Evening star., 1920-05-23

roble, with the aid, of her smellin' salts
and the assurance of the manager that
it wouldn't happen again. Not that
same evenin', anyway. He was almost
positive it wouldn't At least, it seldom
did.
But being in on strike. and free
for-al1 fight and conduit explosion
hadn't prepared Auntie to hit the
feathers early. So at 1880 am. she
was still wide awake and wanderin'
around in her nightie, with the shades
up and the lights out. That's how she
of the window when this offensive
broke loose on the roof of the buildin'
across the way.
Auntfe was just wondering why
those two men were skylarking around
on the roof so late at night when two
more popped out of skylights and be-
gan to bang away at them with re-
volvers. Then the first two started to
shoot back. and the first thing Auntie
knew there was a crash right over her
head where stray bullet had wan
dered through the upper pane. Upon
which Auntie screamed and tainted.
OF course, she had read about loft rob-
bers, but she hadn't seen 'em in action.
And she didn't want to see 'em at such
close range any more. Not her. Shed
had enough, thank you. So when she
came to from her faintin' spell she be-
=
fast she'd called Wee on the phone,
sketched out some of her troubles,
and been invited to come straight to
Harbor Hills.
"It was the only thing to be done.
says Wee.
might have tried another apartment
hotel they don't all have strikes and
explosions and burglar hunts goin' on.
Not every night. She might have
taken a. chance on one or two more" +"
But with her nerves all upset like
she should, when here we are with
Yes, I expect there was no dodgin
it," I agrees.
At dinner Auntie is still sort of jumpy.
but she says it's great Satisfaction to
know that she is out here in the calm,
peaceful country. Its dull. of course -
she goes on. but at the same time it
that nothing whatever is going to hap
pen."
''Ye-e-es." says 1. draggy. And yet.
you can't always tell
Cant always tell WHAT" demands
Auntie.
About things not happenin' out
rBut. Torchy." says Wee. what could
possibly happen here; that is. like those
things in town."
l shrugs my shoulders and shakes my
head.
How absurd" says Wee.
Aunde gives me one of them cold
storage looks Of hers. II have usually
noticed" says she, that things do not
happen of themselves. Usually some
one is responsible for their happening
What she meant by that couldn't
rap at me. no doubt But just how or
what for I passed up. I might have
forgotten it altogether if she hadn't re-
minded me now and then by favorin'
me with a suspicious glare, the kind
one of Mr.. Palmer's agents might give
to a party in a checked suit steppin'
on the train from Montreal with some-
thing bulgin' on the hip.
So 1t was kind of unfortunate that
when Wee suddenly remembers the
Alredaie ire pup and asks where he is that
should say just what did. Buddy"
says I. "Oh, he's all right. I shut him
up myself
1t was fact I had. And, I'd meant
well by it. For that's one of the things
we have to lock out for when Auntie's
mex Not that there's ANYTHING vicious
about Buddy. Not at all. But being
only a year old and full of pep and af-
lection. and not at all discriminatin'.
he.s apt to be a bit boisterous in well
comm visitors; and while some folks
don't mind havin' fifty pounds of dog
bounce at 'em sudden or bein' clawed
or hav1n' their faces licked by a moist
pink tongue. Auntie amt one of that
kind; She gets petrified and squeals
Tor help and insists that the brute is
trying to eat her up.
SO as soon as I'd come home and
had my usual rough-house session
with Buddy. ! leads him upstairs AMI
carefully parks him in the south bed
room over the kitchen wing. Being
thoughtful and considerate. call that
Not to Buddy. maybe, who's used to
spendin, the dinner hour with his nose
just inside the dinin'-room door; but
to Auntie, anyway.
Which is why Tn so surprised. along
about o'clock when Auntie has made
an early start for a good nights rest.
to hear these loud hostile woofs COM
in from him and then these blood
curdlin' screams.
For the love of Mikew l gasps
Where did you put Auntie"
why. in the south bedroom this
time" says Wee.
"Hal-lup" says-L That's where l
put Buddy"
It. was a race then up the stairs.
with me tryin' to protest on the Jump
that didn't know Wee had decided to