Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1893-01-05
THE BURGLAR.

THE BURGLAR.
Ezra Timmins was steady man of
forty, who had been fifteen years book
keeper for the prosperous grocery house
Of Ham, Bacon, Lard g. Co. To guard
against burglars. he cultivated an ac-
quaintance with the policemen who
alternated on the beat and dropped mys-
terious hints Of munifcent rewards in
case they caught burglar in the act.
He had burglar alarm in his bedroom
and shotgun. from which Mrs. Tim
minis was in the habit of withdrawing
cartridges for fear he should shoot him
self.
Many sleepless night he spent in
prowling about the house in the dark in
quest of some intruder whose footstep
he thought he heard. He read every ar
ticle in the newspapers about burglaries,
and surprised his wife and niece by the
extent and accuracy Of his information
touching the methods OF the fraternity.
He plunged them into depths Of despair
by declaring that he knew it was his des-
tiny to wake up some morning and find
the house robbed and Constance's throat
cut
Constance was lovely girl, the daugh-
ter of an elder brother of Timmins who
had gone south after the war, bought a
plantation, taken the yellow fever and
died, leaving an estate of which the
value was unknown. She was a Co
quette, and had host of admirers who
seldom commanded the approval of her
uncle or aunt. If they were young
Uncle Ezra said they were ships and
ought to be In the nursery. If they were
old, he said they should be in some old
peoples home. Constance laughed at
bis invectives, and when her uncle for
bade this or that man the house she met
him elsewhere. if he had taken her fancy.
Among the admirers who could not
fairly be condemned to the nursery was
Colonel Pitblado. He had met Constance
at small party and had been struck by
her beauty and vivacity. With his usual
circumspection he had instituted inquir-
les regarding her prospective fortune.
From the assiduity with which he pur-
sued her afterward it may be inferred
that the result of the investigason had
been satisfactory.
Much to his annoyance Constance not
only did not ask him to the house, but
begged as favor that he would not
come; at any rate for the present.
"You see. Colonel Pitblado," said she,
Il have rather taken a fancy to you
and don't want to lose you. Now, my
uncle, who is the best man in the world,
invariably takes dislike to people who
pay me attention. Ihave presentiment
that if you came to the house he would
quarrel with you, and that would be the
end Of our acquaintance"
The colonel argued, but it was of nc
avail. The only concession which Con-
stance would make was that now and
then, say once week, she would leave
the door open after her uncle had gone
to bed, and the colonel might slip in and
spend a few minutes with her in the dark
In the hall or in the drawing room.
II know" she said, "that you are toe
much Of gentleman to make me regret
my good nature; anyway ! think I can
take care of myself"
The colonel's behavior was beautiful.
His speech was eloquent on the subject
of his love, but he rarely ventured even
to press the fingers of his charmer as
they sat side by side on the sofa.
There they sat one night, and Con
stance, In subdued voice, was explain
ing her uncle's extraordinary terror OF
burglars.
colonel.
II believe that when he was child
burglars broke into the house where he
was living and killed one Of the inmates.
He was wakened out of bed by the sound
of the shot. and he has never got over
the shock"
II can quite understand it," replied
the colonel. "There is something pecul.
iarly terrifying in a midnight encoun-
ter with man whom you cannot see,
and who has everything to gain and little
to lose by taking your life."
"Ohw cried Constance, 1.-THE thought
fills me at times with such horror that ]
am as afraid of burglars as my uncle,
think that if l saw one in my room.
would die of fright"
II hope" said the colonel laughing,
''that would not show the white
feather. But must say do not banker
to meet burglar in the flesh"
At that moment slight noise was
heard outside the drawing room door.
It was the faintest possible creak Of 8
weak flooring plank under tread. Both
the tenants Of the sofa looked up and
held their breath, with ears on the full
strain. Another board creaked and pres
entity, after wait which seemed to last
for ages. the acute ears of the colonel
detected muffied tread on the carpet Of
the room in which they sat. There was
third party in the room. He was shod
with wool and was moving noiselessly
and occasionally stopping as if to listen
whether he was detected. The long
expected burglar had come.
Constance tainted silently on the sofa
The colonel, in whom the presence Of
danger had awakened his fighting in
stinct, rose from his seat and groped his
way noiselessly toward the intruder
whom he could not see. He could by
this time hear the scoundrel's breath
coming and going, and instinct prompted
him to hold his own. He would have
given worlds for weapon, but his cans
was out of reach. He must give battle
with his bare hands against one who
probably bad both pistol and knife. Al
he reelected the intruder's foot came int.
contact with q stool. TIL colonel hes
itated no longer; with a sudden sprinl
he was upon the invader. He hat
thrown his weight into the spring ant
felled the burglar to the ground fac,
downward. Then, swiftly seizing hi
wrists, he held them in grip Of iron
twisted the arms upward and sat dow
on his back.
The burglar struggled, evidently striv
ing to free one hand to use his knife
but the colonel was now fighting for hi
life. His clutch of the wrists did not re
lax When the struggle grew weakeg
and Pitblado had got back his breath h
Missed:
"You villain! II you don't keep you
hands still. I'll drive my knife through
your vitals. One motion and you are ,
dead man.