Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-02-20
THE STORIES
or THE
BURGLARS.
BY FRANK R. STOCKTON.
tCoPYEIGHT, 1889. |
lcoNTINUEp.l

sensible burglars for arms. Upon TIT
tall man we found large revolver, /;
heavy billy, which seemed as If it haC
seen service, and long-bladed knife
The stout man carried two double-bar
relied pistols, and upon one of the fingers
of his right hand wore brass ring witt
Misunderstanding iron protuberanc'
upon it, which when driven forward by hi
powerful arm was probably more danger
GUS than billy. Upon the younger mar
we found no arms at all, and his hiI
pocket contained nothing but a small
handbook on civil engineering.
/ now briefly explained to David the
nature of the trap which had caught the
burglars. He gazed upon me with face
glowing with amazed admiration.
"What head you have got, sirl" he
exclaimed. ~ don't believe there is an
other man in this State who would have
thought of that. And what are you go
ing to do with them now, sir; hang 'emG
That's what ought to be done with
them, the houndsl"
"All / shall do" answered, twill be
to keep them till daylight, and then
shall send word to the sheriff at Ken
nertown, and have him send officers for
them"
Upon my wordr' exclaimed David,
''they are in the worst kind OF box"
Now my wife called me again:
'What in the world are you doing
down there" she called; ''why don't you
come upstairs?"
This annoyed me, for l was not yet
ready TO go upstairs. / wished to re-
suscitate these fellows, for their stupor
was so profound that / began to fear
that perhaps they had taken too much
of the drug and ought TO be brought to
their senses as speedily as possible.
This feeling was due more TO my desire
that serious injuries should not occur to
the rascals while in my house than to
any concern for them.
''My dear" said /, stepping to the
bottom Of the stairs, II have some
things TO attend to down here which
viii occupy mo a few minutes longer,
then will come up to you"
81 can't imagine what the things are, !"
she said, "but l suppose l can wait, ="
her door after her.
now began to consider what was to
be done with the burglars after they had
been resuscitated. My first impulse was
to rid the house Of them by carrying
them out of doors and bringing them to
their senses there. But there was an
objection 10 this plan. They would be
pretty heavy fellows to carry, and as it
would DO absolutely necessary to watch
them until they could be given into the
charge OF tho officers of the law did
not want to stay out of doors TO do this,
for the night air was raw and chilly,
and / therefore determined to keep
them in the house. And as they could
be resuscitated better in sitting po-
sition they must be set up in some way or
other. / consulted David on the subject.
"You might put 'em up with their
backs agin the wall, SIR" said he, "but
the dirty beasts would spoil the paper.
wouldn't keep them in decent room
like this. I'd haul 'em out into the
kitchen, any way"
But as they were already in the
library decided to let them stay there,
and to get them as speedily as possible
into some position in which they might
remain. Ibethought me of heavy wood
en- settle or bench with back and arms
which stood on the side piazza. With |
David's help / brought this into the |
room and placed it with its back to the |
window.
"Now, them" said to David, tive will |
put them on this bench and / will tie |
them fast to it. We can not be too care
full in securing them, for If one of them
were to get loose, even without arms,
there is no knowing what trouble he
might make"
''Well, sir" said David, elf I'm TO
handle them at all I'd rather have them
lead, as hope they are, than have them
alive; but you needn't be afraid, sir.
that any Of them will get loose. IfIsee
my signs Of that I'll crack the rascal's
skull in a jiffy."
1t required a greatdeal of Juggling and
lifting TO get those three men on the
bench, but we got them there side by
nde, their heads hanging listlessly, some
me way and some another. I then tied
ZACH one Of them firmly to the bench.
had scarcely finished this when I
gain heard my wife's voice from the .
op Of the stairs.
If any pipes have burst, she called ,
own. tell David not to catch the water ,
a the new milk pans" !
VERY well. " replied, sTIl see to IT" !
nd was replied to hear again ths /
autting Of the bedroom door.