The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1924-02-01

nett, forgetting his lacerated tongue
and his other grievances. I'VE must
summon the policel"
obviously !" said Mrs. Higpett, with
drawing her fascinated gaze from the
ragged hole In the front door, the
cost Of repairing which she had been
mentally assessing. "We must send
for the police at once"
1--WE don't really need them, you
know" said Jane IT you'll all go to
bed and just leave me to potter round
with my gun !. =
"And blow the whole house to-
pieces!" said Mrs. Hignett tartfy.
She had begun to revise her original
estimate of this girl, To her. Wirdies
was sacred, and anyone who went
about shooting holes in 1t forfeited her
esteem.
"Shall 1 go for the policeY said
Billie. II could bring them back in
ten minutes In the car"
Certainly mott" said Mr.. Bennett.
my daughter gadding about all ever
the countryside in an automobile at
this time Of night"
IF you think 1 ought not to 90 alone,
/ could take BreaHa."
where Is Breamg' said Mr.. Morti-
mer. WI
The odd fact that Bream was not
among those present suddenly present
ed itself to the company.
=. ~ 40
Jane Hubbard laughed the whole
some, indulgent laugh Of one who is
broad-minded enough to see the hu-
NOR Of the situation even when the
joke is at her expense.
"What a silly girl / ami" she said.
II do believe that was Bream ! shot
at upstairs. How foolish Of me max
ing mistake like that!'
"You shot my only son!" cried Mr..
Mortimer.
II shot at him." said Jane. my
belief is that / missed him. Though
how l came to do 1t beats me. don't
suppose I've missed sitter like that
since I was child in the nursery.
OF course" she proceeded, looking on
the reasonable side, "the visibility
wasn't good, and I fred from the hip,
but it's no use saying oughtn't at
least to have winged him, because ]
ought" She shook her head with
touch Of self-reproach. II shall be
chaffed about this If 1t comes out"
she said regretfully.
1.-THE poor boy must be in his room"
said Mr.. Mortimer.
Under the bed, il you ask me-"
said Jane, blowing on the barrel Of
her gun and polishing it with the side
Of. her hand. Hes all right! Leave
him alone, and the housemaid will
sweep him up in the morning"
"Oh, he can't bel" cried Billie, re-
volted.
A girl of high spirit, 1t seemed to
her repellent that the man she was
engaged to marry should be displaying
such craven spirit. At that moment
she despised and hated Bream Mortir
mer. / think she was wrong, mind
you. 1t IL not my place to criticize the
little group Of people whose simple an
mails am relating-my position Is
merely that Of q reporter; but person
ally I think highly Of Bream's sturdy
common-sense II somebody loosed
off an elephant.gun at me In dark
corridor, would climb onto the roof
and pull 1t up after me. Still. rightly
zor wrongly. that was how Billie felt;
and it flashed across her mind that
Samuel Marlowe, scoundrel though he
was, would not have behaved like this.
And for a moment a certain wistful-
ness added itself to the varied emo
lions then engaging her mind.
"Ill go and look If you like" said
Jane agreeably. "You amuse your
selves somehow till come back"
She ran easily up the stairs, three at
time. Mr. Mortimer, turned to Mr..
Bennett.
"It's all very well your saying VIII
helmina mustn't 20, but, II she doesn't
how can we get the police? The house
isn't on the phone. and nobody else
can drive the car"
That's true" said Mr.. Bennett.
wavering
"T'm going" said Billie resolutely.
It occurred to her. Is It has occurred
to 30 many women before her, how help
less men are in crisis. The tenn
porary withdrawal Of Jane Hubbard
had had the effect which the removal
Of q rudder has on boat. TITS the
only thing to do. I shall be back in
no time"
She stepped firmly to the coat-rack.
and began to put on her motoring
cloak. And just then Jane Hubbard
came downstairs, shepherding before
her pale and glassy-eyed Bream.
Fright under the bed" she an
nounced cheerfully, making q noise
like piece of nun in order to deceive
burglars"
Billie cast a scornful look at her
fiance. Absolutely unjustified, In my
opinion. but nevertheless she cast 1t.
But it had no effect at all. Terror