Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-11-02
BURGLARS In A TRAP.
How They Were Caught by an
Intended Victim.

bought n ten-acre island three miles
from the shore and built my summer
house on It, but | laughed and said
quiet was what sought, and there /
would have 1t, far from the madding
crowds ignoble strife Being bache-
lor, with few wants, took with me
only my man Henry, who was an ex-
cellent housekeeper and cook.
don't think | ever enjoyed myself
more than the first four weeks ! spent
on the island. In the morning took
to the water, or took n walk for an
hour or so; then ! wrote for three
hours, and the afternoons ! read and
loafed, and at night slept. Some days
I would row over TO the mainland, and
every day Henry went over after the
mail, unless II was stormy. Sometimes
had friend or two TO drive with me,
but no woman was allowed TO come
ashore there
] was rigid In my determination ON
this point, for had not one Isabella
Ventnor told me two weeks before ]
bought the island that she did not think
was the kind of man that any WON
an ought TO marryP
She had. and for that had forsworn
all women.
As ! say, was supremacy happy all
by myself, excepting, of course, the
hurt Isabella had done me, and think
that was healing slowly, when one
night the entire scheme was over
thrown.
That night was dark one, but quite
still, and went to bed feeling fairly
comfortable, as n couple Of my friends
| had been with me until seven o'clock
and were to return early in the morning
with sailboat for Il fishing trip out To
deep water. About one o'clock, or per-
haps later, was awakened by hearing
disturbance of some sort downstairs,
and before had my eyes fully opened
Henry rushed into the room, slammed
the door and locked it.
whats the matter?" exclaimed.
For Gods sake, major" he gasped,
get up and help me. There's burglars
In the house, and I'm done for"
Then Henry went down on the
floor In heap and | lit a lamp, AZ
there came terrific hammering on the
door.
The light showed me Henry COW
cred with blood, his throat slashed,
lying there dead or dying, as / sup
posed.
What to do / did not know, for the
only arms in the house were across the
hall and the burglars had me shut of
from that direction and were rapidly
demolishing my door.
They swore and pounded, entirely re-
CARELESS of the ordinary rules Of bur-
glary, for they knew that so far away
from the shore they were perfectly safe.
"Go downstairs and get that AK"
heard one of them say, and We'll have
this blame door out of the way In a
minute. We've done up one of 'em,
and now we've got TO do up the other;
so there won't be any tellin' tales out
of school,"
Then he laughed, and heard foot
steps down the hall and stairs.
| knew there was no help for me
there, and only chance anywhere, and
! took that. One window OF my room
opened out on a back roof, and from
that 1t was only n short distance TO the
ground. Once out Of the house had
one chance in a million of escape. In q
minute was out of the window, over
the shed and on the ground had on
only my pajamas, and the sharp stones
cut my feet cruelty, but l did not think
of that 1t was life, and life is very
! sweet TO us, even though some fair lisa
bella may have slippe d drop Of bitter
into it,
Over the rocks and stones few, go
ing ! knew not where, thinking o.
nothing but escape.
What brought me TO my senses some
what was my rushing into the water
and at first thought of swimming
: out and trying TO reach the mainland
L but was only u poor swimmer and
, knew | should be drowned or laugh
| and knocked on the head in the watel
by the burglars as hunter nigh
knock a muslSrat in the head, and thu
horror of IL drove me back. Then
thought OF my own boat, but befort
: started that way, remembered tina
my friends had moved IL over 10 tn,
mainland TO return at daylight will
the sailboat, leaving me only my rock
cts TO signal the shore in case Of need
and what were signals now? Only
means whereby the murderers nigh
discover me.
One thinks rapidly at such moments
fancy, ana All TINS VOOh place III inucl
less time than il requires 10 tell II; blu
there was time enough for the burglar
10 learn ! was not in the room, AM
with their quick eyes see the windo1
through which had escaped, and
heard some of them coming along tn
: course had taken, and one goin
down towards my boat landing TO Gu
me off there.
Then aimlessly again and utterl
J. dazed, ! began TO circle the little II
land, running on the beach. The
could not see me and my bare fee
made no noise in the sand and rushe
madly ahead, when all at once ! wen
. with a terrible crash over somethiu
= on the beach. They were near enoup
{. 20 hear my fall, and one Of the
% shouted;
-, Here he Is, Bill; we've got him; we
. fix him now"
] thought about as the burglar di
/, but as | tried 10 get up ! found | vi
in boat drawn half way up on Il
sand.
! almost shouted with JOY when
. made this discovery II was their DO
: and once in it and ON the water | W
= safel BY this time / could hear the
!: footsteps along the shore, which W