Evening star., 1928-04-13
I'm the Silly Night. =

'sMeowl Meow!" or "unkaowl" as the
Noswesians express It. Say II in what
ever language you win. Anyway. It vas
the family cat at midnight on the ue~
stairs landing.
mrs Bartram started from her slum-
herS
Burglarsl
She had shut the cat In the cellar
The family had all been in bed. What
else could it mean? Somebody must
have come in by the door from the
side passage and left the door lead
ing to the kitchen open behind him as
~hesrane ip. She had always said II the
cat got upstairs in the night they would
know burglars were in the house. She
turned toward Mr.. Bartram. He was
sleeping peacefully He was convalesc-
ling from serious Illness, A struggle
with a burglar might result seriously
for him even If the result weren't point
ed from the end of the burglars revolv-
er, No! She must not waken him. She
must get the burglars out herself. She
sto,e softly out of the bed, caught the
cat by the neck and thrust him in
s.aons the cushions on the den couch.
Marcus settled down in comfort. He
sSould not disturb any one with further
noise
She crept down the front stairs Wild
.eved. her long hair streaming down
sthe back of her robe de mutt, There'
eShe had known It! A light was stream
e1ng from the downstairs Sunroom across
the hall. There was the shadow or q
sn1sn before the desk and sound OF
"a hurried shutting of papers, Tney
kept a cash box in that desk her
heart vas shaking her whole form with
Its throbs She would have to cross
4snst stream of light to get to the pfone.
1T was hopeless. She looked back into
sfhe darkness above her. No! Courage!
There was one other way. She couio
get across in the darkness from th9 1901
of the stairs 70 the kitchen ana out OF
the door by which the cat had got up.
Once at the side door she could nee
nuicklv ia the street. rouse neighoor
and have him phone Like a white
wrath with long. noiseleSs strides sne
el;ded along the dark border of that riv-
er of light on the hall floor! Safe to the
akitchenl oh. If a board should creaE!
The cellar steps, She felt miles away
from her husband. The cold snow
touched her bare feet a moment later.
oh. if there should be another one on
Fslard at the end of the side passage or
On the front verandal She crept catious-
siy along the veranda edge. No, there was
no one there. The moon was fun and
clear. She fed madly across the street
70 the Browns. Mr.. Brown was big
man and strong. A good neighbor and
an army officer.
! Hello. there! Who's there" he
shouted from the windoy over the
porch in an answer 10 her incessant
ringing.
v oh! Mr.. B-B-Brown." she shivered, |
sTneres burglars in our house. Please |
ring for the p-p-poiice right away. /
can't get 10 the p-phone They're at
the desk. I'm freezing to death"
Wait Just a minute. I'll be down |
and let you in. !"
! mo. / mustn't. Mr.. Bartram's asleep !
ever there They might k-kill him |
Ring the police quick. for mercy sake. |
and come over"
She fed back as quickly as she had /
come. Her feet we're numb But oh. /
horrors. II she should meet the bur- /
glars going in again. But-her hus- |
hands--lier soni her daughterl She |
must be with them. She could at /
least tell the burglars the police were /
eoming now and probably they would |
Zee. But 1t would be hundredfold /
better II she could get quietly back into /
her bed again and leave them undis- /
r1rbed till the police had them.
s Tp the steps 10 the kitchen softly, !
across the front hall. The light was /
streaming out from the little sun par |
1or in the corner. but there was no /
sound She was creeping stealthily UP /
tiae stairs when suddenly there was a /
step In the hall Snack! The hall |
Night went on Her heart stopped beat /
Ing. She looked back and there! Harolds |
Her own son coming out Of the den !
Mitl1 some papers in his hand.
oh, mother. did scare you? I'm /
sorry" he said Il forgot 70 write my |