by A. A. Milne
Listening with bated breath, Lulu’s ear presently caught again a faint sound as of a file moving cautiously to and fro on metal.
“Burglars! I do believe it’s burglars trying to steal the money and silver and Mamma Vi’s jewelry that are in the safe,” she said to herself with a thrill of mingled fear and excitement.
With that she crept into the tower room, softly opened the register there, and applied her ear to it. The sound of the file seemed a trifle louder and presently she was sure she heard gruff voices, though she could not distinguish the words.
Her first impulse was to hurry to her father and tell him of her discovery; the second thought, “If I do, papa will go down there and maybe they’ll kill him; and that would be a great, great deal worse than if they should carry off everything in the house. I wish I could catch them myself and lock them in there before I wake papa. Why couldn’t I?” starting to her feet in extreme excitement; “they’re in the strong room, the bolt’s on the library side of the door, and probably they’ve left the key there, too, in the lock. If I’m going to try to do it, the sooner the better. I’ll ask God to show me how and help me.”
She knelt on the carpet for a moment, sending up her petition in a few earnest words, then rising, stood for an instant thinking very fast.
She could gain the library by a door opening into a back hall and very near that into the strong room, whose door, if open, would be in a position to conceal her approach from the burglars till she could step behind it; so that her scheme seemed not impracticable.
She hastily put on a dark dressing-gown over her white night dress, and thick felt slippers on her feet.
Her heart beat very fast as the thought occurred to her that there might be an accomplice in the library or hall, or that the door from the one into the other might creak and bring the miscreants rushing out upon her before she could accomplish the task she had set herself.
“Well what if they should, Lulu Raymond?” she asked, shutting her teeth hard together, “’twouldn’t be half so bad as if they should harm your father. You could be very well spared, but he couldn’t; Mamma Vi, Max and Gracie would break their hearts if anything dreadful happened to him, and so would you too; I’ll try, trusting to God to take care of me.”
With swift, noiseless steps she passed out of her room, down a back stairway into the hall just spoken of, and gained the library door, finding it, to her great joy, wide enough open for her to slip in without touching it.
She could see nothing there; the room was quite dark; but the sounds she had heard were still going in the strong room, seeming a little louder now. The men must be in there at work on the safe; with the door ajar, for a streak of light at the back between it and the jamb, told her it was not quite shut.
She crept to it and peeping in at that crack, saw a man down on his knees working at the lock of the safe, while another stood close beside him, holding a dark lantern, open, so that the rays of light fell full and strongly upon the lock his confederate was trying to break.
Lulu could not see the face of the latter, his back being toward her, but as the other bent forward for a moment, to watch the progress of the work, the light fell on his face, and she instantly recognized him as the tramp who had seized Fairy’s bridle in the wood.
Trembling like a leaf she put up her hand and cautiously felt for the bolt; holding tight to it and exerting all her strength, she suddenly slammed the door to and shot it into its socket. She heard the villains drop their tools, spring toward and try the door with muttered oaths and curses; but she waited to feel for the key and turn it in the lock; even to pull it out and thrust it into the pocket of her gown, as a swift thought came to her, that there might be an accomplice lurking about who would release them if she left it there.
Then she ran as fast as her feet could carry her, through the library and hall, up the stairs and on through the rooms, never stopping until she stood panting for breath beside her sleeping father.
She could not speak for a moment, but laid her face on the pillow beside his and put her arm round his neck.
The touch roused him and he asked, “Who is it? you, Lulu?”
“Yes, papa,” she panted; “I— I’ve locked some burglars into the strong room and— ”
“You? you have locked them in there?” he exclaimed in astonishment starting up and drawing her into his arms. “Surely, my child, you have been dreaming.”
“No, papa, not a bit; I’ve locked them in there and here’s the key,” putting it into his hand. “I slammed the door to on them. I shot the bolt too, and I don’t think they can get out. But what will we do? Papa, can you get somebody to help you take them to jail?”
“Yes; I shall telephone at once to the sheriff at Union.”
“Who is it? What’s the matter?” asked Violet waking.
“I can not wait at this moment to explain matters my love,” the captain said hastily picking up Lulu and putting her in the place in the bed which he had just vacated. “I must act, leaving Lulu to tell you her story.”
With the last word he hurried from the room and the next moment they heard the telephone bell.
Chapter 15
“What is it, Lu?” Violet asked in trepidation. “Oh what is the meaning of those sounds coming from below? Are burglars trying to break in?”
“No, Mamma Vi,” returned Lulu with a little nervous laugh, “they are trying to break out.”
“Break out? what can you mean, child?”
“They are locked into the strong room, Mamma Vi, and papa is calling for help to take them to jail. Hark! don’t you hear him?”
They sat up in the bed, listening intently.
“Hello!” the captain called: then in another moment, “Capt. Raymond of Woodburn, wants the sheriff,” they heard him say. “Ah are you there Mr. Wright? Burglars in the house. Burglars here. We have them fast, locked into the room with the safe they were trying to break open. Send a constable and several men to help him, as promptly as you can.”
