Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1891-09-18
That's what Light Toed Jims after. He'll |

pantry-Onlv it's Dutleress, cos there
amt no men at all-and there he'll set to
work on the safe Some of his late pals in
Portland give him the tip about this ere
OBJ"
How did you come to hear of itf"
asked.
"Never mind, guv'nor. You wouldn't
understand Now, wants you to be up
there tonight and to nab Light Toed jim
red handed, so to speak Itll mean pro.
motion for you, and it'll suit me down 10
the ground You wants to be about and
to watch him enter. Then follow him AMI
dog him And be armed, officer, for Jim'll
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 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
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 landady, Mrs
Mariner, standing at the open door with
female friend. Mrs. Mariner" said,
breaking in upon their conversation,
(which way did that man go who came
down stairs just nowW
Mrs. Mariner looked at me strangely
There amt been no man come down stairs,
Mr.. Parker" said "leastways, not this
good three-quarters of an hour, which me
and Mssis 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 a soul"
"Nonsense" 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.
mir 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. gave it up in despair
and began to smoke my pipe. BY the time
| had drawn the last Whit decided that
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 whilom "pal' 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. took
Singeton's house. Fortunately, | knew
the housekeper there-a middle aged
strongmnded woman, not easily fright
ened which was "A good thing To her
communicated such Information as | 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 a 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 oc-
cupied in wondering if was really about
to have a chance of distinguishing myself.
Somehow, there was an air of unreality
about the events of the evening which puz-
zled me.
Suddenly heard a sound which put me
on the alert at once. 1t was nothing more
than the creaking Of board or opening Of
a 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
ing in the panel. | had oiled the key of the
door, and kept my fingers upon it in readi-
ness to spring upon the burglar at the
proper moment. After what seemed some
time saw the CLEAN of light through the
keyhole of the door opening into the pan
try Then it opened, and a man carrying
small lantern came gently into the room.
At first | could see nothing of his face; but
when my eyes grew accustomed to the
hazy light | saw that had been rightly
informed, and that the burglar was indeed
no other than the famous Light Toed Jim
AS | stood there watching him | could
not help admiring the cool fashion IN
which he went to work. He went over to
the window and examined it. He tried
the door of the cupboard in which stood
concealed. Then he locked the door of the
pantry and turned his attention to the safe
He set his lamp on a chair before the lock
and took from his pocket as neat and
pretty a collection of tools as ever l saw
With these he went quietly and swiftly tt