Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-02-13
THE STORIES
-OF THE
THREE BURGLARS.
BY FRANK R. STOCKTON.
ICOPYaIGHT, 1897
CONTINUED.

We now proceeded to search the in
sensible burglars for arms. Upon the
tall man we found large revolver,
heavy billy, which seemed as if it had
seen service, and a 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 with
a Misunderstanding iron prOtuberance
upon il. which when driven forward by his
powerful arm was probably more danger
Gus than billy. Upon the younger man
we found no arms at all, and his hip
pocket contained nothing but small
handbook on civil engineering.
1 now briefly explained to David the
nature of the trap which had caught the
burglars. He gazed upon me with a face
glowing with amazed admiration.
what a. head you have got, STRIP he
exclaimed. 81 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 'em?
That's what ought to be done with
them, the hounds!''
''All shall do" answered, twill be
to keep them till daylight, and then 1
shall send word to the sheriff at Ken
nertown, and have him send officers for
them"
Upon my wordI' exclaimed David,
"they are in the worst kind of box"
Now my wife called me again:
eVhat in the world are you doing
down there" she called; ''why don't you
come upStairs?''
This annoyed me, for was not yet
ready to go upstairs. wished to re-
suscitate these fellows, for their stupor
was so profound that 1 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 1, stepping to the
bottom of the stairs, Il have some
things to attend to down here which
will occupy me a few minutes longer,
then | will come up TO you"
Il can't imagine what the things are"
she said, ''but l suppose l can watt"
and she went into her room and closed
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 to this plan. They would be
pretty heavy fellows to carry, and as it
would be absolutely necessary to watch
them until they could be given into the
charge of the officers Of the law l 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 he set up in some way or
other. l 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 q 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. bethought me of a heavy wood
en- settle or bench with back and arms
which stood on the SIDE piazza. With
David's help l brought this into the
room and placed it with its back to the
window.
Now, then" said to David, ''we will
put them on this bench and l Will tie
them fast TO it. We can not be too care
full in securing them, for II one of them
were TO get loose, even without arms,
there is no knowing what trouble he
might make"
well, sir" said David, ''if I'm to
handle them at all I'd rather have them
dead, as hope they are, than have them
alive; but you needn't be afraid, sir,
that any of them will get loose. IfIsee
any signs of that I'll crack the rascal's
skull in jiffy."
1t required greatdeal of Juggling and
lifting 10 get those three men on the
bench, but we got them there side by
side, their heads hanging listleSsly, sore
one way and some another. then tied
each one of them firmly to the bench.
l had scarcely finished this when
again heard my wife's voice from the
top of the stairs.
''1f any pipes have burst" she called
down, tell David not to catch the water
in the new milk pans"
''Very well, :" replied, ''rll see to it,"
and was rejoiced to hear again the
shutting of the bedroom door.
now saturated a sponge with the
powerful preparation which DR.. Marks
had prepared as an antidOte, and held it
under the nose of the tall burglar. In
less than twenty seconds he made a
slight quivering in his face as if he
were about TO sneeze. and very soon he
did sneeze slightly. Then he sneezed
violently, raised his head and opened
his eyes. For a moment he gazed
blRnkly before him, and then looked
stupidity at David and at me. But in
an instant there flashed into his face
the look of a wild beast. His quick.
glittering eye took in the whole stu
alton at a glance. With furious oath