The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1920-02-12
stairs anxiously waiting for you to go

stairs anxiously waiting for you to go
out"
"How do you know" M
"Shadowed him. NY revolv-
ers all right? And the red pepper r
sYes-but I've been thinking about
that pepper and how about ammonia
instead?"
"H'm-m," considered Billy. whats
the advantage"
ut wears off quicker, and think it's
probably safer for us if he struggles
and we have to hold him down."
"Guess it is" Billy agreed. Got 1t
ready?"
took. him to the kitchen and showed
him half glass Of household ammonia
diluted with water and covered with
saucer. Then / hung his coat and hat
in my wardrobe. After that he looked
at me and looked at him-the fatal
moment had arrived.
"Well?" said Billy. / seemed to
know he'd say well"
"Well?" 1 repeated after him, try
ing to pretend to myself I didn't know
WnaC ne moduC.A
Billy glanced at the clock. "Your
mossoo' Is wondering why you don't
come. BY the way-there wasn't a
soul in the lower hall when / sneaked
in-he's sent his man off for fear you
won't leave"
NV knees were shaking under me. l
was sure Billy knew it, but he affect
ed not to notice. He took one nf the
revolvers and inserted a blank car
fridge for the first shot, explaining
| that we couldn't have an omelet with
out breaking eggs. I was to jump out
of my bedroom and fire this as soon
as monsieur reached the dining room.
81 calculate we'll have him now In
about fifteen minutes" was Billy's del
| icate hint to me to go on with my part,
and with knees ready to close up un-
der me like jackknives rang for
George.
l must say that George acquitted
| himself very creditably spy. In
stead Of his usual inquisitive Coin
to be out all the EVENING"" he put 1t
in this way IF somebody calls when
shall tell 'em you'll be homer?
TELL them ], won't be home-say I'm
out for the evening"" / returned
promptly; and Georges face wore the
satisfied expression of well-earned
five-dollar bill.
BY the time we reached the second
floor Billy was ringing furiously from
4 ~ 10 rot
Of the way at once SO could slip up
| stairs-and when we reached the first
the luck that is said to favor natural
born idiots and such turned trick
for me by fetching little Mrs. Thing
downstairs slithering along the hall.
She darted past me into the car, al
most knocking me over in her desire
to keep George from opening the front
| door for me, and she made sure of
my defeat by uttering an acid, "Take
me up immejetly." For which rude
ness I have ever blessed her! In ten
seconds 1 had gone along the hall to
| the front door, retraced my steps,
and-thanks to her--was gliding up
the stairs in her wake like a ghost. In
less than two minutes from the time
she trampled me under her feet / was
safe in my own fiat.
Whether Billy and | had five min
utes or fifty to wait now we did not
know, but we took 1t for granted that
we should have the shortest possible
time in which George could deliver the
news of my departure s'for the eve
ning'' and monsieur could creep up
stairs, unseen by his all-seeing spy.
We therefore took our prearranged
places.
The fiat was almost dark. One low
gas jet lighted the dining room and
showed the hyacinths on the table
so monsieur could see the moment he
entered the front door; low light in
! the bathroom showed at glance
through the half-open door that no
body lurked within. The door to my
bedroom stood fiat against the wall ;
| the kitchen door nearly so, and behind