he shrieked.

Fortunately Central recognized his childish voice and was willing to
humor him, so as she too knew Miss Minerva's beau. The connection was
quickly made.

"Hello! Is that you, Major? This is me. If you don't want Mr. Algernon
Jones to be robbering everything Miss Minerva's got you better get a
move on and come right this minute. You got to hustle and bring 'bout a
million pistols and guns and swords and tomahawks and all the mans you
can find and dogs. He's the fiercest robber ever was, and he's already
done tie Billy to a bath-room chair and done eat up 'bout a million cold
biscuits, I spec'. All of us is 'bout to be slewed. Good-bye."

The plump, round gentleman at the other end of the wire heard
this amazing message in the utmost confusion and consternation. He
frantically rang the telephone again and again but could get no answer
from the Garners' home so he put on his hat and walked the short
distance to Miss Minerva's house.

Jimmy was waiting to receive him at the front gate, having again eluded
Sarah Jane's vigilance.

"Hush!" he whispered mysteriously, "he's in the dining-room. Ain't you
bringed nobody else? Get your pistol and come on."

Mr. Algernon Jones, feeling safe and secure for the next hour and having
partaken of a light lunch, was in the act of transferring some silver
spoons from the sideboard to his pockets when a noise at the dining-room
door caused him to look in that direction. With an oath he sprang
forward, and landed his fist upon the nose of a plump gentleman standing
there, bringing a stream of blood and sending him sprawling to the
floor. Mr. Jones overturned a big-eyed little boy who was in his way
and, walking rapidly in the direction of the railroad, the erstwhile
plumber was seen no more.

Jimmy quickly recovered himself and sprang to his feet. Seeing the blood
streaming down the white shirt front of Miss Minerva's unconscious beau,
he gathered his wits together and took the thread of events again into
his own little hands. He flung himself over the fence, careless of Sarah
Jane this time, mounted a chair and once more rang the telephone.

"Hello! Is that you, Miss Central? This is me some more. Gimme Doctor
Sanford's office, please."

"Hello! Is that you, Doctor? This is me. Mr. Algernon Jones done kilt
Miss Minerva's beau. He's on her back-porch bloody all over. He's 'bout
the deadest man they is. You 'd better come toreckly you can and bring
the hearse, and a