Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-01-01


could you DO such a thing"
said, coldly: Had you not better 60 awayP
suppose policemen do sometimes pass this
house, and II one Of them were to notice the
open window and were to find you here, with
q iile and chisel in your hand, It would DO
rather uncomfortable for US ALL"
Val shrugged his shoulders. cit would be
uncomfortable for you perhaps; I don't know
that it would be particularly so for me.
doubt whether anything could add very much
10 the discomfort Of my present situation
Still, II you are inclined to let me go, shall
not refuse to do So"
"You may CO." said Chris, drawing q little
aside as II to lot him pass. "of course. YOU
understand that you can never come back
here again."
'That, as you say. is a matter of course. !
would thank you for your forbearance If
could fiatter myself that 1t was due to any
personal regret for me but you would prob
ably assure me that you are consulting your
own convenience rather than mine by allowing
me to escape"
He waited q moment, and then, as she made
no reply placed his knee upon the window
sill, with the apparent intention of scramblinS
out. But although no was quite conscious
that the facts spoke for themselves and that
nothing more could be said to any purpose,
he found himself unable to make so taclturn
and cynical an exit.
"Chris," said he, "you asked me just now
how could do such thing as this. Well
don't believe anybody knows what he is capa-
BILE Of In the way of felony until no sees ruin
staring him In the face. I discovered yesterday
that nothing short Of paying up between
three and four thousand pounds tomorrow
morning could save me from being branded
as defaulter-which spells ruin in pretty
plain characters. Since couldn't pay and
couldn't borrow, my one and only chance WAS
TO steal; and as soon as I realized that,
couldn't help thinking Of your Runt's safe.
You SEQ, II I had succeeded, you certainly
wouldn't sshave dreamed Of susPecting me Of
being the thief, and the odds were all in favor
Of my succeeding. It was such O simple
affair to cut out pain Of glass, push back
the bolt OF the window and walk inl con-
Tess that reckoned without you and your
knife; but"
Have hurt you muchP" interrupted
Chris, quickly.
Physically, do you msan3 No; dent
think you have hurt me at all, and il wouldn't
have mattered il you had. Before many
hours ore over shall be out of the reach Of
physical harm"
Chris caught her breath. "why do you say
thatr' she asked.
Perhaps he. had enough Of manhood left il
him to be ashamed Of what he had said. At
any rate, he laughed it of. "oh," he re-
| turned, i''I am not the sort OF person who
commits suicide; I'm tho sort Of person who
talks about II and doesn't do 1t. What will
become Of me can't imagine; but 1t is proba-
bic that shall continue to inoumber the
earth, though shall cease to be an ineum-
brance to you. Goodbye, Chris; I won't ask
you to forgive me, and Of course ! can't ask
| you to excuse mo. I dare say youn forget
| mo easily enough. Don't marry the red
| bearded man, that's all."
| Chris was beginning hesitatingly: eff you
i will wait one moment, Vail have q little
/ money Of my own upstairs, and don't want
i you to starve-" But before she could end
her sentence he uttered an exclamation,
| vaulted through the window and vanished
into the night. She turned and saw the pale
and amazed visage Of Martha close to her
/ shoulder.
"oh, dear, oh dearr' moaned Martha,
wringing her hands, "what q bad lob card a
crash and I come to the top Of tho stairs
not as meant to interfere with any burglars
not meI-but thinks I, twill do no arm if l
| waa just to ketch q glimpse Of his face, so as
| might know him again. And then l recko.
nizes your voice, my dear, and I steals down
o bit further, and-oh, Lord Well, thank
'evins, he's goneP
Martha" said Chris. quietly, you may
have recognized my voice; but you didn'
recognize anything or anybody else. II you
thought you did, your sense must have do
ceived you. am sure you must understand
that am not strong enough to capture &
burglar. Aunt Rebecca will probably be salts
fed when she hears that have had to lot hin
go free, but that her box Is safe. And 1 thinl
We had better go up and tell her SOL
Martha compressed her lips and nodded
her head emphatically several times
There's on'y one thing as I should wish Il
know, miss" said she. THAT there-burglar
he won't come back no more. will her"
Certainly not" answered Chris. cane
now let us set Aunt Rebecca's mind at rest.
That proved to be task Of some difficulty
The old woman had made up her mind thai
her nisco had been murdered and had WORKED
herself up into state Of terror and agitation
which gradually gave place to wrath whsI
she was persuaded by ocular evidence tina
Chris was quite unhurt.
"You cruel child" she whimpered. "Yo,
might have thought Of me, lying here helpless
but you chose to stay q whole hour-it can
be less than an hour since you left me-chat
tering TO Martha, who seems to have take
good care not to 60 downstairs until tn
coast was clear. Martha, you can go back +
bed. Stopi before you go, bring the box u
here; you and Chris can carry it betwee
you, and daren't have 1t left in the hail."
The box was no light weight, and it was al
that two not very strong women could do t
get It up into Miss Ramsden's bedroom; bu
at length they accomplished their task, an
as soon as they had done so Martha was un
4 ceremoniously dismissed. Then the old lad
. put the key In the lock, turned it, and, wit
. cunning glance: perhaps you would ik
. to see the treasure, my dear?" said she.
81 don't care to see it." answered Chris
+, but as her aunt insisted, she lifted up som
sheets Of brown paper and discl osed a goodl
collection of rua.y old bolts and bricks an
s.TT. - 90 ,t,,ol,a, MI. T,avo.,ta,,, ..A-.