Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1891-04-23

some salad on it in his hand, and picked
ut this daintily with the spoons as hs
transferred them from the table 10 thu
sideboard. When he had q dozen h.
covered them with his handkerchief and
slipped them into his coattail pocket
Then he put on his greatcoat, and went
out as calmly IS he had come in. he
found the stolen articles somewha;
heavy, so as soon as he was in tho han.
som he took them out and put them
under the seat.
Mrs. Charles T. Van Dyke was the
name of the hostess at the next place
Van Bibber shot quickly up stairs and
opened two or three bureau drawers, a
writing desk and "a SECRETARY, bat found
nothing of value. There was an immense
silver water pitcher in one corner with
two goblets, which he thought of tax.
ing, but lac could think of no way OF
| getting 1t out unohserved unless he low.
cred it down the elevator shaft with A
rope. In the dining room, however. the
| spoons We're undisturbed as yet. and Law
an cozy little rows on. the white cloth.
Van Bibbsr placed = dozen Of thssa in
each OF his trousers pockets and told the
servants as he turned from the tea urn,
over which he had been bending, tina,
he would take two Jumps and lemon.
A large, heavily mustached stranger,
with a cup in his hand, nodded pleasant
ly to Van Bibber. and asked him, with
glance at the tea, if he had got what
he wanted.
Yes, thank you," said Van Bibber
cheerfully. Il think have"
At the next place he was somewhat
surprised to see tho same stranger drink
ing more tea and apparently watching
him. But Van Bibber put this down 10
the fact that he was unduly suspicious.
and that his imagination was excited.
DE was just going out without having
made any seizures, when a fat, pompous
gentleman, who he was sure must be
the host, took pity on his apparently
neglected condition and said: II see Won
are looking over my bric-a-brac, SIR. 1t
Is not much of a collection, and / have
not had time lately to give it the atten-
ton 1T needs" Then he proceeded, ut
great length and with evident satisfac-
tion to himself, to describe each separate
piece of crockery on the wall. Van Bib
Der was greatly bored, but he was too
polite to say so, and was rewarded when
the gentleman said, This piece OF Sat
suma cost Inc five hundred dollars. F"
Van Bibber kept his eye on the plate,
and, when his host turned to greet a
new arrival, slipped it into his coattail
pocket and bowed himself out.
j.. n Il
so1n very carefully, and drove on to the
next place quite assured that he had
won his bet, but anxious to settle il
without a question or doubt. He did
not see the stranger with the heavy mus
tache pass him in a close cab and dart
into the house TO which he was going
just "a minute before him. Van Bibber
elbowed his way. with many apologies,
to the third floor. There was a dressing
table covered with silver trifies, and Van
Bibber smiled complacently.
There was a bed in the room. and he
could see this rs he looked in the mirror.
But he could not See under the bed. His
overcoat was on "a chair, and he made
several trips to it and filed the pockets
with silver backed brushes and combs.
But on the third of these trips his heart
stood stih, for out from under the bed
came the big stranger with the heavy
mustache. He came very leisurely and
determinedly. Don't make a row." he
said; you're under arrest"
AT that moment two young men came
into the room, pulling off their over
coats.
"Help" screamed Van Bibber; "lookr
he shouted, pointing at the detective.
There's q sneak thief under the bed. f"
Then he fell on the officers head Just as
relentlessly as he would have dropped
on football, and banged his nose into
the carpet and sat on his shoulders. The
two young men got out of their coats
much more quickly than they had in
tended doing and fell with their knees
on each of the detectives arms, and
while they thus pinned him to the floor
they punched him vigorously in the ribs
and yelled.
Look ut thisr' said Van .,,ober.
catching up his overcoat by the tail and
spilling all the silver over the floor.
Look at what he had stored awayt
Hold him, will you? while I get u po-
liceman."
Every one was running up the front
stairs, so he could not go down that way,
and so ran to the back and went down
the kitchen stairs and ON into the din
ing room, whence all tho walters had
fed. He vas quite unobserved in the
confusion, and accordingly took time 10
I'LL his pockets with spoons and forks OF
heavy silver. Then he walked ont
through the excited women, and stepped
into his hanson. and told the driver To
20 to the club.
That detective of yours" he said
calmly, as he produced his treasures
from the bottom OF the hanson, will
probably be around here when he gets
his nose patched up. In the mean while
l will ask you TO value these articles
roughly and ring for some messenger
boys"
An authority said the lot was worth
500, and the separate exhibits Were
promptly returned TO where they be-
longed by messenger boys, who were in
structed TO leave them at the door and
run. The detective was pacifed by
some Of the clubs best brandy and a
twenty dollar bill But whenever Van
Bibber enters the club now the men
feel nervously for their watches and the
walters count the forks. New York
Sun.
Christmas Eivuriny