The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1921-06-18

lSON JOURNAL, 1ALLOLAIl,
toward the ladder. crying swiftly TO her
| father as she ran:
THE baby's out therei I'll go get
| her."
Just as Betty reached the foot of the
ladder a surprising thing happened.
The solid earthen wall behind the lad
der seemed to stir. Then Betty saw
that some painted burlap sacking,
which in the dim light had seemed to
be earth, was moving. Behind this
curtain a new excavation had been
made. And from this excavation
stepped-Jim Brown!
You stay here,' cried Jim pushing
Betty back. "Tll get the baby!"
Jim climbed the ladders few steps
hastily. As he unlocked the storm
door and pushed 1t open fierce gust
of wind swOOped and hOwled its way
into the room. Then Jim leaped out,
dropping the door into place again.
Betty rushed to the lookout. She
saw Jim run, STOPPING to the baby.
She saw him grab up the baby, over
alls and all, and rush back toward
the cellar. And she saw trees falling
in the path of the advancing cyclone.
Would Jim be able to make it?
Betty left the lookout and rushed
back To the ladder. Her father was
there before her. The door opened.
hn
caught her little sister with a thank
full heart. And then, to her vast
establishment, she heard her father
speak
Don't come down here, you thiefr'
cried stern old Henry Simpson. "You
amt fit to associate with decent
folks 7"
Betty saw her father trying to push
Jim away from the storm door and
TO close it. And in that moment all
Of Betty's tempestuous nature burst
into storm. She put the baby on the
floor and hurled herself at her father.
"Oh. yOu-yop-w she gasped,
almost inarticulately, as she beat him
away with her fists. Hes saved the
baby and now"
She turned from her father and
fairly jerked Jim through the door.
AS she locked the door and breathed
n sigh of thankfulness the air was
filled with vast disturbance. The
cyclone was roaring above them.
When the wind had quieted some
what so that Jim could make himself
heard he drew Betty and her father
close together.
II thought your nephew, John Simp-
son. had taken the. bonds" said Jim.
II trailed him to Chicago. But he
hasn't got them. / don't know who's
got them. And when ! got back here
heard of that affidavit for my arrest
so | hid in here"
Jim didn't take them!" cried
Betty shortly. Father, you've just got
after Jim saving the baby!'
Henry Simpson looked first at Jim,
then at the baby held tightly now in
Be:ty's arms. AS he looked at the
baby his stern face SOftened.
Il must've been out of my head"
he mumbled. $50 much trouble and
then this storm. II don't believe
you took 'em. Jim ~
He held out his hand to Jim. Jim
clasped it tightly.
Ii was about an hour later when
the damage caused by the storm had
been inventoried that Betty CHANGED
to look at the old overalls which were
still partly draped about the baby.
And as she looked she gasped. In the
right hip pocket were the missing
bonds!
Old Grandfather Simpson grinned
at her foolishly as she looked at them
in amazement.
Thought / better put 'em in a safe
place" said her grandfather. II swan
! clean forgot all about 'emr'
"Oh, you old dearr" cried Betty
suddenly and tempestuously, as she
flung herself at her grandfather and
kissed him.
And who. under the circumstances,
could blame her for doing so?