The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-01-16
After a v ears probation | accom-

ana tDSdSeu hio pooi oiu ClcTk, VIII
nearly broke his heart at his lat,
masters funeral. Stoneleigh left nc
family. His money, about $4,000
invested for the most | art in Ameri
can railways, he left to the Society
of Providing More Bishops, and hi:
ledgers, daybooks, memorandas and
papers generally, he bequeathed to
me.
As sthe chambers required furnish
ing, ] lost no time in commencing
my professional duties. l looked
through his books for a suitable
house. to begin upon and found the
following attractive entry:
ThTlow Square-No. 102.
House-Medium.
Occapant-John Davis, bachelor
Observation-Disclosures of Dados
Age-S6.
Physical Peculiarities-very fee
BILE; eccentric drinks; Evangelical
snores.
Servants-Two housemaids, one
cook.
Sex-all female.
Particulars fservants-Pretty house
maid called Rachel, Jewess open
to attentions; goes out for beer at
9p. NJ. snores. Ugly housemaid
called Bella; Presbyterian open
/ TO attentions snores. Elderly
! cook-Primitive Methodist; open
to attentions snores.
! Fastenings-Chubb's lock on street
| door; chain and bolts. Bars te
all basement windows. Practical
approach from third room, ground
l1oor, which is shuttered and bar.
red, but bar has no catch, and can
bc raised with table knife.
Valu able contents Of House-Pres-
ent.ation plate from grateful as'
thetes. Gold repeater. Mulready
envelope. Two diamond rings
Complete edition of Bradshaw,
from 1894 10 present time, 5SS vol
umes, bound, lip calf.
General--Mr Davis sleeps on second
floor front servants on third floor
Davis goes to bed at 10. No one
IN basement. Swarms with bee
ties, Otherwise excellent house for
purpose.
This seemed to me to be capital
house to tly single handed. At Il
O'Clock THAI very night / pocketed
two crowbaos, bunch of skeleton
keys, centr, bit, dark lantern. a
box of silent matches, some putty,
life preservei. 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 Stoneleigh's particulars were
exact in every detail | got into the
third room on the ground floor with
cut the least difficulty, and made my
way into the dining room. There
was the presentation plate, sure
enough-about 5000 ounces, as |
reckoned. l collected this and tied
it up so that | could carry it with
ease, and without attracting atten-
ton.
Just as | finished l heard a light
cough behind me. | turned and saw
a dear old silver haired gentleman
in a dressing gown standing in the
doorway. The venerable gentleman
covered me with revolver.
My first impulse was to rush at
and brain him with my life preserv-
er.
Don't you move, said he, or you
are a dead man.
A rather silly remark to the effect
that if did move it would rather
prove that | was live man, occurred
to me. but | dismissed it at once as
unsuited to the business character of
the interview.
You're a burglar, said he.
i have that honor said |, max
ing !OT my pistol pochtl.
Don't move said he. Il have Oft
en- wished to have the pleasure of
encountering a burglar. in order to
be able 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 consist
emily with due regard TO my own
safety.
Promise me, said |, that you will
allow me 40 leave the house unmo-
Tested when your experiment is at
an end
IF you viii obey me promptly
you will beat perfect liberty to leave
the house.
You will neither give me into
custody nor take any step to pursue
me?'
On my honor as Designer of
Dados,' said he
Good, said l. Go on
Then stand up said he, and
stretch out your arms at right angles
to your body
Suppose | don't said !.
III send q bullet through your
left ear
But permit me to observe said
|.
Bangl A ball cut off the lobe Of
my left ear.
The ear smarted and | should
liked to have attended to it, but un-
der the circumstances, | thought it
better to comply with the whimsical
old gentleman's wishes.
Very good said he. Now, do as
l tell you, promptly and without p
moments delay, or I'll cut off the
lobe of your right ear. Throw me
that life preserver.'
But
'Ah, would you,' said he, cooking
the revolver.
The click decided me. Besides,
the old gentleman's eccentricity SO
amused me, and | was curious to
see how far it would carry him. So
| hastily tossed my life preserver to
him. He caught it neatly.
Now take off your coat and throw
it to me-