window
and call for help. The cry would rouse the village and it would not take
long for many citizens to rush thither. Beartown had no police force, the
only officer of the peace being a constable who was lame and cross-eyed
and lived at the farthest end of the village. No dependence could be
placed on him, but there were plenty of others who would gladly hasten to
the help of mother and daughter.

This was the only thing to do, and it would have been done but for the
hysterical opposition of Nora Friestone. She declared that the dreadful
robbers--she was sure of it--would hurry upstairs the instant the first
scream was made and kill every one before any help could arrive! It might
not take more than five or ten minutes for friends to run to the spot,
but that would be enough for the burglars to complete their awful work.

Possibly the girl might have been argued out of her absurd fear had she
not won her mother to her side. She took the same view.

"What then is to be done?" asked Chester a trifle impatiently.

"Nothing; they can't get the safe open, if they work till daylight."

"They can do it in a few minutes if they use dynamite, and at the same
time blow out the whole end of your house."

To this terrifying declaration the lady could make no reply except to
say:

"We may as well go back to our rooms."

It was on the point of Chester's tongue to ask in view of this conclusion
why Nora had knocked on their door, but he thought best to refrain.

"Whisht!" whispered Mike; "let's go to the parlor, where we have the
moonlight to help us."

Walking on tiptoe and as silent as so many cats, the party moved through
the hall to the front room. The straining ears heard nothing more from
below stairs, though there could be no doubt that their visitors were
still there.

As Mike had intimated, the round, clear moon was in the sky, and looking
from the windows it seemed almost as bright as day. The party stood just
far enough back to be invisible to anyone in the street below. A row of
elms lined each side of the highway, being mutually separated by a dozen
yards or so. They were small, having been set out only a few years
before, but were in full foliage and the most remote ones cast a shadow
into the highway. On the same side of what was the main street, each
frame house that served for a dwelling had a yard, shrubbery and flowers
in front. Farther to the left was the small grocery store, while to the
right on th