The reply was of course inaudible to the listeners in the bedroom, but the next moment the captain spoke again.
“Yes, I can hold them till you can get here; unless some outside accomplice should come to their aid.”
He seemed to listen to a response, then a tinkle of his bell told that the conversation was at an end.
He turned at once to a private telephone connecting the dwelling house with the outside cabins in which his men-servants lodged, and called them to come to his assistance.
Then back he went to his bedroom to reassure Violet and send Lulu to Grace, who had waked and was calling in affright to know what was the matter.
“Do not be alarmed, my dear,” he said, as he hastily threw on his clothes: “I really think there is no cause for apprehension, but I must hurry down to admit the servants (whether the burglars have left a door open or not, I do not know), see in what condition things are in the lower rooms, and keep guard over my prisoners till the sheriff or constable and his men arrive.”
“What can I do?” asked Violet.
“Stay here out of harm’s way, and ready to soothe and quiet the children should they wake in affright,” he answered as he again hastened away.
Violet sprang from the bed and went with swift, noiseless steps into the nursery. All was quiet there, children and nurse soundly sleeping. She retraced her steps and went on into Grace’s room, where the two little girls were lying together in the bed, locked in each other’s arms. Grace trembling with fear, Lulu bravely struggling with her own excitement and trying to calm and soothe her little sister.
“O Mamma Vi, I’m so glad you’ve come!” she exclaimed, as Violet drew near, then seated herself on the side of the bed, and bent down to kiss first the one and then the other, “for Gracie is so frightened.”
“I’m so afraid those wicked men will hurt papa,” sobbed Grace.
“God will take care of him, dear child,” Violet said, repeating her caress. “Beside your papa just told m
e he thought there was no cause for apprehension.
“But, Lulu, I have not heard yet how the burglars came to be locked into the strong room. Tell me about it.”
“Something waked me, Mamma Vi, and I heard them, and by listening a little I made sure where they were. At first I thought I’d run and call papa; but then I thought there are two of them if not more and papa is only one, so he would hardly have a chance in trying to fight them; but if I should slip quietly down and slam the door to and lock them in, it would save risking papa’s life; and if they should catch me and kill me it wouldn’t be half so bad as if they hurt papa.
“So I asked God to help me and take care of me. Then I ran down the back stairs to the library.
“The door into the back hall was far enough open to let me slip in without touching it, so that I did so without making any noise to attract their attention; then seeing by the light coming from the crack at the back of the strong room door, that they were in there, I crept close up and peeped in, and there they were; one down on his knees working at the lock of the safe, the other holding a lantern to give him light.
“When I had watched them for a minute, I asked God again to help me; then I felt for the bolt and kept my hand on it while I, all of a sudden, pushed against the door with all my might and slammed it to, and shot the bolt in.
“I’d hardly done it when I heard the men drop their tools and run to the door and try to get it open; saying dreadful words too, that frightened me. So I only waited to lock the door also before I started to run upstairs and on through the rooms till I got to papa.
“He was asleep and I was so out of breath, and my heart beating so fast I couldn’t speak for a minute. But I put my arm round his neck and my cheek on the pillow close to his and he woke.”
“And it was you who locked the burglars in?” exclaimed Violet in astonishment. “I’ve heard before now of women doing such things, but never of a little girl like you attempting it. You dear, brave, unselfish child! I am very, very proud of you!” and she bent down again and kissed Lulu several times.
The burglars, quite aware that their presence in the house was known, were making desperate efforts to escape, trying to force the lock or break down the door, at the same time cursing, and swearing in tones of concentrated fury.
The captain drew near and spoke to them.
“Men,” he said sternly, “you are caught in a trap you have laid for yourselves, and escape is impossible; both lock and door are strong enough to resist your utmost efforts; therefore you may as well take matters quietly.”
“That we won’t. Let us out or it’ll be the worse for you!” growled one of the villians, grinding his teeth with rage.
“Have a little patience,” returned the captain; “you shall be taken out presently, and off the premises; you are by no means desirable inmates in the home of any honest, law-abiding citizen.”
The response to that was a threat of vengeance to be taken sooner or later, should he dare to deliver them up to justice.
Finding their threats disregarded, they tried persuasion, appeals to his compassion— asserting that it was their first attempt to rob, and that they were driven to it by necessity— they and their families being in sore straits from extreme poverty— and promises to lead honest lives in future.
One voice the captain recognized as that of the groom he had dismissed some months before because of his cruelty to Thunderer.
“Ajax,” he said sternly, “you are lying to me! I know that your family are not in distress, and that you can make an honest living if you choose to be industrious and faithful to your employers. You were well paid here but lost your situation by inexcusable cruelty to dumb animals.
“Since discharging you I have more than once supplied the wants of your wife and children; and this is your grateful return;— coming to rob me, bringing with you another, and perhaps more desperate villain than yourself.”
The men-servants had followed their master into the library and stood listening to the colloquy in open-mouthed astonishment.
“How dey git locked up in dar, cap’in?” asked one.
