The Republican., 1889-04-20

That's decided"
''Oh must go to-day-to-day of all daysw
the girl cried, vehemently. And then, as il
recollecting herself, she laughed pleasantly,
and said: There are two or three things l
wanf to attend to in the city to-day; and,
indet am quite able to CO."
MiSsz. lssie.was in the breakfast-room be-
fore them, and seemed in somewhat grim
and unsatisfactory humor. The morninT =
greetings had hardly been exchanged when
the ladies were startled by news of another
burglary. The house nearest their own had
been entered, and evidently by the same
parties who had committed the previous
outrage. AS before. the people had been
chloroformed, the house had been thor
oughly ramsacked, and every thing Of value
had been bundled up, ready for removal; :;
and as before, the property had all been left
in the hall, by the open front door. The
thieves had been frightened away the second
time.
This new affair caused genuine dismay in
the Malcolm household, and Mrs. Malcolm
spoke about getting special guards to stay
in the house at night Grace tried to reas-
| sure her.
II really don't think we have much to
| fear" she said, with so many strong mcn-
| servants as are known to sleep on the prem
| ises. Burglars know what they are under
taking before they begin operations"
II can not imagine why they should finish
their operations by, leaving all the stolen
property in the hat, then," said Jessie,
shortly.
Grace laughed, and went her way.
little later Mrs. Malcolm, sitting in her
own room, was startled to see Jessie enter
abruptly and lock the door, Having done
this unusual thing, the daughter placed in
the mothers hand stained and crumpled
paper.
1--WE may as well face it, mother dear"
she said. Read that"
Mrs. Malcolm smoothed out the paper and
read: "ElIwood will be at Montgomery's
at two O'Clock Thursday morning"
"Why, my dear, what does this mean?"
said Mrs. Malcolm. 1T was Mr. Montgom-
ery's house that was robbed last night But
who in the world is Ellwood2 And where
did you get this paperE"
"Ellwood is the robber, l SUPPOSE" re-
piled Jessie, so excited that she tremsled.
''rhis is Thursday morning, you know. AS
to tic papar-mother, I'd rather suffer any
thing than have it to tell you hut Grace
Gardiner dropped that paper between here
and Mr.. Montgomery's after two o'clock
this morning!"
Grace Gardiner! You're crazy, childw w
mo, mother, am not; and am as fond
of Grace as you are. Between two and three
o'clock this morning heard slight noise.
| l opened'the door of my room-for don't
| intend any body shall chloroform me unless
know who it is-and saw that there was
| lightin Grace GARDENERS room. Twas about
| to go to her, thinking she was sick, when
| she came softly out into the hall She was
all dressed, and wore waterproof cloak
and thick vail. She hurried downstairs,
and l heard her go out through the side
door. Then, from my window, l saw her
run across the lawn in the direction of Mr..
Montgomery's house. OF course there was
no more sleep for me. Watched. and about
an hour later she came in, as softly as she
went out, and moving as if she were tired"
''My dear" said Mrs. Malcolm, with con-
viction, "you dreamed it all. You were
nervous and upset on account of that first
| burglary, You know"
a thought that, too. But after daylight,
/ went out, and thcre,were her tracks in the
! dew, making q straight path across the
lawn. walked all about so as to hide tho
tracks, and then found this paper where
Grace had dropped it, could make nothing
| of it then, of course; still l thought that
| SOlHO OJlIEl "OAluh hdNC SOuG lllO
| Grace's room and out again, so | went
there while you were doing up her hand,
and in her closet found her waterproof
cloak and an old dress, all wet and draggleC
around the bottom, and pair of her shoes,
soaked and muddy. Mother, that hand was
hurt at Mr.. Montgomery's house in the
course of that robbery--I am perfectly sure
of it-''
| At this moment servant announced,
through the closed door, that Mr.. Fletcher
was in the parlor to see the ladies' Mrs.
Malcolm hastily dried her tears of grievous
| distress
mot word to him of all this about
Grace Gardiner" she said. as she hastened
away to receive her guest Jessie took
some time to steady herself before she fol-
lowed.
Mr.. Fletcher explained that he had come
out with just enough of a business errand to
serve as an excuse. Really, he was off for
a well.earned holiday, and would stay all
day if they coaxed him, and all night, too, if
there was q room at his disposal. He could
| not have done kinder thing, after the
recent disturbing events, and he knew it.
| Of course these events were exhaustively
discussed by all.
ut is a very mysterious business alto
ReGner," SalQ Mr FlctCnCr. EVERY night,
of late, there has been a burglary some
where, and the same enterprising artist
executes all the various jobs. The detect
ives are sure of that because, as you
know, there are schools of burglary, as
there are schools of painting, and these
masterpieces all belong to the same school"
as this person of genius supposed to be a
man or womans" asked jessie with ex-
| travasant carele ssness.
"A man, undoubtedly" Mr.. Fletcher re-
| piled, with sharp look at his questioner.'
"And as gentlemanly and aristocratic
rascal as ever deserved hanging. Romantic,
too. He was well-born and well-educated;
married q charming woman: had a pros
porous business, and kept his family in
luxury He became depraved somehow, and
for yearsipe led double life, maintaining
high socAl position on the proceeds of his
criminal enterprise. His wife died of
broken heart when the exposure came at
last"
"How is all this knownl And who is this
charming rascal" Jesse asked.
HE calls himself Ellwood. All, you know
the name already from the papers, 1 see. AS
70 your other question, his history all came
cut at the time of his trial, two years ago.
lie was arrested after a series of just such
1urglaries as these; was tried, convicted,
and sentenced to long Imprisonment. 1