The Princeton union., 1892-01-07

slurker's sleeping apartment. Should
try the one above that? What was
the use even if it reused Buphemia2
Old Slurker had the keys ofthe house.
II succeeded in hitting the cooks
window, she would scream and rouse
the house Apart from this. the turf
was short and as hard as flint, and
l couldn't, had l wished it, have.
detached a morsel to use as a.
missile Once more I CROPPED round
the walls. They had been newly
"painted" and not crevice or
landlng-place for the foot could be
discovered.
| was indeed trapped" and long
winter night land worse morning be-
fore me. Eleven struck. was half
frozen and wholly despairing. Fortu-
nately, any variation OF the weather
was reliet from the hideous mono
tony. The snow ceased.
Presently some midnight carousers,
| passed the house, singing and shout
ing their tipsy lays-happy, ah! how
happy in their liberty. Supposing.
even, that they got locked up in the
| police-station for the night, would
not such a fate be preferable to miner
Better face the magistrate in the
morning than old Slurker i'm his
wrath
The sounds died away. For while
they had been sort of relief and COM
panlonship: Silence again. Twelve
O'Clock! Then the heavy tread of the
night constable going his round. The
footsteps died away, and once more,
silence. became half frantic. I had
wild impulse to yell out, and take my
chance of Slurker. Then I wondered
II, when the policeman returned on his
beat, [ could venture to attract his at
tention, explain the situation, and en-
list his aid to my escape. But the said
situation was decidedly suspicious and
| policemen are proverbially hard of be-
Lief L relinquished the idea. -
one o'clock! Hardly had the echoes
faded away when I was conscious of a
| peculiar sound of grating on the out
side OF the wall which abutted on the
lane. Then l distinctly heard low.
growing whispers. Was this a. new
| danger? 1t was! Peering through the
darkness | perceived a dark form sur
mounting the high wall; then another
dark form, also on the wall The lat
er arrival stopped, and pulled up from
the outside of the lane light ladder.
This he placed-I could see they were
men-on the inner side OF the garden
wall, and with scarce a sound the two
forms descended on to the turf. They
approached the parlor window.
"Flash the glim, Joe!' said a voice
IN a hoarse Whisper; ':the old cove
keeps his safe in here!'
''Star the glaze, Bill, while | gifts the
persuader for the panny!' growled the
other voice.
Burglars!-Should they see me!
That meant certain DEATH In a mo-
ment desperation lent me courage.
Both robbers were on their knees com
menclng operations on the breakfast
room pane. Now, or never!
Stepping lightly, but quickly, over
the turf-which, owing to the light fall
OF snow, allowed no sound to mvfo
fall mounted the ladder and drew
it up after me, aud lowered it into the
lane. But the grating against the
wall betrayed me before l could de-
scend, quick as [ was. With asmoth-
cred oath one Of the rufians rose, and
drawing a pistol from his pocket fired
at me. My head was just on a, level
with the top OF the wall, when the
bullet whizzed through my hat. Safe
at last! and out of it! Lowering the
ladder into the lane, and leaving the
robbers as neatly trapped as I had
been, sped to the street, only to en-
counter the constable who had heard
the shot.
"What's this?" he said, collaring
me-
"Burglars!,,' I gasped. 'In the gar
den! But I've trapped them! Get
help, and III come with you!"
Rum story, if true" said the police
man, springing his rattle. l briefly
| explained what had occurred, and the
policeman grlnned. The reserve men
soon joined us, and in less than g.
minute Slurker's house was reused,
and in a very short time the trapped
burglars were handcufed and remov-
! ed.
In examination, of course, the
whole truth came out. The men
laughed at, the women sympathized
with me; better still, Slurker forgave
me, though he still finds a coarse de-
| light in chatting me. Euphemia is now
Mrs. Brown.