Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-09-23
SINFIRE.
By JULIAN HAWTHORNE.
ICopyriGht. 1898. by American Press AssociA-
 tioD
CHAPTER VIII.

lCopyriGht, ls92. by American Press AssociA-
 ton.l
 CHAPTER VIII.
 John, Lord Cedarcliffe, in his capacity as squire of this neighborhood, has been obliged to give a good deal of attention to the gang of burglars which has of late been infesting the region, but so far the authorities" have been successful only in securing evidence of past depreda- tions. News has just arrived that last night they got into General Furnaces place, which is only two miles from ours, and carried off all poor Mrs. Furnaces jewelry. This is too bad in itself, and it also raises the interesting question whether we may not be the next objects of attack. They were very quiet and skillful and also very leisurely and au- dacious, for they made most careful and fastidious selection from the booty at their disposal and took nothing that would not be readily and immediately available.
 As a law abiding and respectable citi- zen, such outrages as this have my stern- est reproduction, but as human being, with good slice of the old Adam in me, confess to good deal of secret amuse- ment and admiration, the fellows take such enormous risks and do their work so cleverly. Of course if caught one of them carrying Saprani, for example, l should However, Sapram is not a diamond necklace and could probably take her own part. John takes a thor oughly serious view of the matter, and he and Henry (who is always ready for an adventure of any kind) are busy de- vising scheme for bagging the light fingered gentry ill case they honor us wi:h call. Mother is much comforted by the presence of a large empty revolv- CT on her mantelpiece, and Sinfire goes about with a derringer i'll her pocket, which Is not empty and which she knows how To use. For my part I shall de pend more on my key and bolt than on deadly weapons. and besides, as 1 shall have to attend to the wounded, it would be foolish in me to take measures to in crease their number.
 can draw no final conclusions from what goes on between Sinfire and Henry She watches hlm constantly, though un- obtrusivelv, but when he attempts to be attentive to her Cas he often docsl she draws back. This may be acting on the part of both of them. What they may dowhen they are alone together of course l don't know, and l can observe them only occasionally. Henry sustains with success the role of a man who is anxious to make himself agreeable to pretty girl whom he sees for the first time Sin fire does not-perhapS does not care to create exactly the same impression. In n score of ways-voluntary or involun- tary. she indicates that her knowledge of him is of long standing. But she seems to be hcsitating-to be in doubt. PoSSi- blv she cannot make up her mind wheth- CT 10 declare open war or to try to bind him to her by a tie that cannot be broken. It Is a pathetic, almost tragic situation, and 1t interests and eNciteS me more than 1 should have expected. Whichever horn of the dilemma the girl decides upon mis- chief will come of 1t, but l am inclined to think that war Is her safer course. If she trusts herself 70 Henry again, she is ruined beyond redemption.
 On the other hand, putting myself in Henry's place. don't understand why he does not carry the war into the enc my's country and denounce Sinfire as an Enpostor. IL is bad sign in him that he does notdo so. The debt he owes her must be something more than ordinary if he shrinks from repudiating it. Un- less she be married to him (which is out { of the question, or she would have come to Us as his wne), she can have no legal hold upon him, except upon the hypo- thesis, which do not like even to men. ton. that she has cognizance of some crime that he has committed against the law. Hateful though this idea is, it must be confessed that 1t would clucidate much of the mystery.
 One strange feature in Sinfire's con- duct I have not mentioned-it is her at- titude toward me. Although since Hen rvs arrival she has carefully avoided be ing alone with me, there Is something in her manner that makes me feel as if our spiritual intimacy. so to speak, had deep ened immensely since our interview in the laboratory. Her eyes have occasion ally met mine with an expression l can not describe. but it makes something burn within me. What does she mean; Is it an appeal. a silent cry for help, 0T is it that and something more? And again, when she puts her hand i'll mine to say good night there is an cmanatior from her presence, from her eyes. heI lips. her bosom. Il touches me like ar embrace. but it penetrates further thar any embrace can reach. l cannot an alvzc this emotion. l have no wish [, question its origin or issue. F.. me i is thing out of all relation the, things. Especially at this ist beware of allowing it to ming witl baser considerations. But, if be no misled, if she and in thi, separate sphere understand each other, then Ou time will come!
 If Henry had lost his temper, or if had not been present, it would doubt less have been a great deal worse. was painful enough as it was John, a p usual, now that his explosion is over l seems to feel no further anilnosity. Sucl Is his fortunate temperament, but if h had happened to kill his brother whil l the fit was on him what then? We'll, h is like child and evidently thinks tha to shake hands and say I'm sorry" i ample atonement for having charged
 man with all the crimes in the calenda \ or attempted to murder him. Henry } for his part, appears to bear no malice so nothing further seems likely to com of it.
 Henry had just knocked at my ibrar door, and having entered was on tn l. point of taking a chair when Joh bounced in. 1 wish, by the way, Henr had had time to open the topic he cam to discuss, if there were any topic in pa, ticular. As soon as I saw John I kne' what was coming, but Henry was d.