A THIEF IN THE NIGHT
"Hush!"
"I heard it!"
"Call Nettie!"
"I would have to go out in the hall--the noise was somewhere near the
second stairs."
"But I am so frightened--I shall die!"
"No, you won't. Please be quiet! I have the little revolver!"
Cora crept out of bed and left Belle trembling there. She only
advanced a few steps when the sounds in the hall again startled her.
The stairs certainly creaked. There was no cat, no dog. Some one was
walking on those steps.
Cora realized that discretion was the better part of valor. It would
be foolhardy to run out in the hall, even with the cocked revolver in
her hand. If she could only touch the button of the electric hall
light! She stepped out cautiously. Something seemed very near, yet,
at that moment, there was no sound, just that feeling of some one near.
She reached her arm out of the door, touched the button, and, in an
instant, had flooded the hall with light.
As she did so she saw a man turn and run down the three steps near the
window, part way up the stairs.
The window was open! Cora was too frightened to move for a moment,
then she raised her revolver, and the next instant the sound of a shot
rang through the house.
The man dropped out of the window.
Cora ran to it, looked down, saw the figure on the ground beneath, and
fired again, but not at the man.
With a cry the fellow jumped up, and as he hurried away Cora saw that
he limped. She must have hit him!
In all this time she could not give a word to the three frightened
girls who were screaming and shouting for help. Nettie had run down
from the third floor, Belle was threatening to die, and Bess was doing
her best to make the boys down at the bungalow hear her cries.
"Did you kill him?" gasped Belle, when Cora finally returned to the
bedroom.
"No, indeed, but I guess I hurt him a little. He limped off rather
unsteadily. I had no idea of hitting him, but just as I fired toward
the window he darted into it. I could not help it. He should have
surrendered."
Cora was as pale as death. Her black hair fell in a cloud about her
shoulders. She sank into a chair and still held the smoking weapon.
"Put that down!" commanded Nettie.
"Not yet--he might come back," murmured Cora. "There is no reason for
you to fear, it is not cocked," and she held up the revolver to prove
her words.
"Oh, do put it down!" begged Belle.
"Seems to me you are more afraid of the revolver than of the burglar,"
remarked Cora. "Do you realize that a man has just jumped out of the
window?"
"Of course we do," wailed Bess, "but we don't want any more things to
happen, and it's always the perfectly safe, unloaded guns that shoot
people."
"Oh, I'll put it away, if you feel so about it," and Cora stepped over
to the dresser as she spoke. "I really hope I have not hurt the man
very much!"
"Couldn't have, when he was able to get away," declared Nettie. "But I
just wish you had! The idea of a mean man sneaking around here!
Likely he's taken the silver. I didn't bring it up last night!"
"Well, that was not your fault, Nettie," Bess said. "We had so much
excitement last night you are not responsible. Besides, you wanted to
go down for it, and I said not to bother. But I hope he didn't take
grandma's spoons."
"Let's go down and find out," suggested Cora.
"Oh, mercy, no!" cried Belle, who all the time continued to shiver
under the bed clothes. "Let the old silver go--grandma's spoons and
all the rest. We may be thankful we are alive."
"But the man is gone," declared Cora. "I saw him go."
"Yes, but there might be another man down stairs. Who knows anything
about such persons or their doings?"
"Again I'll agree, if it makes you feel better," replied Cora. "But,
you see, mother has been away so much, and Jack is always at college,
so that I am rather educated in this sort of thing," and as she glanced
at her watch on the dresser the other girls could not help admiring her
prudent courage.
"What time is it?" asked Nettie.
"The mystic hour--when we are supposed to be farthest from earth,"
replied Cora. "Just two."
"There is no use in trying to sleep any more," said Bess. "We might
better get up and dress."
"And look like valentines in the morning! No, indeed, I am going to
bed," and Cora deliberately dropped herself down beside Belle.
"Oh, Nettie will keep guard," said Bess, apparently disappointed that
Cora should give up her part of the "guarding."
"Strange, the neighbors did not hear the shots," the maid said. "But
it is just as well. We might have had to entertain people more
troublesome than burglars. I'm going down stairs. I must look about
the spoons. Mrs. Robinson will be so angry----"
"You will do nothing of the sort, Nettie!" commanded Belle, sitting
bolt upright. "I tell you we must all stick together until morning. I
won't consent to any one leaving the room!"
Even Bess laughed, the order was so peremptory. Nettie fussed around
rather displeased. Finally she asked if the young ladies wanted
anything, and learning that they did not made her way upstairs.
"If you are to stay in this room, Bess," said Cora, "please get some
place. I want to put out the light."
"Oh, we must leave the light burning," insisted Belle.
"Must we? Very well," and Cora drew a light coverlet over her eyes.
"Good night, or good morning, girls. Let me sleep while I may. Who
knows but the officers will be after me in the morning!"
Bess dropped down upon the couch in the corner. Both twins had
unlimited confidence in Cora, and as the time wore on they both felt,
as she did, that there was no longer need for alarm.
"She's actually asleep," said Belle quietly.
"Good girl," replied Bess. "Wish I was. I hate to be awake."
"But some one has to watch," said the sister.
"What for?"
"He might come back."
"With a ball in his leg, or somewhere? Not much danger. Cora was
plucky, and we were lucky. There! a rhyme at this hour! Positively
dissipation!"
"I am glad mother was not at home," whispered Belle. "Of course, that
was the man who has been sneaking around."
"Likely."
"Did Cora say so?"
"No, not just so, but she said she saw him."
"Do you suppose they will say anything about her shooting him?" (This
in a hissed whisper.)
"Belle?"
"What, dear?"
"I must--go to--sleep!"
"Then I must stay awake. Some one has to watch!"