The Weber Literary Journal I'll fire ye right on the spot." The crowds of onlookers began to laugh and chuckle. Sadie had to give up. She went back to her aisle and for twenty minutes was kept busy seating patrons. Eight o'clock saw Hicks' Opera House filled to capacity. Nearly every one of the thousand souls of Threadville was there. The raise of Threadville's popular admission had proved quite an advertisement, in fact, a big advertisement, and, along with extensive billboard advertisements and a half page of the "Rex County Semi-Monthly Chronicle" had been enough to win over the most rebellant spirits. Miss Lena Jute and Percey Doolittle occupied a right side box. Everything complete, even to the small details of the opera "glawses" and the dignified posture. Down on the first row, Mrs. Miller had an extremely difficult time trying to keep her first from making eyes at the gro-ceryman's daughter across the aisle, and her thirteenth from playing the pans around the base drum with the aid of a few well-selected pebbles and a determined disposition. Joseph Watkins (in on a free pass) would like to scalp every one of them Miller kids and throw 'em out. At last, everyone was seated! Sadie gave a sigh of relief. Threadville's ticket window closed promptly at eight-fifteen. Jeremiah was needed behind the scenes from then until the play began. Late patrons would have to wait until the curtain ran up. Sadie resolved to watch the entrance to the ticket office that night but found herself too busy seating a number of last minute couples to give much attention to the office. Then Bert Loring came in and insisted on talking a minute or two before giving her his ticket and of course the office was forgotten until he was seated. When she did get a few moments she rushed out to it. There was the money-drawer with the lock snapped off and wide open. Jeremiah's money-drawer was as bare as his head. Without stopping for second thought, Sadie sped madly through the audience towards the little door behind the boxes that led to the stage. After reaching it she found it locked, possibly, to keep inquisitives out. She was then obliged to take 32 The Weber Literary Journal the door that led to the dark hallway, past the dungeon-room into the dressing rooms and thence to the stage, where she would find Jeremiah and tell him of the awful happening. She flew at break-neck speed down the darkened hallway until she came directly in front of the dungeon-room. There she stopped, rather suddenly as anyone might when he comes in contact with a person unexpectedly. Sadie fell head over heels. She hopped to her feet and flashed her searchlight. It revealed the form of -Rusty Graves and a mostly invisible crouching woman behind him. The woman excitedly jumped into the cold dungeon-room, closely followed by the equally excited Rusty. Sadie was about to run, when a great idea struck her. Nervously she pulled the door shut and then locked the big padlock. She took the key and ran for dear life, and stumbled again. The key went somewhere somewhere unknown to the excited girl. On she ran past the dressing-rooms and up onto the stage, where she found Jeremiah raving. "The money's gone. Every blasted cent. I just naturally walked into the office an' there layin' wide open an' as bare as my hand, was the money-drawer. Oh dear oh gosh-oh heck a'mighty what can I do?" Jeremiah was pacing the floor. "Jimmie Mack's on the trail though he's chasin' the dirty scoundrels on the road to Springtown. I telephoned him and he said that's where they all go, so he was goin' to scour the Springtown road." An actor spoke. "But Mr. Hicks, didn't you have a safe?" "No, no. Never had no need fer one till tonight oh, dear. I guess my money's speedin' towards Springtown where it'll never get seen by me again." "No, no, it's not," Sadie interrupted. "The money and the burglar's downstairs. I I caught him." "The heck he is," said Jeremiah; nevertheless, his face brightened somewhat. "It's the truth! Come down and see." " Is he safe? How the dickens did you get him?" Jeremiah was laughing really salt tears. 33