d all up and then we scampered in to bed!

There were only little oil lamps here, the electric lights not having
been fixed yet, and when I piled all the bed clothes on the floor and
rolled myself up in the quilt, I was off to sleep in a minute.

It did not seem very long afterwards when drunken footsteps came up the
passage and woke me up, and then a fumbling at the Senator's door and
frightful swearing because the key would not fit. The creature, whoever
it was, was perfectly furious, and one could hear him muttering "29, yes
it's 29," and then fearful oaths, and at last, with a shove, he wrenched
down the crazy door and got into the room and I suppose was too sleepy
or drunk to notice it was not his own, and retired to the Senator's bed!
Because I could hear him snoring next me through the cracked partition.

A little while after, in the still of night air, there was a distant
murmur of voices, and then some shots rang out. It was a grim, sinister
sound, and in about ten minutes running feet were heard, and two or
three men came up the passage. They banged at Lola's door; hers had been
24 and was now 201. They cursed and swore and demanded to come in, and
at last a voice said, "I'm Curly Grainger," and then some terrible
oaths. "Open this minute, Jim; we've done for two of 'em, but they've
got Bill, and you must come and bail him out."

No answer, of course, as Lola was crouching terrified in bed, Randolph
just as frightened, I suppose, while even through the Vicomte's room I
could hear Columbia and Mercedes giggle, and I, too, for a minute felt
inclined to laugh, it seemed too dramatic to be real. But the voices got
menacing and then the excitement began! With the most dreadful language
they just kicked down the door, intending to pull "Jim" out of bed, I
suppose, and when they saw it was one of the strangers' rooms, I suppose
the idea came to them they might do a little robbery as well.

Suddenly there was a rush of feet and more men came up the stairs. I got
out of bed, wondering what would be best to do, when I heard Lola shriek
and a shot in the passage. So I felt I must go to her help and opened
the door, and such a scene, Mamma! There were seven of the most awful
looking men you ever saw, the ones who, I told you, had come into the
dance hall at Osages. Among them Lola and Randolph in night clothes,
were already lined up against the wall, with their hands above their
heads. While one brute stood at the end