Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-01-17
THE BURGLAR.

Il
Ezra Timmins was Q steady man Of
forty. who had been fifteen years book.
keeper for the prosperous grocery house
Of Ham. Bacon. Lard q Co. To guard
against burglars. he cultivated an 90
quaintance with the policemen who
Rlternated on the beat and dropped mys-
terious hints Of munifcent rewards In
case they caughts = 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 be should shoot him.
relf.
Many . sleepless night he spent In
prowling about the house In the dark In
quest Of some intruder whose footstep
be thought he heard. He read every ar.
ticls 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 no know II was his des
tiny to wake mp some morning and find
the house robbed and Constance's throat
cut.
Constance was q lovely girl. the daugh.
ter Of an elder brother Of Timmins who
had gone south after the war. bought .
plantation. taken the yellow fever and
died. leaving an estate OF which the
value was unknown. She was q CO
quette. and had . host Of admirers who
seldom commanded the approval Of her
uncle or aunt. II they were young
Uncle Ezra said they were snips and
ought to be In the nursery. II 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 abe met
him elsewhere. II he had taken her fancy.
Among the admirers who could not
fairly be condemned to the nursery was
Colonel Pitblado. He had met Constance
ut 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 II may DO inferred
that the result Of the investigation had
been satisfactory.
Much to his annoyance Constance not
only did not ask him to the house, but
begged as u favor that he would not
come; at any rate for the present.
"You see. Colonel Pitblado." said she,
II have rather taken q fancy to you
and don't want to lose you. Now, my
uncle, who Is the best man In the world,
invariably takes u dislike to people who
pay me attention. have u presentiment
that u 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 no
avail. Tho only concession which Con-
stance would make was that now and
then. say once q week, she would leave
the door open after her uncle had gone
to bed. and tho colonel might slip In and
spend q few minutes with her In the dark
| In the hall or In the drawing room.
II know" she said, "that you are too
much Of gentleman to make mo regret
my good nature; anyway ] think ] can
take care Of myself"
The colonels behavior was beautiful.
His speech was eloquent on the subject
OF his love. but he rarely yentured even
to press tho fingers Of his charmer a.
they sat side by side on the sofa.
There they sat one night, and Con-
stance. In o subdued voice, was explain.
INK her uncle's extraordinary terror OF
Has he ever been robbedy asked the
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 Ia something pecul-
iarly terrifying In midnight encoun-
ter with man whom you cannot see.
and who has everything to gain and little
to lose by taking your life."
"Ohr' cried Constance. "the thought
ILLS me at times with such horror that J
am ~ afraid Of burglars rs my uncle.
think that II | saw one In my room. ]
would die OF fright"
II hope" said the colonel laughing.
that would not show tho white
feather. But must say do not banker
to meet u burglar In the flesh"
Al that moment q slight noise was
heard outside the drawing room door.
Il was the faintest possible creak Of a
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
emily. after q wait which seemed to last
| for ages. the acute ears Of the colonel
detected mufiied 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 a. u to listen
whether he was detected. Tho long
expected burglar had come.
Constance tainted silently on the sofa.
The colonel. In whom the presence OF
danger had awakened bis fighting in'
stinct, rose from his seat and groped his
way noiselessly toward the intruder.
whom he could not zee. He could BY
this time hear the scoundrel's breath
coming and going. ind instinct prompted
him to hold his own. He would have
giyen worlds for = weapon. but his cane
was out Of reach. He must give battle
with his bare hands against ono who
probably had both pistol and knife. Ar
be reflected the intruders foot came intu
contact with stool. The colonel hes.
ttated no longer; with sudden spring
he was upon the invader. He had
thrown his weight into the spring and
| felled the burglar to the ground face
downward. Then. swiftly seizing hi'
wrists, he held them In grip OF iron
twisted the arms upward and sat down
on his back.
The burglar struggled. evidently striv'
Ing to free one hand 70 use his knife
but the colonel was now lighting for biz
life. His clutch Of the wrists did not 70
lax. When the struggle grew weake'
and Pitblado had got back bis breath b
Missed,
"You villaini II you don't keep youl
hands still. ri drive my knife through
your vitals. One motion and you arc
dead man.
The burglar made no reply. Hspantsd
and sounds came from him which y