"Oh, Tavia!" interrupted Dorothy.
"Yes, indeed, a great big horrid man, with a hat over his eyes, and oh,
he was dreadful!" and poor Tavia began to tremble again.
Ralph had his coat on now. That man should not get away!
"But you can't leave us," begged the girls. "He might break the door
in."
"Then come down stairs and we will lock up. I must telephone to Squire
Sanders."
"He isn't home," Tavia declared. "I saw him drive out as I went up
William Street."
But Ralph insisted on giving the alarm.
"What did he say to you?" he asked.
"Why, he must have thought I was Dorothy. I saw him first just as I
turned out of the Douglass' place, and he followed me all the way. At
the lane--where it was really lonely--he called to me and I stopped. He
said 'Where are you going?' I told him to the Bugle office. I didn't
think anything of it. I am never afraid. Then he got nearer to me--"
"Why didn't you run?" asked Dorothy.
"Why, I never thought of such a thing. I thought maybe he was coming
here with some news. Even when he started up the dark stairs after me I
wasn't afraid. But when he grabbed me--"
"Oh!" screamed Dorothy.
"Yes, and he said: 'See here, Miss Dale, if you put one line in print
about that old woman being dead--I'll blow the place up.
Pages:
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33