man wi
md the light, whom she could not 'se
en- Inez shuddered.
gar "A girl y exclaimed the harsh vol,
:: "a girl and-by George! it's In
of Lawton! y
She started. Surely this robt
ger could not know her.
Ixed "Who are you?" she demanded in
,rk. firm tones as she could muster.
ind He turned the light on his own ia
Won She almost screamed, but she m;
lk's aged to stifle it, so that the sound Il
oil came from her throat was more lik,
gasp or a grOan.
Chester Straight!' she said weak
"You-you of all men! To think t
you-that you"
n The situation was too much for /
)m." 1he intense lear sne hau expeflene
. coupled with the revelation that
. man who stood before her was the
ov1 she had once promised to marry, o'
6il came her. Inez Lawton, for the f
,al time in her life, knew what it was
out faint.
less Chester Straight had attended
at;c lege with her, and while they had
ger fallen in love at first sight it had
and taken them long to become seriO
Use fond of each other. On the day
you. were graduated they became enga
and Inez went to her own home
teach music and wait for him to II
a name for himself and some wo1
ard, wealth to oo with If roor !
BEN 1 $3.50
avs: Chester wrote her that the prop