Evening star., 1926-12-03
A Midnight Burglar.

Callie Roberts had come to the
country to visit her uncle and cousins.
She had been there one week before
she dared to speak about thing that
had disturbed her greatly. She and
Mr.. Adams were in the living room
one night reading, after Amarillis had
gone to bed pleading a headache.
Tommy had been asleep for some
time.
'Uncle JOHN said Callie, laying
down her book and trembling inward
ly, why do you and Amarillis so sell
dom speak directly TO each other?'
lie grunted and ruNled his paper
as IL the question displeased him.
After a moment he answered:
"Amarillis Is a stubborn girl
"Amarillis Is grown woman, Cn-
Gle John"
lie grunted again.
Has 1t anything to do with Ned
Wallace?" she asked.
1T has everything to do with him.
and say NOT" There was a silence
for moment, followed by a cautious
question from Callie.
Isn't he rather fine fellow, in
dustrious and dependable? 1 liked
him very much when he met US down
at the village yesterday. He is GER
tainly crazy about Amarillis."
Another grunt sounded from behind
the newspaper
We'll. she shall not, with my con-
rent, marry the son of the man who
robbed her father" he said with
finality.
"Oh, / remember. Mr.. Wallace is
the man who claimed the strip Of
land between your two places. The
court decreed in his favor, didn't it?"
Callie yawned. "Well. think I'll go
up to bed. Goodnight"
Goodnight. BY the way, Callie,
tnere was a burglary in the neigh
borhood last night. I don't want to
brighten, you. but you'd better lock
your screen windows. 1t will hardly
occur again, but be on the safe side.
ihere isn't a gun in the house,
All right, Uncle John" Callie.
whose nerves We're entirely healthy,
answered calmly, and started to her
room. AT the top of the steps she
turned to see Mr.. Adams take the kew
from the Old-fashioned front door and
put it In his pocket.
Now, / wonder she reflected as
she was getting ready for bed. Then
she climbed into the big four.poster
and was soon lulled to sleep by the
rushing of the Lombardy popiars Just
outside her window.
1t was 1870 o'clock when she was
startled from a heavy sleep by the
sort, thudding sound Of bare feet run.
ming through the hall With her
neart In her throat, she crawled out
OF oed and peeped cautiously out of
her door,
In the semidarkness she saw Tom.
my pounding on his fathers door and
calling TN a frightened stage whisner.
Pop. OH pop. Wake up auick,''
Callie in a kimono, and Mr.. Adams
IN dressing gown, met coming ont
OF opposite doors
Oh, pop cried Tommy, "a robber
is irwin to get In the house. He had
ladder and when 1 looked out the
window he took it down and ran
around the house"
Pshaw"' said Mr.. Adams. but he
dreaming. Tommy"
No, s-s-sir. There's two" chat
tered Tommy. They whistled to
each other"
Mr. Adams went to Amarillis' door
and called. She came out fully
dressed and looking pale
- couldn't Sleep" she explained
Did you hear anything" he
VS. SilC eiliSN NSI gu, III II1Snl.
ened whisper
Here. watch the front. Callie."
directed Mr.. Adams. Go to the
back, Tommy. I'll watch from your
room, Amarillis. You take the other
side. II I only had gun. Be quiet
and If you hear anything call to me-"
For a time the house was utterly
still. Then low whistle sounded dis
unctly. An answer came from the
shrubbery. Mr.. Adams heard and
ran TO Amarills.
''Sh." she cautioned. II saw a dark
shadow dart from the shruhbery
around toward the back of the house
Maybe he is behind the hedge on your
side. Go back quickly. believe there
is only one Of them
Everything was still again for IS
minutes. Then a dreadful crash, as
Htn1lzn1 - - 2