The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1893-01-21
THE BURGLAR.

Keeper Tor the prosperous grocery house
of Ham. Bacon. Lard & Co. To guard
against burglars. he cultivated an ac-
~quaintance with the policemen who
a~lteruatea On the heat and dropped mys-
terious hj-ts Of mun.ticeut rewards in
case they caught Il burglar in the act.
He had a burglar alarm III his bedroom
and IA shotgun. from which Mrs. Tim
nlilis Was iii the habit Of Withdrawing
cartridges for fear he should shoot him
self.
Many 4 s!eepless niwht be spent in
prowling abort the horse il the dark in
quest of so,le intruder whase f~ootstep
he thought lie heard. lie read every al
tcle III the newspapers about brrglarics.
and surprised his wife and niece bv tie
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 ON morning and find
the hoasl robbed and CuA-,3ace's throat
cut
Constance WAS IA lovely girl. the daugh-
ter OF ali elder brother OF Iimnlins who
had gone south after the war. bought Il
plantation. token the vell0w fever and
died. leaving an estate Of which the
value was unknown. She was a CO.
auette, and he'd a host Of admirers who
seldom commanded the approval of her
uncle or aunt. Ii they were young
Uncle Ezra said they were ships and
ought to be II the nursery If they We're
old. he said they should lie in some cd
peoples home. Constance laughed ut
his invectiyes. 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 WA:
Colonel Pitblado. He had nlet Constance
at Il small party and had been struck by
her beauty and yivacity, 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 Investigation had
been satisfactory.
Much to his annoyance Constance not
only did not ask him to the house, but
begged as a favor that he would not
come; at any rate for the present.
lou ste. SOlotlGl EitD.StO- SaiG size,
II have rather taken Il fancy to Won
and ! don't ant TO lose yen. Nov. my
uncle. who IL the best man in the world.
invariably takes a dislike to people who
pay mt attention. have Il presentiment
that If you came to the house he would
quarrel with you. and that would be the
n OF our acquaintance"
The colonel argued. but it was of no
avail. The 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 the colonel might slip III and
spend a few minutes with her III the dark
in the hall or in the drawing room.
Il know" she said. that You are too
much of d gentleman to make me regret
my good nature, anyway | think | can
take care of myself"
The coloue!.i behavior was beautiful.
His speech y eloquent Oh the subject
OF his love, bat 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 a subdued voice. was explain
ing her uncle's extraordinary terror Of
burglars.
Has he ever been robbed" asked the
colonel.
Il believe that when he was a child
burglars broke into the house where liz
was living and killed one Of the inmates.
He was Weakened out of bed by the sound
of the shot. and he has never got over
the shock"
Il can quite understand it.. replied
the colonel. There il something pecal-
larly terrifying in a midnight encoun-
ter with II man whom You cannot see.
and who has everything to gain and llttlr
to lose by taxing year lie"
OH" cried Constance. the thought
fills me at times with such horror that
am as afraid Of burglars as my uncle.
think thai if / saw one in my room. |
would die Of fright"
Il hope said the colonel laughing.
that / would not show the white
feather. But | must say ! 90 not banker
to meet Il burglar in the flesh"
AT that moment Il slight noise WAS
heard outside the drawing room door.
1t was the faintest possible creak Of 4;
weak flooring plank under a tread. Both
the tenants OF the sofa looked up and
held their breath. with cars on the full
strain. Another board creaked and pres
emily. after IL wait which seemed to last
for ages. the acute ears of the colonel
detected a muff1ed tread on the carpet Of
the room in which they sat. There was