The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1920-02-12

ute gone. / counted and thought of
hundreds Of things I meant to do, or
had forgotten to do, all the while
counting mechanically. Three minutes
gOne-four-fve-
A key slipped quickly, boldly, re-
CARELESS of the noise it made-my
lock Not couldn't be! The lock
turned. A quick illumination filled my
hall from the gas jet outside and was
gone almost before / had realized 1t.
The door closed. My heart jumped out
and ran about the floor and tried to
hide under the bureau.
/ remember thinking, Suppose 1t
doesn't come back but stays away!
Then Door Billy's done for-I can't
move a muscle without my heart !!
And all the time was thinking these
idiOtic things, / heard the cautious IN
domitable pad pad, pad of whispered
footsteps. They paused at the bed
room door for a glance within-noth-
ing there; paused at the bathroom
door-nothing in there; paused at the
kitchen door-nothing in there; then
made for the table.
The light blazed up in the dining
room and my heart came back with
plop. Monsieur had turned up the light
in order to remove the diamonds ana
leave me to discover it, as 1T might
chance-tomorrow or week from to-
morrow.
With the light, all my fear left SUD
denly. 1 popped out Of the bedroom
saw monsieur with the hyacinths IN
his hand-fired the blank cartridge
and yelled, 'Hands up |" and stood fac
ing him and between him and the door
with a smoking revolver in my hand.
He said, "Mon Dieu !'-took In the
situation--and bolted for the fire cs-
cape-got smashing blow from the
kitchen door as Billy jumped from be-
hind it and then half glass OF am
monia in the face. Two seconds later
we three were writing strangling
heap on the floor.
The next thing / remember, l was
sitting on monsieur amidships ana
Billy was swapping handcuff. l
gasped and rolled off on the floor;
picked myself up from the inelegant
position by way of my hands ana
knees, got a wet towel and soppeu
monsieur's face as fast as l could
though why I performed this humane
kact so quickly, can't say; and as soon
as he stopped strangling-for lot OF
the ammonia had gone into his mouth
and very little in his eyes-Billy and
dragged him to the dining room,
propped him against the sideboard and
opened window.
I believe that none of the three OF
us uttered a word during the entire
performance-Billy says he can't re-
member any; but one Of the strangest
things was that the firing of the re-
volver elected no investigation from
the populous house. All this might
have happened in the center of Lara
ME plains in a snowstorm the day after
the fall roundup for the amount OF no.
| tice man or beast took of it.
1t was q faultless achievement.
And now we had monsieur-we had
captured him, as Billy said we should,
ali by our little own selves. He and l
silently regarded the crumply creature
sitting against the sidebOard and then
| for the first time the idea came into
our heads, "And now that we've got
him, what are we going to do with
him?"
| looked at Billy and he looked at
me. We asked each other the question
with our eyes. AS for monsieur, his
fears had swallowed up his chagrin at
the indignities heaped upon him.
! Strange as it may seem, he was the
first Of the three that found his voice.
"Zere has been a great mistake" he
began, to which Billy retorted:
"It looks that way"
"Ah-c'est vous!" breathed mon
sieur, suddenly recognizing Billy.
'sOf course. Who did you think it
wasp returned Billy with tang of
pertness, for which he might on that
occasion be forgiven.
| Monsieur repaid it by ignoring him
and addressing himself to me.
eff madame will permit me chair
| and allow me to explain-?"
We couldn't very well refuse him
INDEPENDENTLY as we didn't know
what to do with him anyway-so we
helped him to chair and when we'd
set him in it, took my turn to re-
mark severely: "There's not much to
explain. You were caught in the act
of breaking and entering my Gat--you
may make your explanations to the po-
lice. Well have them here in five
minutes" That was a fine shot on my
part, felt.
Monsieur's face proved it. "Ma-
dame !" he cried. "Ze police-no-! For
your own sake-for re avoidance OF re
scandal Madame, you totally misnn-
derstand re so strange situation"
"It certainly is" commented Billy.
Sin which am place. But l can
explain all-everysing-wh l am
here. / have re absolute proof Eat
madame has zee jewels of my
daughter-which do not belong to ma
dame-in her apartment"
Billy and I couldn't help smiling at
this and monsieur seemed astonished.
! sneered, "Indeed?" in the way that
always set him on edge.
"Oui-yes-m madame. l have re
proof in your own words"
I gave him another Indeed" IN the
| sauna tono This wac tl,o rnomont I had