“Miss Lulu slammed the door to on them and locked and bolted it,” he replied, his eyes shining at thought of the unselfish bravery of his child.
“Ki, cap’n! you’s jokin’, fo’ shuah, dat little Miss Lu lock up de bugglars? how she gwine do dat? she one small chile an’ dey two big men?”
“She undoubtedly did it,” returned the captain, smiling at the man’s evident amazement. “She heard them at work with their tools, on the safe door, came softly down into this room, peeped at them through the crack behind the door there, and before they were aware of her vicinity, slammed it to and bolted and locked it on them.”
“Hurrah for little Miss Lu!” cried the men; one of them adding, “Dey mus’ hab her fo’ a kunnel in de nex’ wah.”
“No, sah; higher’n dat; fo’ brigandine gineral at de berry leas’!” said another.
Seeing no hope of escape, the prisoners had ceased their efforts and awaited their fate in sullen silence.
They did not know who had been their captor, and in telling the story of Lulu’s exploit the captain purposely so lowered his tones that scarce a word reached their ears.
At this moment Max appeared at the door opening from the library into the front hall; only half dressed and asking in much excitement, what was the matter? what was the meaning of the lights and the noises that had waked him?
His father explained in a few words, and as he finished a loud knocking at the front entrance told of the arrival of the sheriff and his posse.
They were promptly admitted, filed into the library and formed a semi-circle about the door of the strong room— each man with a revolver in his hand, cocked and ready for instant use.
The door was then unfastened and the burglars stepped out only to be immediately handcuffed and carried away to prison, sullenly submitting to their arrest because they saw that resistance was useless.
But before being taken from the house they were searched and the captain’s watch found upon Ajax. He had evidently visited the dressing-room of his late master to obtain the key to the strong room door, and appropriated the watch at the same time.
The lock of the safe was also examined and found but little injured. The scoundrels had not succeeded in getting at the valuables there.
They had collected together some from other parts of the house and made them into bundles ready to carry away, but they were uninjured and had only to be restored to their places.
Max was greatly excited. “Papa,” he said, when the sheriff had departed with his prisoners, and doors and windows were again secured, “we have had a narrow escape from serious loss; perhaps worse than that; for who knows but those fellows meant to murder us in our beds?”
“I think not, my son,” replied the captain. “I presume their only object was plunder, and that if they had succeeded in rifling the safe without discovery, they would have gone quietly away with their booty.
“Had they desired to kill any of us, they would have been likely to attempt it when upstairs in search of the key to the strong room.”
“And it was Lu who spoiled their plans! Just think of it! I’d like to have had her chance. Papa, I think Lu’s splendid!”
“She has certainly shown herself very brave and unselfish on this, and several other occasions,” the captain said with a happy look in his eyes.
“But come, we will do well now to go back to our beds, for it is scarcely four o’clock,” he added, consulting his recovered watch.
The men servants had returned to their quarters, and father and son were alone.
Violet, in dressing-gown and slippers, met them at the head of the stairway.
“You have not been able to sleep, my love?” the captain said with a glance of concern at her pale, excited face. “But of course that was not to be expected.”
“No; we have all been too much excited to close an eye,” she answered.”
They are gone? Do tell me all about it!”
“O papa, please come in here and tell it where Gracie and I can hear,” called Lulu entreatingly, from the inner room, and the bed where they still lay clasped in each other’s arms.
“I will; I think you deserve the indulgence,” he said going to them, Violet and Max following, the latter asking, “May I come in too, papa?”
“Yes,” replied his father, placing a chair for Violet. “I presume it will be a relief to you all to talk the matter over together with your mamma and me, and you will perhaps be more inclined for sleep afterward.”
“Papa, won’t you sit down and take me on your knee, and hug me up close, while you tell it?” entreated Grace.
“I will,” he said, doing as she requested. Then catching a longing look in Lulu’s eyes, “You may come too, daughter,” he said. “Slip on your dressing-gown and stand here by my side. I have an arm for you as well as one for Gracie.”
Lulu promptly and joyfully availed herself of the permission.
“Lu,” said Max, “you’re a real heroine! brave as a lion! I’m proud to own you for my sister. I’m afraid I mightn’t have been half so brave.”
“Oh yes, Max, I’m sure you would have done just the same,” she returned, blushing with pleasure. “And you see I preferred to do it, because I thought they might kill papa, and that would have been oh so much worse than being killed myself!” clinging lovingly to her father, and hiding her face on his shoulder as she spoke.
“Dear child!” he said in moved tones and clasping her close, “you have a very strong and unselfish love for me.”
“Papa, it would have broken my heart, and Mamma Vi’s, and Max’s and Gracie’s too, if anything dreadful had happened to you.”
“And what about papa’s heart if he should lose his dear little daughter Lulu, or anything dreadful should happen to her?”
“I didn’t have time to think about that, papa. I know you love me very much, and would be sorry to lose me— naughty as I often am— but you have other children, and I have only one father; so of course it would be a great deal worse for me to lose you, and all the rest to lose you too.”
