Show i 0 0 I 1 had only one thought nellie had refused me I 1 had no idea hov or when tho the guests left for while that took place I 1 was walking up and down the library floor like an animal in a cage repeating over and over nel lie has refused me suddenly li her lier er brother tom came in whit the deuce are you doing here old boy he cried I 1 only hacked looked at him you da do not look well at all he eald maid and no wonder it Is no childs play to lead a cotillon ae you did out but what la 13 the matter with you and nellie why do you ask I 1 aid said as calmly as I 1 could oh ob I 1 only noticed that you did not dance as often with her as with grace curtis why I 1 never thought of that at all but I 1 am very tired loud oud better go to bed jack tomorrow you will bo be all right no I 1 think I 1 will rather return to new york tonight to night nonsense 1 tom torn said come along your room is ready and you do not need to say good night to any body I 1 will ask them to excuse yo you U and with these words he took me M by the arm and pushed me up the stairs into my room looked around to see if anything was missing and start ed toward the door goodnight jack he said I 1 opened my mouth to say goodnight but instead of this I 1 stammered nellie has refused me he lie did not hear bear me however and closed the door I 1 sat down on the edge of my bed and started to think it t was evident that I 1 could nat 1 stay but bow how could I 1 get away there were no more trains for the city that night might but there was a milk train at 2 and I 1 made up my mind to leave on this I 1 sat down and wrote A letter to tom explaining the T ason of my sudden departure then I 1 put the letter in my pocket and sat at down to wait walt at halt bal t piet 2 1 put on a business suit and started downstairs As I 1 knew that the hinges binges of the front door always I 1 decided to go out ont through the basement and found tho the door leading to the stairs locked but the key was in the lock I 1 started to turn it bat was as eo so nervous that I 1 dropped it ami and could rould act find it again in the darkness then I 1 suddenly remembered that the whole house was wa ll 11 wired with burglar alarms which would set off an immense Iro mense gong in tome tums room in case a door or a winlow window was opened tom mom never went t nellie has refused me to bed without setting the alarm so there was no othet other way of getting away than to neak sneak into his room and turn off the current A snoring noise assured me that be was asleep and I 1 went over to the keyboard which wa waa a dimly illuminated by a diminutive in candescent light there wert a burn her of witches switches all pointing upward with the exception of one confident that this was the right one I 1 turned it and immediately the immense gong went oi ait oit lf maki making enough bolso to awaken bo he dead A cry rang out from tho the bod bed but it ris wis not tome toms voice but that of hia his aunt miss agathe brenham an old maid whom ho he had bad given his large room whilo while ho lie had taken a small bed room on the door floor above her cry robbed mo me of 0 all and without stopping to think I 1 rushed in to a closet in the hall and pulled the door closed from my hiding place I 1 could hear bear tho the commotion all over tha hon hoir A I 1 heard beard belliel Nell Ne llieL lel voice asking what wah the matter and her father calmly as I 1 I 1 could hear commotion all over the house her that it was probably noth ing but a burglar then I 1 beard heard aunt agathe eay say do not dare come into my rom with that gun tom I 1 am more afrula of that than ot of a dozen burg lare 1 I heard beard him calling my name up bairs and then burr down again well that strange et range I 1 heard beard urn lim eay say 1 I wonder what could have happened to jackl Is he be not in his room main hie his father asked no to bt he lie Is out looking for the bur burn be careful tom hia his father aid said do not inot hoot shoot at jack and look ook out that be does not no shoot you oh tom dear came nellies olce ado do not shoot anyway it it Is a large burglar ask him to please go away ask him last if he Is jack do ou hear bear tom do not shoot until you are eure sure it Is to not jack you tou stay right here with me nel nei lie 1 d heard aunt agathe eay say ihen a voice came from below say father lather the cellar a door li is locked and nd the key Is gone A toed loud cry from nellie oh aunt 4 gathe the burglar has murdered jack and locked him up in the cellar oh let me eo go to him I 1 love him I 1 was jealous of grace cur Us and refused him and now he Is dead and will never know at these words I 1 forgot everything and lumped jumped out of the closet nellie had tor jorj 1 herself loose and had run away followed fol loed by her aunt so the room was empty ae As I 1 reached the hall I 1 saw only two of the servants their backs were turned toward me so I 1 hurried to my room throw my dress suit cade on the floor took off my coat and veat and rushed down again N I 1 thie time the 1 saw me and down mr aiden alden Is ts here he ile Is safe he bag has not been murde murdered redl I 1 A second later nellie was in my arms crying as it her heart would break none of us said a word where the deuce have you been cried tom 1 I have looked for you every 1 1 I waa was looking for the burglar I 1 replied how bravo brave you are lack nellie cried and you did not even have ft a revolver but to this day it Is a mystery to the family what hat caused tho the ilarda to fa go off not even mr airs nellie alden knows it met dowling in chicago american |