The Democratic advocate., 1885-04-11

Touser influenced possibly by "them
brutes" as well-he called for sixpenny
worth of whiskey, put half of it before his
companion, and tossed it off to his usual,
@Heres luck r
ssWhere ~ growled Ben, who was dis
posed to be quarrelsome. Il don't see it. "
''No, but you will when I tell you how
| earned the snake we're drinking, said
Edgey, with undaunted enthusiasm, and
then in whisper the whole plan was re-
vealed
Still Ben did not take such hopeful
view of things as his skinny companion.
'sTwo coachfuls of daughters, he hoarsely
growled. sThere won't be much to pick
up in that house, you take your davy, cept
dirty ruf1es and old hair pads. So many
wimmin eat up all the profit.
eyes, but in big house like that they re
bound to keep up appearances, or they
wouldn't get 'em married off their hands, !"
sagely returned Thin Edge
"It'll be only an appearance, then, saw
agely answered Touser sI'ye cracked
them cribs before regular swindles-the
very lead spoons isn't genuine"
'Ah, but this ones tip-top AFFAIR."
saw that whenever | set eyes inside the
door-and think of the windy bein' all
ready to our hand-at the back of the
house, too" warmly rejoined Edgey.
''We'l be able to do the thing comfortable
and easy, and if they've left aay victuals
in the place we needn't be in a particular
hurry leaving. It'll be kind of country
lodging for us-nice soft beds and downy
pliers; and none of them brutes to trouble
us-see?" ?" and Edgey poked his companion
with one of the bones he used as fingers,
and smiled, and joked, and painted every
thing in glowing colors, till Towser was al
most as hopeful as himself.
The remainder of the day was occupied
by making arrangements with different
places for the reception of the plunder they
were to secure, and when night came they
went down to the empty house, and with
some difficulty managed to get into the
green behind Here, much to the chagrin
of Touser, they discovered that there was
an area fat, and that unless they had
plank or ladder to bridge the area, the
unfastening of the bedroom window by
Edgey was of no use whatever. If Touser
had not been so thoroughly enraged at
what he considered Edgeys stupidity he
would not have done anything so rash, but
when his companion proposed to steal a
ladder or plank he only cursed, and reck-
lessly scrambled down into the area, and
coolly pried open the kitchen door with
Jimmy which he carried in the "back'
pocket of his coat. The door gave way
easily, the lock being crazy and worn, and
the two housebreakers slipping in, showed
it gently to again, and, taking off their
shoes, began noiseIess inspection of the
premises. Although Edgey had been pos
tive that not soul was left in the house,
they had both come provided with scraps
of Grape, with which they cautiously COW
cred their ugly faces before beginning bus
mess. They also carried dark lantern,
which was lighted and closed only to be
used in such of the rooms as were close
shuttered All the others were explored
and ransacked only by the stray CLEANS Of
light from the street lamps or opposite
houses.
A very few minutes suficed to complete
the disgust of Touser, and to call from him
thousand expressions of contempt for
Edgey's powers.
ga miserable hunk of place, without
as much as bit of bread and cheese left
for feller, he growled; "and, as for plate,
where is it 2"
''Heres some, said Edgey at last, pry-
ing open one of the locked cupboards and
revealing a glittering display Of silver 81
knew what was after, never you fear"
Touser took one or two of the articles
down and examined them inside the press
by the aid of his lantern, and then cursed
more unguardedly than ever.
"Just as | expected-every blowed bit
of it electro-plate te-cheapest kind-that
would rub off ifgye only looked at it.
Spoons the same-brass, not even nickel,
curse 'em; forks plated, too, but rather
thicker, only they're old fashioned; been
bought at some sale, very like. Curse them
what do they mean by it? Swindling us
poor, innocent, hard-working prigs-not
article worth carrying away. Tell ye, Ed
gey, this age is going all to pot-every-
things sham-not bit of reality about
anything. Well be having sham prigs
next, and sham detectives. There should
be bill brought into Parliament making
it wrong to use anything but real silver.
1t don't give us chance, this condemned
electro-plate stuff.
A short exploration of the other rooms,
however, convinced them that there was
very little else worth lifting, except some
dresses and clothes which they thought
they might find a market for it they could
only get them safely through the streets to
some hiding place. The electro-plate was
accordingly packed up as securely as pos
sible in bits of wooden table cover, which
they tore up for the purpose, and then
made up into two parcels and covered with
two superfne black coats belonging to Mr..
Woodford.
At this interesting stage of the proceed
ings there was to be slight advertisement
which neither had bargained for. While
Touser was in the act of tying up his
bundle, and with every tug at the string
cursing the inventor of electro-plate and
his ancestors to the beginning of time, he
suddenly paused with knot unfastened
and exclaimed:
asst isn't that like some one coming in
below ?"
Both paused and listened breathlessly,
and then their hearts almost stood still as
they heard key quietly turned in the lock
of the front door below.
"Its the beaks, and we're done for !"
cried Edgey, dropping with a squirm on
the carpet, and beginning to wiring his
hands Touser's reply was to reach over
the bundle and grasp Edgey by the throat
and shake him till he was near choked.
"If you don't hold your jaw I'll kill ye!'
he Kissed, under his breath, and Edgey,
knowing his character, was dumb in a mo-
ment.
Then they heard the outer door as softly
closed as it had been opened, and pre-
sently heard the intruder pause close to the
hat stand, as if he was, like themselves,
divesting himself of his boots before pro-
ceeding further.
"If it was bobby, he'd have locked the
door after him, and took out the key before