Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-09-18
CHAPTER VII.

There was popular play at one of the city theaters that night and Norris attended 1t, hoping to drown his own mental disturb ance thereby, but all through the perform ance he found his thoughts wandering back to the Childers, with his disappointment rising fresh at not having seen Carol When the play was over, he took Q car for the West side instead of going directly home.
 Just beforemidnight, therefore, he might have been found lettering on the opposite side of the way, looking up at the darkened windows, wondering which one was nearest her as she slept The neighborhood kept early hours; nota gleam of light shone from any of the surrounding houses, but sudden ly, like will-o'-the-wisp, glancing spark went across the glass above the entrance door of the Childer home.
 Lyman had been sitting up late in his den, probably, and was just now retiring. With this thought in his mind, Norris watched for the light to reappear in one of the chambers, but no flicker disturbed the darkness there. He crossed the street and went up close to the steps; then the vague uneasiness he had scarcely admitted turned to quick alarm, as he saw that the outer door stood ajar.
 He had his hand on tho bell, intending to arouse the house, when girls scream rang out shrill, and a door slammed in the upper part of the house. That was enough for Norris. He rushed in, up the stairway, and a moment later was struggling in des- perate hand-to-hand conflict with an un- seen adversary whom he had encountered in the darkness of the upper hall.
 The enemy's first move was vain ef- fort to shake him off; :; then the fellow be- gan to use pair of sledge-hammer fists to good effect. Norris found himself getting the worst of the encounter, but he hung fast in spite of the hard blows, and present ly felt himself lifted from his feet and bent backward over the balustrade which pro- tected the stairway. It was only by getting his arms in close grip about the others neck that he saved himself from going headlong into the hall below. As it was,
 the solid walnut rail cracked and gave
 way under their combined weight. The chances were all in favor of double fall, but the burglar, still unable to get rid of that binding clasp, recovered himself and reeled backward, and the struggle went on.
 Around and around, crashing against tho wall, going down together in fall which shook the house. twisting, striking, rolling it Is doubtful if either of them knew at just what moment lights came upon the scene, and the combatants in the fray were | parted. The burglar found himself in the grasp of e policeman, with irons neatly 1 clasped on his wrists, and as he stared into
 the face of his late foe, curses not loud but | deep issued from his lips.
 "How the mischief came you here9" he growled. 'sIf hadn't thought it was Childer
 hisself, I'd a-chawed you up fin mighty short ! order. Blest If don't think I've made a muddle of this business from beginning to 6nd."
 f "I rather think you have, my friend, and If you don't want to make the muddle worse
 you had better keep quiet We will uso all
 you say against you, you may be sure." It was gentleman who had arrived in company with the officer who gave this