TOLD BY READERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 71, 24 March 1928, Page 2 (Supplement)

TOLD BY READERS.

HELEN'S "TERRIBLE ADVENTURE." (Sent In by K. Sutcliffe, 0.5.8., 26, O'Xeill St., PonsonSy^J Bother it all!" Cousin Helen petulantly stamped 1* foot as she watched the steady rain outside. "Well, I can't see what you're bothering for We've l~r no rain for weete now, and this will make the fanners-5 I tried to pacify her, but, alas, she interrupted. "John, you're a creature! I don't want to know wfc* the farmers think. What I know is that a picnic in tfe bush is spoilt. Bother the rain!" She tossed back her and marched into the "jumWe room." The "jumble room" is really a junk store. It is £ small room a little below the level of the rest of the 1 T As it seemed to offer itself to no useful purpose w e h*f dumped all old papers, etc., in it. It had often been oar wont to go into this room on wet days and seek amusement in the old papers. I followed Helen, anxious to please her, for in my faurir life in our home at the foot of the hill I had notS chance of picking up friends. Cousin Helen filled my vut, and we soon became pals when she visited us for the holidays. She was seated on the little stool when I entered, savaedr spurning the papers at her feet. ' "I wish, I wish," she spoke solemnly, "I wish that-. that—a—a—something terrible or exciting would haiwa.* she finished, rather at a loss. 9 "Look here, Helen," I began remonstrating, but the sky* light was smashed with a crash before I had Startled, we gazed up. Gazing down on us was a fierce, wild-looking man, snarling and gnashing his teeth. Oooooh!" Helen cried, and rushed to me for protection. The wild man gave us another glare and disappeared. We heard him scuttling up the roof. Then— cra-a-ash! Then was a mighty scuffing and our wild man came crashing through the roof on top of the pile of papers. How we wished someone to be near. Mum was in tonji and father at work. We were alone with—whom. A sharp whistle was heard. Helen left my protecting arms (a bit flabby by then) and gasped: "A lunatfc escaped." Before we had time to do anything the fellow dived st her, knocked me over like a ninepin, and went crashing through the house, poor struggling Helen in his arms. As for me, I felt a sudden anger with Helen for uitering sock a wish as to bring this upon us. Then I was brought back to my senses by the bursting in of two men in uniform. "Where did he go?" they gasped in one breath. "He's «, dangerous lunatic." Dynamite leapt in me. Helen at his mercy! Great Heavens! I jumped up in an instant. Follow me," I yelled, and made off out tha door. There were tracks on the ground, for the rain had no# eased, and our pursuit was easy. However, that fellow's lunacy seemed to give him superhuman endurance, and sooq, I felt that I would drop. I stopped and leaned on a tree while the keepers fotwhat they thought to be the madman's tracks. As $ turned out they were merely following the tracks of a party. Swish! A huge lump of ti-tree came flying down from th| branches above, and struck my foot. "Yarrooo!" I bowleg and, gazing upwards, saw the madman, with something liaf| in his arms, nestled in the heart of several branches. A mad fury possessed me, and I swung up the determined to get at him. He saw me and let fly another lump of wood, catching me on my left ear. It hurt me. Ani I leapt at liirn, little thinking that I might bring the wtah three of us to the ground below. I caught him around tbi neck and strained my arm for all I was worth. But I a fool to expect to beat such a fellow that way. He swung me round like a baby and lifted me up over the branch. I. noticed even in my terror that Helen was no longer in hit arms, but lying white and still below. The next instant there came a terrific crack, and branch that held us broke. All heavcu, all earth, all every thing rose up to smite me. The trees twisted and twirled The sun broke into a million coloured crystals—and darkne* came over me. That night we were a happy family at home. Hele® (who was quite all right except for a few bruises and £ severe fright) was telling me how brave 1 must have bee* "Of course, the poor lunatic Mas only stunned when h* fell, and is quite safe now. But, John, let's go into the jumble room and look through some papers. I —l've h*4 enough of terrible things."'