San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-07-07

the window sill and the stones beneath.
Nothing here" quickly added.
The gentleman left no trace that can
be Of any help to me. Let's try the 9th
or"
This sash was also raised, and ! made
a prolonged and minute examination of
the interior and outside. Nothing was
to be noted. and knew such would be
the fact the moment crossed the
threshold, for although this was rear
room it was not the one which the East
Indians had attempted to enter. That
was to the left and could be reached
only by passing out again into the hall.
Still it served my purpose not to let
her know for the moment that saw the
clever trick she had played ON me. /
pressed my exapination, and then, with
the window raised and my head partly
out turned quickly toward her:
SIS this the window which the bur-
glar tried to enter?"
"Well, that is-didn't tell you !
didn't see any of emp"
depressed the smile that tugged at my
mouth. Here was an old lady so consoi-
entious that she would not tell q false
hood to save her life, yet neither would
she betray those whom she believed it
her duty to protect. Instead of answer
ing me she parted my question.
Come here one moment" said
kindly.
She obeyed timidly and stood at my
side. drew back my head, leaving the
sash raised. and replaced my derby.
Nov, it doesn't look reasonable to
me that two or three burglars would
have tried to get in this window when
they had no means Of doing so. OF
course you have ladder about the
premises, but they did not make use Of
it."
81 don't think they did, for it is in
the barn, where it has been for weeks. "
Exactly. Then how could they get
up to this window from the ground?"
"How many of them was there?" she
asked in turn.
''We understand there were three"
"Well, couldn't one of them stand on
the others head and then let the third
climb up ON his head?" she demanded
triumphantly, as though her answer
solved the question.
Under the circumstances it was an
ingenious reply, and my respect for her
cleverness rose.
81 declare / did not think of that,
but how do you account for the fact
that they left no signs behind them?"
"I'm not counting for anything You
pretend to be an ossifer of the law, and
if you are as smart as you think you
can answer the question yourself. My
eyes amt as good as they used to be,
but mebbe can see where you can't. F"
And. stepping forward, the good
gray head" leaned out of the window
and peered through her spectacles at
the old stone wall and the ledge as If
she expected to discover written ex-
PLANTATION of the whole mystery.
Not only that, but saw her chip a
piece of mortar with her thumb nail
from between the stones just below the
ledge.
Some one must have done that, she
remarked, scrutinizing the mark with
interest "What do you think Of it?"
81 think it was removed by your
thumb-in fact, saw it done-though,
of course, you did not know it W
SIS that truef" she asked as innocent
ly as child "Well, / must be more
careful. They could have come in this
yinder the way said, couldn't they?"
Probably they could, but / don't
think they did.
"Why not?"
"That isn't the way with burglars.
"Do you know much about such
folks?"
Madam, my business brings me in
contact with them" l remarked, with
all the impressiveness could assume,
land it is my duty to study their ways.
That's the way you learned, eh?"
Exactly, and in no other. am con-
WINGED that neither one of those crimi-
nails attempted to enter this room by the
means You name
1t was quite clear that she meant to
keep me from entering the right one, and
was determined that neither she nor
any one else should do that.
/ lowered the window and slowly
walked across the room and out of the
door leading to the hall My head was
bent as if in troublous thought
"Wait," she interposed, hurrying to
place herself in front of me. 1T would
be more polite if you would let me
lead. ~
IL must beg you'll pardon again, but
wish to relieve you Of all tho labor
can
1.-THE best way to do that is by leav
ing the hon ', "
81 will - glad to do so when my
work is completed.
Itwas no fancy this time that heard
a soft football and saw the door opening
to the room slightly ajar. Some one
was ON the other side, stealthily watch
ing us and listening to our words. The