The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-10-02

there tonight and to nab Light Toed jim
red handed, so to speak. tn mean pro
motion for you, and it'll suit me down tc
the ground. You wants to be about anC
to watch him enter Then follow him and
dog him. And be armed, officer, for Jim'l
fight like a tiger if you don't draw his
teeth first"
"Now, look here, my man." said I; "this
is all very well, but it's all irregular. You
must just tell me who you are and how
you come to be in Light Toed Jim's Sc
crets, and I'll put it down in black and
white"
turned away from him to get my writ
ing materials | was not a half minute
with my back to him, but when turned
round he was gonel The door was shut,
but had heard no sound from it either
opening or shutting. Quick as thought I
darted to it, tore it wide open, and looked
down the narrow staircase. There was no
one there. / ran hastily down stairs into
the passage, and found my landlady, Mrs.
Mariner, standing at the open door with
e female friend MRS. Mariner" said,
breaking in upon their conversation,
(which way did that man go who came
down stairs just now"
Mrs Mariner looked at me strangely.
There amt been no man come down stairs,
Mr. Parker" said she-"leastways, not this
good three-quarters of an hour, which me
and Missis Higgins ere, as ave come out
to take an airing, her having been ironing
all this blessed day, has been standin here
all the time and amt never seen soul"
"Nonsenser' said. "a man came down
from my room just now-the man you sent
up twenty minutes since"
Mrs. Mariner looked at me with an ex-
preston betokening the most profound
establishment. Mrs. Higgins sighed deeply.
''Mr. Parker" said Mrs. Mariner. 'sorry
am to say it, sir, but you're either intoxi-
Gated or else you're a-sickening for brain
fever sir There amt no person entered
this door. in or out, for nigh onto an hour,
as me and Missis Higgins ere will take our
Bible oaths on"
| went up stairs and looked in the rooms
on either side OF mine. The man was not
there. / looked under my bed, and of
course he was not there. He must have
gone down stairs. But then the women
must have seen him. There was only one
door to the house. l gave it up in despair
and began to smoke my pipe. By the time
4
if any one was Intoxicated, it was proba-
bly, Mrs. Mariner and Mrs. Higgins, and
that my strange visitor had departed by
the door. | was not going to believe that
he had anything supernatural about him.
| had no duty that night; and as the
hours wore on found myself stern in my
resolve to go up to Miss Singleton's house
and see what / could make out of my in
formant's story. 1t was my opinion that
my late visitor was a whilom "par' of
Light Toed Jim's, and that having become
aware of the latter's plot, he had, for some
reason of his own, decided to split on his
old chum. Thieves disagreement is an
honest mans opportunity, and | deter
mined to solve the truth of the story told
me. Lest it should come to nothing, de-
cided not to report the matter to my
chief. If could really capture Light Toed
Jim, my success would be all the more
brilliant by being suddenly sprung upon
the authorities.
made my plan of action rapidly. Itook
a revolver with me and went up to Miss
house. Fortunately, | knew
the housekeper there-a middle aged,
woman, not easily fright
such information as l con-
sidered necessary. She consented to con-
ceal me in the room where the safe stood. !
There was a cupboard close by the safe
from which could command full view
Of the burglars operations and pounce
upon him at the right moment. If only
my information was to be relied upon,
there was every chance of my capturing
the famous burglar.
Soon after midnight, when the house was
all quiet, went to the pantry and got into
the cupboard, locking myself in. There
were two openings in the panel, through
either of which was able to command a
full view of the room. My position was
somewhat cramped, but the time soon
passed away. My mind was principally &C.
cupied in wondering if was really about
10 have a chance of distinguishing myself.
there was an air of unreality
about the events of the evening which puz-
lied me.
Suddenly / heard a sound which put me
on the alert at once. 1t was nothing more
han the creaking of board or opening of
L door would make in quiet house; but it
sounded intensified to my expectant ears.
drew myself up against the door of the
cupboard and placed my eye to the open |
ng in the panel | had oiled the key of the |
loor, and kept my fingers upon it in readi- |
less to spring upon the burglar at the |
proper moment. After what seemed some |
line l saw the CLEAN of light through the
leyhole of the door opening into the pam
ry. Then it opened, and a man carrying |
small lantern came gently into the room.
I Ia i'm Of hiC fapa- h11t
when my eyes grew accustomed to the /
lazy light l saw that had been rightly /
and that the burglar was indeed 4
10 other than the famous Light Toed Jim. |
AS | stood there watching him | could /
rot help admiring the cool fashion in 1
which he went to work. He went over TO |
he window and examined it. He tried |
he door of the cupboard in which stood |
concealed. Then he locked the door of the |
pantry and turned his attention to the safe.
lie set his lamp on a chair before the lock
nd took from his pocket as neat and
,retty collection of tools as ever l saw.
With these he went quietly and swiftly to
york
Light Toed Jim was a somewhat slimly
,uilt fellow, with little muscular develop
nent about him, while | am a big man
With plenty of bone and siney. If matters
lad come TO fight between Us | could
ave done what pleased with him; but l
new that Jim would not chance a fight.
somewhere about him felt sure there was
revolver, which he would use on the
east provocation. My plan, therefore, was
o wait until his back was bent over the
ock of the safe, then to open the cupboard
DOR noiselessly and fall bodily upon him,
inning him TO the ground beneath me.
Before long the moment came. He was
Torking steadily away st the lock, his
rhele attention concentrated on the job.
he slight noise of his drill was sufficient
o drown the faint click Of the key in the