Griggs courier., 1893-09-22
BURGLARS IN A TRAP.

OOAGO1Z4xGO 1AN "A 11OAxs
How They Were Caught by an
Intended Victim.
People said was very foolish when
bought q 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 I
would have it, far from the madding
crowds ignoble strife. Being a bache-
lor, with few wants, took with me
only my man Henry. who was an ex-
cellent housekeeper and cook.
don't think I ever enjoyed myself
more than the first four weeks I spent
on the island. In the morning l took
to the water, or took o walk for an
hour or so; then / wrote for three
hours. and the afternoons I read and
loafed. and at night slept. Some days
would row over to the mainland. and
every day Henry went over after the
mail, unless it was stormy. Sometimes
I had friend or two to drive with me,
but no woman was allowed to come
ashore there.
Twas rigid in my determination on
this point, for had not one Isabella
Ventnor told me two weeks before l
bought the island that she did not think
I was the kind of a man that any wom-
an ought to marry?
She had. and for that I had forsworn
ell women.
AC Il I'll
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 couple of my friends
had been with me until seven o'clock
and were to return early in the morning
with sailboat for fishing trip out to
deep water. About one o'clock, or per-
haps later, was awakened by hearing
a disturbance of some sort downstairs,
and before I had my eyes fully opened
Henry rushed into the room, slammed
the door and locked it.
''What's the matter?" exclaimed.
*'Fr 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 q heap and lit lamp, as
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 I sup
posed.
What to do I did not know, for the
only arms in the house were across the
hall and the burglars had me shut off
from that direction and were rapidly
demolishing my door.
They swore and pounded, entirely re-
gardless 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, land 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 teilin' 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 back roof, and from
that it was only o short distance to the
ground. Once out of the house I had
one chance in q 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 did not think
of that. 1t was life, and life is very
sweet to us, even though some fair lsa-
bella may have slipped q drop of bitter
into it.
Over the rocks and stones few, CO.
ing l knew not where, thinking of
nothing but escape.
What brought me to my senses some
what was my rushing into the water,
and at first I thought of swimming
out and trying to reach the mainland,
but was only poor swimmer and
knew I should be drowned or caught
and knocked on the head in the water
by the burglars as hunter might
knock muslrat in the head, and the
horror of it drove me back Then I
thought of my own boat, but before
I started that way, remembered that
my friends had moved it over to the
mainland to return at daylight with
the sailboat, leaving me only my rock
cts 10 signal the shore in case of need,
and what were signals now? Only a
means whereby the murderers might
discover me.
One thinks rapidly at such moments.
fancy, and all this took place in much
less time than it requires to tell it; but
there was time enough for the burglars
to learn l was not in the room. and
with their quick eyes see the window
through which had escaped. and
heard some of them coming along the
course l bad taken, and one going
down towards my boat landing to cu1
me of there.
Then aimlessly again and utterly
dazed, began to circle the little is.
land, running on the beach. They
could not see me and my bare fee,
made no noise in the sand and rushed
madly ahead. when all at once I wen,