Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1893-04-20

had not thought to write II earlier In
the evening, There was n mail box
.diugonnlly across the street on the
corner
"l'll just run across and mail it. I'll
leave the door opcn--it won't take
moment"
Taking u wrap from the hat-tree in
tho hall she throw It about her, saw
that no one was passing and slipped
out II took her only amomcnt to drop
that card in the box and run back to
tho house. The door was MAR rs she
had left IL; no ono was on the street,
but In that ono moment
1t was past midnight. Mrs. Bascomb
was reading very interesting novel
She was surprised when the clock
struck the half hour, and laid her book
down. Not that she felt sleepy, but
she had just determined that she would
sleep downstairs in the new folding
bed in the back parlor There werc
porticres between tho rooms, but these
were drawn back and hung limp on
either side.
The bed" was n large handsome
bookcase, with bric-a-brac on its top
shelf. Mrs. Bascomb let it down and
admired it from all sides. 1t took up
all the space between the walls, ex-
ccpt just room enough for her to pass
to the little table under the mirror
where Towards revolver lay She
now pushed this further back and laid
her watch and chan--hcr wedding
present from her fathcr-hcr diamond
graduation ring, her diamond engage.
mont ring and her purse, which she
took odt of the pocket of her dress, on
the table in shining heap.
II wonder if he married the tall,
thin ono, or the short, homely one"
she said to hersolf, and, going out into
the parlor, picked up the book ngain,
and.was soon deep IN the plot. 80
A noise reused her. She looked at
tho folding doors leading into The hail.
They were locked she knew Then
she turned her eyes toward the back
| parlor tf tyHf Tsss
TITS the now folding-bcd getting
used to being open,p she thought, con-
scious of slight exhilaration in the
region of her heart. Then she glanced
Mt mirror, in which she saw the full
length figure CT man standing back
of the portieres.
have heard it said, or read some
where, that every man is ready to pro-
tcct woman from every other man
except himself. At that moment Lot
tic Bascomb would rather have seen a
tiger standing ready to dcvour her.
Her next surprise was ut his manner of
address: fH rt
Good evening, maam," and he
stepped from the portiere and stood be-
fore her. You needn't DO frightened,
l amt goin' to hurt you"
"What do you want2" Her voice did
| not even trcmble.
II want the money yer husband
brought home that he's goin' to take to
New York tomorrow"
II don't know what money you
mean, but my husband Is on his way
to New York now. Ho left to-day at
noon"
Sheahad risen from her chair and
started forward TO reach 'thcrevolver.
But she could not outwit the disap-
pointed and cnraged burglar.
He spraDg to intercept her, and
struck his foot against the folding bed,
throwing himself across it in his at
tempt to retain his balance. There
was grinding. whirring sound and a
complete disappearance of one of the
principals in this affair.
On that same night bclated citizen
hurrying home was accosted from the
lower window of house he was pass.
ing in the residence portion Of the city.
"Sir, oh, sirr'
He stopped, for it was woman's
voice, pitched at an alarm key.
"Will yon please find the policeman
on this beat and send him here in
stantly?"
Can be of any assistance?''
mo. It's burglar, and have him
safe"
The policeman arrived, and with hin
the passer-by she had accosted, whose
services were not required, however
The policeman went to the telephone
and summoned hclp. Meanwhile ht
took up position where earlier in The
evening the folding bed had stood. l
was now shut up and looked merely |
| rp,es;ue boolycasn noroin
When the patrol wagon arrived thi
bookcase became an object of inme
diate interest. One blue coated officia
was stationed on either side and two a
the foot Mrs. Bascomb and the nov
awakened Kitty were detailed at alittl,
distance. 0a
"Nowl" said the sergeant, and h,
manipulated the case as Mrs. Bascom1
; had shown him how to do momcn
, before.
1t came down on the run, and there
limp and half-smothcrcd, was tn
trapped burglar, his forehead cut an
bleeding from chance incision as TIL
, bed had shut up with him in an ex
! plosive embrace.
80, Clever Jim, you are at it again
Here you arc" said one of the police
men, as he snapped the bracelets o.
his wrist. "Your pals not in it thi
time" as he handed him over to two O
the force.
"That's him!' said Kitty. THAT
!, the man that was lookin' for girl a
|, he said was his sister. Oh, the viii
| yun!"
He was taken away, tried and cor
,victcd and sent up for five years, bu
, be never opened his mouth as to hi
, h,othod of getting into the house. Iii
quite safe to infer that Mrs. Bascom
never resorted again TO that very CON
mon practice of ladies who mail lat
letters of leaving the house door ajal
And the folding bed will remain a boob
case to the end Of its days, unless
should again be used as burglar traI