Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-02-06

AS the trap cost nothing my wife did
not object to my setting it every night
for the present. Something might
happen. she remarked, and it was just
as well to be prepared in more ways than
one, but there was a point upon which
she was very positive
''When George William is old enough
to go about the house by himself, p" she
said, chose decanters must not be left
exposed upon the table. OF course 1 do
not expect him to go about the house
drinking wine and every thing that he
finds, but there is no knowing what a
child in the first moments of his inves-
tigative existence may do"
For myself 1 became somewhat tired
of acting my part in this little farce
every night and morning, but when
have undertaken any thing of this sort
am slow to drop it.
It was about three weeks since l had
begun to set my trap when 1 was
awakened in the night by sudden
noise. 1 sat up in bed, and as 1 did so
my wife said to me, sleepily:
"What is that? Was it thunder?
There it is again. she exclaimed, start
ing up. ''What crash. 1t must have
struck somewhere" did not answer.
1t was not thunder. 1t was something
in the house, and it flashed into my
mind that perhaps my trap had been
sprung. got out of bed and began rap
idly to dress.
''What are you going to do?' anxious
~ asked my wife.
81 am going to see what has hap
pened," said /. At that moment there
was another noise. This was like two
or three heavy footsteps, followed by a
sudden thump, but it was not so loud as
the others.
''John," cried my wife, don't stir an
inch, it's burglars" and she sprang out
of bed and seized me by the arm.
81 must 60 down. said; ''but there
is really no reason for your being fright
ened. 1 shall call David, and shall
carry my pistol, so there is really no
danger; if there are thieves in the house
they have probably decamped by this
time, that is if they are able to do so.
for of course they must know that noise
would awaken the soundest sleepers.
My wife looked at me and then slow
ly withdrew her hands from my arm.
''You promise me-" she said, ''if you
find burglar downstairs in the posses
sion of his senses you will immediately
come back to me and George William?''
promised her, and slipping on some
clothes l went out into the second-story
hall. carried no light. Before had
reached the bottom of the back stairs l
heard David, my man, coming down. To
be sure it was he and not burglar l
spoke to him in low voice, my pistol
raised in case of an unsatisfactory reply.
81 heard that noise, SIR" he whiS-
pered, land was going down to see
about it,
care you ready if it's thieves?" 1
whispered.
81 have got the biscuit-beater," he re-
piled.
"Come on, them" said 1, and we went
downstairs.
1 had left no light in the library, but
there was one there now, and it shone
through the open door into the hall
way. We stopped and listened. There
was no sound, and then slowly and
cautiously we approached the door of
the library. The scene l beheld as
founded me, and involuntsrily sprang
back step or two. So did David, but
in an instant we saw that there was no
need of retreat or defense. Stretched
upon the floor, not far from the door
way, lay a tall man, his face upturned
to the light of bull's-eye lantern
which stood by the mantel-piece. His
eyes were shut, and it was evident that
he was perfectly insensible. Near by,
in the wreck of the small table, glasses
and decanters, lay another man, ap-
parently of heavier build. He also was
as still as a corpse. A little farther
back, half sitting on the floor, with the
upper part of his body resting against
the lounge, was another man with a
black mask over his face.
care they dead?" exclaimed David,
in an undertone of horror.
"No," said 1, ''they are not dead, they
have been caught in my trap.
And 1 must admit that the conscious
ness of this created a proud eXaltation
of spirit within me. / had overmatched
these rascals, they were Frustrated be-
fore me. If one of them moved David
and 1 could kill him. But did not be-
heve there would be any killing, nor
any moving for the present.
In high whisper which could have
been heard distinctly all over the house
my wife now called to me from the top
of the stairs. what is it?" she said.
what has happened?"
stepped quickly to the stairway.
every thing is all right" said in
loud, distinct voice, intended to assure
my wife that there was no necessity for
caution or alarm.
'Iwill be with you presently"
81 am glad to hear that nothing is
the matter" said Aunt Martha, now for
the first time opening her door. 81 was
afraid something had happened"
But 1 had business to attend to be-
fore I could go upstairs. In thinking
/ \ 81 i p