Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1924-02-08
| ing somewhere in the house, 1 think

The pOliceI" exclaimed Mr.. ben-
nett, forgetting his lacerated tongue
and his other grievances. 1--WE must
summon the police"
obviously !" said Mrs. Hignett, with
drawing her fascinated gaze from the
ragged hole In the front door, the
cost Of repairing which she had been
mentally assessing. 1--WE must send
for the police at once"
1--WE don't really need them, you
know" said Jane III you'll all go to
bed and just leave me to potter round
with my gun :"
"And blow the whole house to
piecesl" said Mrs. Hignett tartly.
She had begun to revise her original
estimate Of this girl. To her, Windles
was sacred, and anyone who went
about shooting holes In 1t forfeited her
esteem.
"Shall 1 60 for the policeY said
Billie. II could bring them back IN
ten minutes In the car"
Certainly notl" said Mr.. Bennett.
my daughter gadding about all over
the countryside in an automobile at
this time of nightp
IF you think ought not to go alone,
1 could take Bream"
"Where Is Bream?" said Mr.. Morti-
mer.
The odd fact that Bream was not
among those present suddenly present
ed itself to the company.
"Where can he be?" said Billie.
Jane Hubbard laughed the whole
some, indulgent laugh Of one who is
broad-minded enough to see the hui
NOR of the situation even when the
joke Is at Der expense.
"What silly girl I ami" she said
II do believe that was Bream / shot
at upstairs. How foolish of me max
ing a mistake like that"
you shot my only son!" cried Mr..
Mortimer.
81 shot at him." said Jane. my
belief Is that missed him. Though
how I came to do 1t beats me. 1 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 fired from the hip,
but it's no use saying 1 oughtn't at
least to have winged him, because !
ought" She shook her head with a
touch Of self-reproach. 81 shall be
chaffed about this II 1t comes out"
she said regretfully.
1.-THE poor boy must be in his ROOM"
said Mr.. Mortimer.
Under the bed, II 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"
ooh, he can't bel" cried Billie, re
volted.
A girl Of high spirit, 1t seemed to
her repellent that the man she was
to marry should be displaying
such a craven spirit. At that moment
she despised and hated Bream Morti-
mer. 1 think she was wrong, mind
you. 1t is not my place to criticize the
little group of people whose simple an
nails 1 am relating-my position Is
merely that Of a reporter but person
ally 1 think highly Of Bream's sturdy
If somebody loosed
off an elephant-gun at me in a dark
corridor, I would climb onto the roof
and pull 1t up after me. Still, rightly
or wrongly, that was how Billie felt;
and 1t flashed across her mind that
Samuel Marlows, scoundrel though he
was, would not have behaved like this.
And for a moment a certain wistful-
ness added itself to the varied emo
tons then engaging her mind.
'I,ll go and look, II you like" said
Jane agreeably. You amuse your
selves somehow till I come back"
She ran easily up the stairs, three at
a time. Mr.. Mortimer turned to Mr..
Bennett.
'It's all very well your saying VIII
lelmina mustn't go, but, II she doesn't
how can we get the police? The house
sn't on the phone, and nobody else
IAN drive the car"
That's true" said Mr.. Bennett,
I'm going" said Billie resolutely.
# occurred to her, as 1t has occurred
o so many women before her. how help
ess men are In a crisis. The tenn
,orary withdrawal OF Jane Hubbard
lad had the effect which the removal
If a rudder has on a boat. 'Its the
,nly thing to do. 1 shall be back in
10 time"
She stepped firmly to the coat-rack,
md began to put on her motoring
,loak. And just then Jane Hubbard
anne downstairs, shepherding before
Ter pale and glassy-eyed Bream.
Right under the bed" she an
bounced cheerfully, making a noise
Ike a piece Of fun In order TO deceive
burglars"
Billie cast a scornful Look at her
lance. Absolutely unjustifed. in my
'pinion, but nevertheless shs east H. !
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