The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1894-08-10

he had been shipped away in his queer
hiding place. No wonder the TRUNK
was heavy and big. No doubt from
peepholes in it the robber had watched
me until certain / was sound asleep.
Then out he must have crept and-tht
thought made me shudder and fee
faint.
But, though we admired the cunning
and bold trick, we Immediately sci
about tracing the trunk to where II
went after leaving our house.
The expressmaD. whom we found tc
be honest and unsuspicious in the mat
ter, had given it to the railroad which,
on Geographic orders, had forwarded
it to an adjacent city. There it was
called for and taken away by dray-
man who likely was an accomplish oil
the burglar, for no one at the station
knew HIM and nothing further could
be learned regarding the trunk, at least
for the time being.
Now comes the strangest and almost
incredible part of my story.
Some months after our robbery ]
was on a weeks visit at my uncle's
house in a distant town. Like my
fathers, it was spacious, and showed
evidence of the wealth it contained.
One evening after supper and while
we were all gathered in the parlor a
telegram was brought in and handed
to my Cousin Alice. Of course my
detective curiosity was aroused at the
similarity of the event and when it
turned out to be almost identical in
it's reading with the one sent to me
the night before our burglar, l in
stantly knew what was coming. So
did the rest, for they, as you may
guess, were not ignorant of the at
fair.
For some moments we gazed at each
other in speechless astonishmenS
Then Uncle John, bound to joke, nd
matter what happened, asked me with
mock seriousness if I would like the
expected trunk set in my room, which,
being the guest chamber, was the
right place for it.
Ny look Of terror made him smile
in 81 70 of his straight face.
'No! mol" gasped. 81 should
die at the sight oft. Oh, Uncle John,
do send for the police at once I'm
sure we'll all be murdered in our
sleep"
eyes, but we want to trap your bur
glar friend,'' he laughed, stand maybe
recover your jewels. However, if you
are SO unacceptable, perhaps Alice will
take the stranger in.
But Alice, with face more scared
than mine, declared positively, that
she wouldn't.
''Well, then, I will do the honors, "
said uncle, glancing mischievously at
his frightened wife.
"John you shall do no such thing"
spoke up auntie, with a trembling
voice, "I'll have tho trunk thrown
down the we'll as soon as it arrives.
No burglar, dead or alive, comes into
my room. The idea !"
Finally we settled down to business
and fixed on plan to catch the COM
ing burglar red-handed and without
any danger to ourselves.
EARLY next morning I moved from
the guests chamber to my room with
cousin Alice. Then my deserted apart
ment had its windows securely barred,
SO that our expected guest cohld not
escape through them should be feel so
Inclined, and its door was fixed to be
strongly bolted from outside, in the
haN. Some old watches and jevelry
of Amall value were carelessly left on
the dressing case to tempt the RASCAL
and Keep him in innocence Of our
crafty scheme.
Several well-armed men were 10 be
stationed quietly in and about the
house, to do whatever fighting night
be necessary though our plan " as to
let the burglar rest in fancied peace,
if possible. Then, after his departure
in the trunk, We were to follow and
capture his pals in the city, and p re-
cover the previously stolen artic4s
IT'S needless to mention our etcite-
ment, of Whiting all the next day for
the trunk, or our scarcely concealed
agitation when, toward evening" it
arrived.
Uncle J ohm afpself, loudly proclaim
ing his gladness ut the pleasure o the
visit it promiseS, helped the uisus-
pecting expressnaap up the broad s air.
case and carefully left it in the 9est
chamber, right side up and whee it
could be observed from the hallby
peeping through the key-hole of The
well-fastened door.
Before dark 1 mustered cour,se
enough to steal in stockinged feetto
the key-bole and peek in.
Yes, the trunk was the very ono I
bod anforfaiuad opd avan cot m, IN A.,