CHAPTER III
A STRANGE ADVENTURE
Joe Dale was a credit to the family. Although only a boy in his tenthyear, he possessed as much manliness as many another well in the teens.He was tall, and of the dark type, while Dorothy was not quite so tall,and had fair hair; so that, in spite of the difference of their ages,Joe was often considered Dorothy's big brother. Roger was just a prettybaby, so plump and with such golden curls! Dorothy had pleaded not tohave them cut until his next birthday, but the boys, of course, thoughtseven years very old for long hair.
"Only for a few months more," the sister had coaxed, and, so the curlswere kept. Dorothy always arranged them herself, telling fairy storiesto conceal the time consumed in making the ringlets.
Both boys were to sell papers to-day, for the Bugle was out, andDorothy had told her brothers of the necessity for extra efforts tohelp with money matters.
"You may go with one of the regular boys," Ralph Willoby instructedthem. "He can tell you where you would be likely to get customers. Gointo all the stores, of course, and look out for the mill hands, atnoon time."
"I'll sell Bugles to-day," declared Joe, with that splendid manlinessand real earnestness that makes a boy so attractive, especially to hissister.
"It takes a boy," Dorothy said proudly, as her brothers left theoffice, each with his bundle of papers, for, of course, Roger had tohave a strap full the same as did Joe. Ralph was glancing over thepaper. Evidently he was pleased with its appearance, for his faceshowed satisfaction.
"Is it all right?" Dorothy asked, secretly glad the "getting out" wasfinished, and that she would not have to write another parade storythat day.
"First-rate," answered the young man, "and I think your father will bepleased. You had better go home and take him a copy, he may be anxiousto see one."
"I'll go now," she told Ralph, "and I'll be back about noon, when theboys come in from their routes."
Dorothy passed out, and closed the door after her. Ralph went to thefar end of the office, to finish folding the papers. Scarcely had hetaken one sheet in his hand than he heard something in the hall.
A scream! And in Dorothy's voice!
Darting past the big press, and making his way to the hall door quicklyin spite of the things that barred his path, Ralph pulled open theportal.
The girls were in a heap on the steps! Dorothy and Tavia.
The young man bent down anxiously. The pair seemed unusually still.
"Fainted!" he murmured, trying to lift Dorothy's head.
"Is he--go--gone?" whispered Tavia. "We are not hurt. We only madebelieve!"
"Oh!" sighed Dorothy. "I feel as if I were dying! I--I can't breathe!"
"Try to get on your feet," commanded Ralph. "The air will revive you!"
"There!" gasped Tavia. "There's his hat. I grabbed it when he put thehandkerchief, with some stuff on it, to my nose," and the girl held upa gray slouch hat, the kind western men usually wear.
"That may help us," said Ralph. "But first you must both come down tothe drug store. That stuff he used may sicken you. It has a queersmell."
Once on their feet the girls seemed all right, in fact as Tavia said,they had only "made believe" to prevent any further violence.
It seemed incredible that two girls should be way-laid in broaddaylight, in the hall of the most public building in Dalton, but thefact was certainly plain--there was the dirty white handkerchiefreeking with some drug, and besides, there was the hat that Tavia hadtaken from the man's head.
Ralph took the girls into the prescription room of the drug store, tosee if they needed any attention, and there to the astonished drugclerk, as well as to the equally astonished proprietor, Tavia tried torelate what had happened.
"It was the same man who grabbed my papers the other day," she said. "Isaw him first as I came along William street. Joe and Roger had justgone in Beck's with their papers, and as I saw the man watching them Iwas afraid he might kidnap Roger. I was just thinking who would be bestto call, when he caught me watching him, and then, like a flash, hesprang into that saloon at the corner. I thought he was frightened lesthe would be caught, and I hurried down here to warn Dorothy. Well, nosooner had I put my foot inside the hall than he darted at me--"
"Where did he come from?" asked the drug store proprietor.
"Probably through the alley that leads from the saloon to the end ofour building," explained Ralph. "He could easily dash into the hallfrom there."
"He was after papers," declared Tavia, "for just as he grabbed me hesaw Dorothy. I was going to scream when he put that queer-smellingstuff to my nose."
"I screamed when I saw Tavia," ventured the frightened Dorothy, "but hehad me almost before I could open--my--mouth. Tavia squeezed my handand I knew she meant for me to be quiet."
"And if you had not closed your eyes he might have given you anotherdose," added Tavia, who somehow, seemed to know more than any one elseabout the wicked ways of the mysterious stranger.
"But how did he manage to get away so promptly?" asked one of the men,trying to get on the track for capture.
