The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1924-03-14
CHAPTER xVl--Continued.

-16-
She pushed the curtains apart with
q rattle and, at the same moment,
from the direction OF the door there
came a low but distinct gasp which
made her resolute heart jump and fut-
ter. 1t was too dark to see anything
distinctly, but, In the instant before Ii
turned and fed, she caught sight of a
shadowy male figure, and knew that
Der worst fears had been realized. The
figure was too tall to be Eustace, and
Eustace, she knew, was the only man
In the house. Male figures, therefore,
that went fitting about Windles, must
be the figures of burglars.
Mrs. Hignett, bold woman though
h was, stood for an instant spell
bound, and for n moment Of not I'M
p~ardonable panic, tried to tell herself
that she had been mistaken. Almost
Immediately, however, there came from
the direction OF the hall a dull chunky
sound as though something soft had
been kicked, followed by a low gyrgle
and the noise Of staggering feet. Un-
less he was dancing a pas seul out Of
sheer lightness OF heart, the nocturnal
visitor must have trlpped over some
thing.
The latter theory was the correct
one. Montagu Webster was a man
who at many a subscription ball had
shaken a wicked d%ancing-pump, and
nothing In the proper circumstances
pleased him better than TO exercise the
skill which had become his as the re-
suit Of twelve private lessons at half
a-crown a visit but he recognized the
truth Of the s%criptural adage that
there Is a time for dancing, and that
This was not 1t. His only desire when,
stealing into the drawing room he had
been confronted through the curtains
Dy a female figure, was to get back TO
his bedroom u~ndetected. He supposed
that one OF the feminine members of
the house party must have been taking
u stroll in the grounds, and he did not
wish to stay and be compelled to make
iaborious explanations of his presence
there In the dark. He decided to post
pone the knocking on the cupboard
door, which had been the signal ar
ranged between himself and Sam, until
a more suitable occasion. In the
meantime he bounded silently out into
the hall. and instantaHeously trvDped
over the portly form OF Smith, theSull-
dog, who, reused from a light sleep
to the knowledge that something was
going on, and being a dog who always
liked to be in the center OF the mael-
strom Of events, had waddled out to
Investigate.
BY the time Mrs. Hignett had pulled
herself together sufficiently to feel
brave enough to venture into the hall,
Webster's presence of mind and
Smiths gregariousness had combined
TO restore that part of the house to It's
normal nocturnal condition of empti-
ness. Webster's stagger had carried
aim almost up to the green baize door
leading TO the servants staircase, and
he proceeded to pass through IL with
WUf checking his momentum, closely
followed by Smith, who, now convinced
Ffhat interesting events were in prog
vress which might possibly eliminate in
cake, had abandoned the idea Of sleep
n meant TO see the thing through.
He gamboled in Webster's wake UP
ID stairs and along the passage lead
ting TO the latter's room, and only
paused when the door was brusQuely
Ghut In his face. Upon which he sat
Gown TO think the. thing over. He was
fn no hurry. The night was before
him, promising, as far as he could
Judge from the way 1t had opened, ex-
cellent entertainment.
Mrs. Hignett had listened fearfully
20 the uncouth noises from the hall.
The burglars-she had now discovered
that there were al least two of them
appeared to be actually romping. The
situation had grown beyond her han
dlinE. II this troupe of terpsichorean
narauders was to be dislodged she
must have assistance. II was mans
work. She made a brave dash through
the hall, mercifully u~nmolested: found
the stairs: raced up them: and fell
through the doorway Of her son Eus-
faces bedroom like a spent Marathon
runner staggering past the winning
post. f..
Episode Two.
In the moment which elapsed before
either of the two could calm their