New Britain herald., 1922-05-19
The Explanation Lillian Gave
 to Malcc,

NOW, how Tn tunkct did Pmlth get
 that rope ladder Up there in the hrst
 place ?'
 Lillian stood beneath katie's win dow. gazing upward as Tom Chester's flashlight travelled up and down the side of the house.
 Just stand still a minute, Mrs. Graham. Win you take this flash light? have another"
 Tom Chester spoke quietly, but with something in his voice which made me guess that he had some theory of the answer to Lillian's question, And as he pressed the flashlight into my hand-a bit of thoughtfulness which strongly ap- pealed to me-thc light from another gleamed from his hand and traveled with him around the corner of the house
 That's d good boy" Lillian whis- pered approvingly Has ideas and initiative, qualities whose fairy owners are often absent at christenngs Wonder what he's up to now"
 Her question was quickly answered by young Chester's reappearance. He was breathing a bit heavily, as if excited and hurried, but his voice was cool, even casual
 T think I've found his trick, Mrs. Underwood" he said. "Theres S a big horse chestnut around here at the side, and I'm sure l can reach the end of the veranda from one of the branches, And once there it's com paratively easy though slippery. to get to the part Of the roof where thl is fastened. I'll just skin up that way now"
 \ Test?
 Pardon me, dear child. but .youll do nothing of the kind" Lillian in terposed decidedly. "Ill have no broken necks or even colarbones upon my conscience. There's long ladder in the barn which they use for picking apples. Here's the key to the padlocF'of the barn. You can't fail to see it when you once get ln- side the door All right I'll have it hack here in a iiffy" As he took the key and hur- 1 ried toward the barn I heard a low chuckle from Lillian.
 Poor lad.' she said with humor l so disappointed not to be able to swing spectacularly from tree to roof. l risking life and limb while fair ladies l look breathlessly on. But he's game | enough to accept the more prosaic | method, cheerfully. and without de lay, for which I'll give him a long | credit mark
 A light broke upon me and made me secretly chagrined because of my own lack of insight. She had been testing Tom Chester for she had | known herself how Smith reached the l roof, but had wished to observe the | reaction of the youth to her annoyed | inquiry.
 Why do you suppose Smith didn't | use the ladder in the barn?' I asked l idly. and bethought myself of the idocy of the question too late.
 stand Clear
 Because voice-or did my humiliation only fancy it? held the patience with which one explains things to a moron-''he wanted to be able to get back to the roof silently and without trace whenever he wished. He must have left the room when he heard us coming, and drew his ladder after him. If he had been using that heavy ladder he would have had time to get to the ground, perhaps to throw the ladder down, but he would never have hazarded putting the ladder up again to watch us.
 T fancy" she went on, Tit was only by the sheerest accident that you saw him at all. l believe that he kept himself concealed by grasping the side of the window, hiding his body that way, and leaving himself free to look in on us. But nobody could stand that position long, holding him. self and the ladder against the win dow with one hand, so he was ire uuently obliged to shift to the other side of the window and use the other hand. It was on one of those shifts when he was swinging free, that you happened to look toward the window and catch sight of him. Is it clear now?"
 Please don't rub it in," I said. "I ought to have
 NO, you oughtn't," she retorted /, briskly. Don't be an idiot just be- cause you know how. Remember, you haven't been up against the in genuity of Mir Smiths type as often as I have. It's on old story to me. ' [ have a catalogue of the original ffty-seven varieties and then some. But here comes our friend with the $ adder. Be ready to lend a hand to ( help balance. We don't want it to : make any noise" 1 The next few minutes were busy ' ones. With Lillian and me on either side of the big ladder, Tom Chester i 'aised it cautiously, set it firmly { against the house, ran up it lightly Z