East Saginaw courier., 1866-06-28

and heavier in my pocket. At length
was near enough to see, in spite OF
a dimness that had gathered over my
eyes, and with a sensation OF absolute
faintness / beheld upon the spoon an
engraved crest--the red right hand OF
a baronet!
I crept back again, holding by the
fancying every now and
then that / heard a door opening be-
hind me, and yet my feet no more
consenting to quicken their motion
than if l had been pursued by muir
derer in the nightmare. | at length
got into the room, CROPPED for a chair
and sat down. No moro hurry now
Oh, no! There was plenty of time
and plenty to do in it, for / had tc
wipe away the perspiration that ran
uo@n ny ,-streams. What wa.
to be done? What had L donel Un
triiie, a mere triae. l had only
sneaked into gentloman's house by
the area window, and pocketed his
tablespoons; and here / was, locked
and barred and belled in, sitting very
comfortably in the dark and alone, in
his drawing-room. Very particularly
comfortable. What capital fellow,
to be sure! What an amusing per
sonage! Wouldn't the baronet laugh
in the morning? Wouldn't he ask
me to stayto breakfast? And wouldn't
l cat heartily out of. the spoons / had
stolen? But what name is that? Who
calls me O housebreaker? Who gives
me in charge? Who lugs me off by
tho neclS9 l will not stand it. am
innocent except of breaking into q
baronet's house. l am a gentleman,
with another gentleman's spoons in
my pocket. l claim the protection OF
tho law. Policel police!
My brain was wandering. i press
ed my hand upon my wet forehead, to
keep down the thick eomiug fancies,
and determined, for the first time in
my life, TO hold deliberate consulta-
ton with mycelf / was in an awk-
ward predicament-it is impossible to
deny the fact; but was there anything
really serious in the case? / had un-
questionabIy descended into the wrong
area, the right hand one instead OF
the left hand one; but was l not as
unquestionably the relation-the very
distant relation-of the next door
neighbor? had been four years alb
sent from his house, and was there
anything more natural than that 1
should desire to pay my next visit
through a subterranean window? i
had apl ropriated, it is true, a quanti-
ty of silver plate 1 had found; but
with what other intention could l
have done this than To prc-cnt it &c
my very distant relations daughter,
and reproach her wi h her careless
ness in leaving it next door? Finally,
l was shared, Gagged, trapped-door
and window had been bolted upon me,
without any resistance on my part
and | was now some considerable time
in the house, unsuspected, yet a pris-
oner. The position was serious; but
come, suppose the worst, that 1 was
laid hold of as malefactor !;
commanded to give an account of my
self. Well; l was, as aforesaid, dis
tant relation Of the individual next
door. belonged to nobody in tho
world, if not to him; l bore but an
Indifferent reputation in regard to
and after four years alb
sence in foreign country, had re-
turned, idle, penniless, and objectless,
just in time to find an area window
open in the dusk of the evening, and
a heap of plate lying behind it, with
in view of tho street. e
This self-examination was not en-
the case was decidedly
queer; and as sat thus pondering in
the dark, with the spoons in my hand,
| am quite sure that no malefactor in
q dungeon could have envied my re-
hections. In fact, the evidence was so
dead against me-, that ! began to doubt
my own innocence. What was here
for if my intentions had been really
honest? Why should desire to come
into any individuals area window in
stead of the door? And how came it
that ALL this silver-plate had found its
way into my pockets? l was angry
rs we'll as terrified; I was Judge and
criminal in one; but the instincts of
nature got the better of my sense Of
Justice, and / rose suddenly up to as
certain whether it was not possible to
get from the window into the street.
AS moved, however, the horrible
booty in my pockets moved likewise,
to me to shrek like score.
If fiends, " Police! police v' and the
next instant 1 heard quick footstep
ascending the stair. Now was the
'earful moment to come! / was on
ny fuet; my eyes glared upon the
loor; my hands c'cnched; the pc. :
'piration n had dried sufficiently on my
kin; my tongue Glove to the roof Of
nv mouth. But the footstep, accom-
panied by a gleam of light, passed.
passed; and from very weakness / sat
lown again, with a dreadful indiffer-
nee 10 the screams of the plate in my
pockets. Presently there were more
ootsteps along the hall; then voices;
hen drawing Of bolts and troaking of
ocks, then utter darkness, then 81
enco- lasting, terrible, profound.--i
The house had gone to bed; the
rouse would DO quickly asleep; it was
lime to be up and doing. But first
Ind foremost ] must rid myself of the
,late. Without that hideous cord's
lelecti, i should have some chance.i 1
must, at all hazards creep down into
he hail, find my way down to the
over regions, and replpce the accurs-
ID thing whore I found it. 1t required
lerve to attempt this; but was thor
,ughly wound up; and after allowing
! reasonable time to elapse, to give
py enemies fair opportunity of fall
ng asleep, set out upon the adven-
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