The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-08-06

y" "o mo companion loi u OCHsiucldOlt
number of seconds. "Would you mind
saying that over again 2"
Nonsense" replied Mr.. Facet, i'm.
patiently. "You heard what | said,
and | mean It,"
"May | ask question p asked Mr..
Mlllicent, after another pause.
81 can guess what it is. You don t
understand why | make this proposal, y
said Mr.. Facet contemptuously.
mo, I'm - if | dc" returned Mr..
Millicent, fervor.
I'm going to file my petition" said
Mr.. Facet.
whats that p inquired Mr. Mill
cent
Bankruptcy exclaimed Mr.. Facet,
shortly. Consequently I've no inter.
est in my stock, and the most valuable
part of it doesn't belong to me at all.
It's lent by the trade-the diamond
trade
81 see," said Mr.. Millicent, with a
wink.
"A burglary on my premises would
drive me INTO bankruptcy" said Mr..
Facet, looking hard at his companion.
'No man can help a misfortune of that
kind. In fact he added, sit would
be a good excuse"
you're a knowing one, guv'uor," ,"
exclaimed Mr.. Millicent, enthusiastic
ally.
''lts lucky for you that l am, for
this job will put a good many hundred
pounds i'll your pocket"
"l'll stand in, guv'nor, make no mis-
take said Mr. Millicent, with glisten-
ing eyes, "and I'll act honorably by
you-you shall have your share"
'Pshaw What do you mean p
exclaimed Mr. Facet, Indignantly; "do
yon take me for thief I'll have
nothing whatever TO do with It. 1t is
your own affair entirely. Understand
that, mind"
fright you are ~ said Mr.. Milllcent,
rather abashed.
"ln the case of jewelrv, l suppose
that no time is wasted by "ou in tax
ing out the stones and melting down
the metal ?" inquired Mr.. Facet,
abruptly.
"lts done the same night" said Mr..
Millicent knowingly.
'srhat you will pledg. yourself to-"
"lf / only get away with the sway,
the stuff will be in the pot within an
hour" answered Mr.. Milicently, en-
phatically.
Very well. Now filr your glass
and listen to me, said Mr. Facet, draw
ing his chair closer.
The conversation at this juncture
became too technical to be of general
interest, relating as it did to the topo.
graphy of Mr.. Facets premises, the
means OF escaping into the street at
the side,the exact position of the safes,
and the habits of the persons lett in
charge. Suffice it to say that in half
an hour the jeweler had made it per-
fectly clear to his ally that burglary
committed in Long street upon
specified date would not entail the
slightest risk. Every detail had been
carefully Thought out by the astute
MIR. Facet, who even made sketch
plan of his shop and allowed Mr.. Milli-
cent to take an impression in wax of
the keys of the safes. The burglar
entered keenly into the project, and
was filled with admiration at his com
panion's grasp of an unaccustomed
subject.
"Blowd # 1T doesn't look as if you
was born to the profession, guvnor,"
he calculated, with perfect sincerity.
"lf you get blank postcard on the
morning of the day." said Mr.. Facet,
'ising from his seat and buttoning up
lis coat, "you may feel perfectly salts
led that at the hour arranged there
shall only be one person on the prem
ses, and he shall be dead drunk
'All right, sir. And lookee here ~
added MIR. Millicent, enthusiastically
I'll the police find the slightest clue to
cad them to suspect it is put up
,hing,Ill give myself mp and do anoth-
II stretch. l cant say fairer than that"
Mr.. Facet took his departure. leav-
ng his old school-fellow in capital
'pirits, which were fully sustained dur
ng the interval which elapsed before
he date fixed for the enterprise arriv-
"a. He privately thought that Mr..
tacet must be mad, not fully arpre-
,iating the advantage to that gentle
nan OF an opportune robbery in the
circumstances he had described. But
le was more the less delighted at his
good luck, and anticipated with keen
pleasure the sensation which such a
'oup would cause in professional cir
lies at such dull season.
The blank postcard duly arrived,
md Mr.. Millicent, having made all his
preparations beforehand, was ready
or action at the appoited time. He
ound everything had been arranged
~ MIR. Facet with scrupulous fidelity
md exactness, and the result was that
laving been instructed beforehand
where the most valuable goods were
placed, he contrived to carry out his
1art OF the operation with comolete-
less and dispatch. The next morn
ngs papers announced the robbery in
he largest type, commenting upon
he unparalleled boldness of the attack
and the extraordinary amount of booty
secured. Mr., Millicent glowed with
pride as he read these encomiums
nor was his satisfaction diminished
when it appeared that the police were
entirely deceived by the precautions
he had taken to make it appear that
the burglar had no accomplices upon
the building.
1t is TO be feared that Mr.. Millioent
rather gave himself airs among his
brother professionals upon the strength
OF his achievement. No doubt, his
head was little turned by the wealth
he had gained. According to infor-
nation furnished to the police and to
the papers by MIR, Facet himself, the
stolen property comprised diamonds
and precious stones of the value of
many thousand pounds, Mr., Milllcent
had visions as soon as he could realize
his plunder of living on chicken and
champagne, and opening a public
house in leading thoroughfare. His
friends rather resented his elation, and