"Through that same alley into the saloon," Ralph said. "I will go atonce, and have the place searched."
"As soon as he got the papers Dorothy had he went off," finished Tavia,"just as he did when he got my notes."
Leaving the girls to quiet themselves in the drug store, all the men,except the head clerk, started out to give the alarm.
This time a thorough search should be made, and even a reward offeredby the town for the capture of the coward who went about trying tofrighten helpless girls. There was certainly some hidden motive in hisactions, as he had, each time, made an attack on some one connectedwith the Bugle's business, and the men quickly concluded his intentionshad to do with an attempt to stop the Liquor Crusade.
Miles Burlock also figured in the case they decided, although how thisstranger was mixed up in matters relating to Burlock, and whatconnection Mrs. Douglass' death could have with such affairs, was notplain.
The druggist warned Dorothy and Tavia not to tell their experience toany one, not even to the folks at home, for, he argued the strangermight get to hear they were after him, and so escape.
Dorothy readily agreed to keep silent, in fact it would not do for anyone in her home to know of her experience, as the major was too ill tobe worried, but Tavia did not see why her father should not beacquainted with the affair, as he always knew what to do. And whyshould other men be allowed to search for the man who had threatenedher, when it was plainly her own father's special privilege?
"Well, if you feel that way about it," agreed the druggist, "tell yourfather to come down here to-night and perhaps he will be put on thecommittee."
This was quite satisfactory to Tavia, and after making sure that nomore strangers lurked about, the girls made their way home.
"I never was afraid in daylight before," remarked Dorothy, whose facewas still pale from the fright. "Let us hurry. There are the boys. Besure not to say anything to them about the scare."
"Hurrah!" shouted Joe swinging his empty strap. "All sold out."
"Me too," said little Roger, who had his strap buckled so tightly abouthis fat waist, that he had hard work to breathe under the pressure.
"Hip--hip--" answered Tavia, continuing:
"Blow Bugle, blow, Blow Bugle blow, We're very proud You blew so loud To let the people know."
"Price five cents! Order now! That's the way city people put things inthe papers about their goods," declared Tavia. "I think when I leaveschool I'll look for work in a newspaper office."
"Ralph said you did splendidly," said Dorothy, "I'm sure I never couldhave gotten along without you. But we are home now and--"
"No paper for the major," finished Tavia.
"There's a boy. I'll get one," said Joe, running off at full speed toovertake the newsboy, who had just turned the corner.
"Aunt Libby may be cross," whispered Dorothy, "for she has been allalone, and this b
eing Saturday she would expect help."
"Mother won't say anything to me," Tavia decided, "for--well, I havesomething to tell her that will make her forget all about the work."
"Not about the--you know--" cautioned her companion.
"My, no," answered the other. "It's just about Mrs. Douglass' funeral.You know ma always goes to funerals, and I have found out that peoplemay go to the house and see her. That will interest ma."
Joe was back with the paper, and was proud to have such an activeinterest in the Bugle. It seemed something to say it was his ownfather's paper, and then to have people remark what a bright sheet itwas, and how it was never afraid to tell the truth.
"Let me give it to father?" he asked Dorothy.
"No, let me?" pleaded little Roger, "cause I ain't hardly seen him abit lately."
"But you must not tell that we sold papers," directed Joe. "Father isnot to know yet, you know."
"Oh, I won't tell," Roger promised.
"But you might forget," argued Dorothy.
"Nope," declared the little fellow, "I'll just let this strap keepsqueezing me, then I couldn't forget."
"And have father ask where you got it," said Joe laughing.
"Then I'll tie a string round my finger," persisted the younger brother.
"I'll tell you," Dorothy concluded, "You just run in, give father agood hug, put the paper on his lap and run out again without saying aword. Then he will think you are playing newsboy."
This plan was finally decided upon, although Roger did think he wouldlike to stay for "just a little while" to hear "Daddy" say "somethingabout something."
They found the major anxiously expecting them. He feared something hadhappened--the press might break down, or the paper supply give out,Many things might occur when the man who ran the business was not thereto keep ends straight. To say that the major was pleased was not halftelling it--he was delighted. To think that they could get out a paperlike that! And that his Little Captain should write up the parade. Itreally was well described.
Perhaps what astonished him most was Tavia's part in the issue. Helaughed when Dorothy told how jolly Tavia was. Of course, there was nomention of the encounter with the strange man.
But that night Dorothy could not sleep. The excitement perhaps, or wasit fear?
Oh, if that horrid man had never come to Dalton!
Dorothy Dale: A Girl of To-Day Page 3