The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-02-08

goes to bed at 10; no one on base
ment Swarms with beetles other
wise excellent house for purpose.
This seemed to be a capital house TO
try singe-handed. AT IL o'clock that
very night pocketed two crowbars,
bunch of skeleton keys, centre-bit,
dark lantern, box of silent matches,
some putty, fe.preserver and knife,
and set off at once for Thurlow square.
Remember that it showed heavily
There was at least foot of snow on
the ground, and there was more to
come. Poor Stoneligh's particulars
were exact in every detail.
| got into the third room on the
ground floor without the least difficulty,
and made my way into the dining
room. There was the presentation
plate, sure enough-about eight hun
dred ounces. | collected this and tied
it up, so that / could carry it without
attracting attention.
just as had finished | heard slight
cough behind me. l turned and saw
dear old silver haired gentleman in
dressing gown standing in the door
way. The renerable gentleman COW
cred me with revolver.
My first impulse was to rush at him
and brain him with my life-preser-
YER.
"Don't move," said he, cor you are a
dead man.
A rathy silly remark TO the effect
that if l did move it would rather
prove that was live man occurred
to me, but dismissed it at once as un-
suited to the business character of the
interview.
"You're burglar" he said.
81 have that honor" said l, making
for my pistol pocket.
"Don't move,' said he ; 81 have
often wished to have the pleasure of
encountering burglar, in order to test
a favorite theory of mine as to how
persons of that class should be dealt
with. But you mustn't move"
replied that should be happy to
assist him if could do so consistently
with due regard for my own safe
ty.
"Promse me-" said /, "that you will
allow me to leave the house unmolest-
ed when your experiment is at an
end"
'If you will obey me promptly, you
shall be at perfect liberty to leave the
house"
"You will neither give me into Gus
tody nor take any steps to pursue me?"
"On my honor as designer of da-
dos" said be
"Good," said l. "Go on"
"Stand up said he, 'and stretch
out your arms at right angles to your
body"
Suppose l don't :" said l.
81 shall send bullet through your
left ear,' said he.
"Permit me to OBSERVE" said l.
Bang A ball cut off the lobe of my
left ear.
The ear smarted, and l should have
liked to have attended to it, but, under
the circumstances, / thought it better
to comply with the whimsical old gen.
tleman's wishes.
Every good said he. "Now do as
| tell you, promptly and without hesi-
tation, or I'll cut off the lobe of your
right ear. Throw me that life, ,preser-
ver."
"But-"
"Ah, would you 2" said he cooking
his revolver,
The ''clck' decided me. Besides,
the old gentleman's eccentricity amused
me, and l was curious to see how it
would carry him. So l tossed my life
preserver to him. He caught it neat
ly.
"Now take off your coat and throw
it to me-
| took off my coat and threw it to
him diagonally across the room.
'Now the waistcoat."
threw the wastcoat to him.
"Boots," said he.
"They are Shoes" said /, in some
trepidation lest he should take offense
when no offense was really intended.
"Shoes then," said he.
threw my shoes to him.
"Trousers."
"Come, come, I say" exclaimed /.
Bang The lobe Of the other ear
came off. With all his eccentricity
the old gentleman was a man of his
word. He had the trousers and with
them my revolver which happened to
be in the right-hand pocket
Snow the rest of your drapery.'
threw him the rest of my drapery.
He tied up my clothes in the table
cloth, and telling me that he wouldn't
detain me any longer, made for the
door with the bundle under his arm.
stop" said |. "What is to become
of me !"
"Really, | hardly know" said he.
"You promised me my liberty said
Certainly" said he. "Don't let me
trespass any further on your valuable
time. You will find the street door
open or if from force of habit you
prefer the window, you will have no
difficulty in clearing the area ratings"
"But can't go like this. Won't
you give me something to put on p
"No," said he "nothing at all. Good
night =
The quaint old man left the room
with my bundle. | went after him,
but found that he had locked an in
ner door that led up stairs The situa,
tion was really difficult one to deal
with. | couldn't possibly go into the
streets as | was, and if remained
should certainly be given into
custody in the morning, For some
time ! looked in vain for something to
cover myself with. The hats and
great coats were no doubt in the inner
hall ; at all events they were not acces
sible There was carpet on the floor,
but 1t was fitted into the recesses Of the
room, and moreover heavy sideboard
stood on it.
However, there were twelve chairs
in the room, and it was with no little
pleasure that l found that on the back
of each was an anti-macassar. Twelve
anti-macassars would go good ways
| towards COVERING ma and that M as