The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-01-21

job was over Just at his moment she
rose abruptly to leave the bus, and
had hardly time to got my hand with
the purse in it out of her pocket without
detection. 1t was not until she had been
gone some time that l found out that in
drawing out my hand in that hurried
manner the new and ill-iltting ring had
slipped over my finger and remained in
the young lady's pocket. l sprang out
and ran in the direction in which she
had gone with the intention of picking
her pocket once again. She had dis
appeared, however; and from that day
till this l have never set eyes on her. To
make the matter worse, there was only
four pence half-penny in coppers in
side the purse. Sarve me right for try
ng to rob such pretty girl; STILL If
had that two hundred quid now should
no be reduced to-Good heavens, for
give me! What am saying?"
He seemed inclined to relapse into
silence after this; but / was determined
to draw him out a little more, if | could
possibly manage it. There is less per-
sCnal risk in the branch you have been
talking Of" | remarked, than there is
in burglary"
"Ah" he said warming to his sub
ject once again, ''it is the higher game
which is best worth aiming at. Talk
about sport, sir, talk about fishing or
hunting! why it is tame in comparison.
Think of the great country house with
its men servants and its dogs and its
firearms, and you only with your jim
my and your center bit, ana your moth
er wit, which Is best of all. 1t is the
triumph of intellect over brute force,
sir. as represented by bolts and bars
People generally look upon it as
quite the reverse" / remarked.
II was never one of those bmndering
life-preserver fellows" said my COM
panion. II did try my hand at CARROT
ting once; but it was against my princi-
pies, and l gave it up. ! have tried ey-
erything. | have been a bed-ridden
widow with three young children; but
| do object to physical force"
You have been what?' said |.
"A bed-rdden widow. Advertising
you know, and getting subscriptions
l have tried them all. You seem inter
ested in these experiences" he contin-
ued; 80 l will tell you another anec-
dOte. 1t was the narroW5St escape from
penal servitude that ever | had in my
life. A pal and | had gone down on a
country beat--it doesn't signify where il
| was-and taken up our headquarters
ir Il little provincial town. Somehow
1T got noised abroad that we were there
and householders were warned to be
careful, as suspicious characters had
been Seeninth neighborhood. We should
have changed our plans when we saw
the game was up; but my chum was Il
plucky fellow, and wouldn't consent tc
back down. Poor little Jim, He was
only thirty-four round the chest, and
| about twelve about the biceps; but
| there is not a measuring tape in En-.
gland could have given the size of his
| heart. He said we Were in for it, anC
we must stick to it: so l agreed to stay
and we chose Morley hall, the country
| house of a certain Col. Morley, to begr
| with"
Now. this Col Morley was about the
last man ih the world that we SHOULD
| have meddled with. He was shrewd
| cool-headed fellow, who had knocked
about and seen the world, and it seem!
that he took a special pride in the de
lection of criminals. However, W,
knew nothing of all this at that time: s,
We set forth hopefully to have a try a
the house.
THE reason that made us pick hin
out among the rest was that he had {
good-for-nothing groom, who was {
tool in our hands. This fellow hat
drawn up q rough plan of the premises
for us. The place was pretty well locke.
up and guarded, and the only veal
point we could see was a certain trap
door. the paddock OF which was broken
and which opened from the roof int,
one of the lumber rooms If we couiC
only find a method of reaching the roof
we might force way securely from
above We both thought the plan rathe
good one. and it had a spice of origin
ality about 1t which pleased us. 1t il
not the mere jewels or plate. you know
that a good craftsman thinks about
The neatness of the job and his reputa
ton for smartness are almost as impOr
tant in his eyes.
I'VE had been very quiet for day o
two, just TO let suspicion die away