The citizen., 1896-07-10
TWO GOOD TURNS.
BY WALTER LEON SAWYER.

Mr.. Balcom rose early that morning,
and he hurried off to the city as soon as
he had swallowed breakfast. That was
not his way, and Mrs. Balcom wondered;
but, being good wife, she asked no
questions. Before she had fully accom-
modated herself to the novel event, the
man-of-all-work gave her another sur
prise, presenting a telegram which set
forth that his sister was i'll and needed
him. Of course Mrs. Balcom let him go.
1t did not occur to her that the double
departure left her and the children un-
protected, and if it had she would have
smiled at the idea of danger. She did
not know that there was a burglar in
town.
Mr.. Balcom did know. AS he came up
from the train the evening before, his
neighbor Jones had stopped him to
whisper that the Hartshorne house had
been entered and judiciously ransacked.
The Hartshornes were in Europe. Their
caretaker had been sojourning in that
other foreign land, a drunkard's para
disc; but as soon as he came out of it
he discovered the robbery and fastened
to ask Jones' advice. Jones, who had a
nervous mother-in-law, suggested that
the matter be kept as quiet as possible;
and he wanted to know if Mr. Balcom-
You did just right" Mr. Balcom in
terrupted when the story had gone
thus far. "These country constables
would frighten every woman into hys-
terics, but they wouldn't catch a
burglar once in thousand times. Pro-
fessional. is hep"
$50 suppose. He seems to have gone
into the house and through it as though
he knew his business"
''I'll back my burglar alarm against
hint" Mr.. Balcom chuckled, conf
IDENTIFY.
"How about Ben Ezra?" the neighbor
asked.
mo fear of him. You see my stable
is as well protected as my house." Mr..
Balcom explained. "Fact is, I'd sooner
lose half there is in the house than that
horse. Little off his feed, the poor fel
low is. had Il veterinary out yesterday
to look at him, but can't drive him for
a week. guess L"
II suppose we ought to do some
thing" Mr.. Jones ventured to hint. He
knew if allowed to go on, Mr.,
Balcom would talk about his horse until
the burelar-and the listener-died a
natural death.
"Oh, of course we must trip the fellow
before he goes any further. Tell you
what: | know a private detective who
was on the Boston force for years
long enough to get acquainted with
every rascal in the country. I'll bring
him home with me tomorrow to look
over the ground. 1t would be better to
pay him hundred than have the thing
get out and bedevil the women"
'Yes, indeed!" said Mr.. Jones, fer
vently.
Soitwas decided. And after the neigh
bors had exchanged the usual remarks
on the dryness of the season and the
need of rain. Mr.. Balcom sauntered
homeward, calm in the contentment
which a managing man has a right to
feel. HeNfkissed his wife and children,
and then he went out and caressed his
horse. He looked carefully to the locks
and the alarms. They were perfect and
in order. He went to bed in peace.
dream. 1t seemed that Ben Ezra was
stolen; that he had expended his for
tune in seeking the horse; that finally,
when he had sunk to beggar's outcast,
he found the wreck of Ben Ezra hauling
agarbage cart! The dream so wrought
upon Mr.. Balcom that he awoke in d
cold perspiration. He rushed to the
stable, and proved it only dream. But
it might be a warning! That supersti-
tious fancy fingered with him through
the hours of dusk and dawn, and the
early glare of an August sun did not
dispel it. 1t hurried him to the city, as
has been told.
Looking at it in the light of his new
knowledge, Mr. Balcom could see many
reasons why Maple Park should attract
a burglar. Its isolated and unguarded
location is one; the smallness and sleep
mess of the town that it fringes is an
other. Seekonket has only two con-
stables and one hand fire-engine-
though, to be sure. it has four churches
and the arstocratic residents cut
themselves off from all these blessings
by building on the farther side of Green
leafs hill. AS Maple Park holds aloof
from Seekonket, Seekonket keeps away
from Maple Park; and Mr.. Balcom Won
dered, the longer he thought of it, that
some frowsy Napoleon did not organize
his army of tramps and obliterate Maple
Park.
Mrs. Malcolm was not imaginative,
and no such terrors ever oppressed her.
She was young enough to enjoy her
money, and old enough to appreciate
her health; and since her daughters had
not reached a manageable age, neither
her health nor her money seemed in
danger. OF course, she should have
been, as she was. happy woman. She
spent her day as the truly happy must
in small activities that amuse one and
make one feel useful but not fatigued
So accustomed was she to the routine
of quiet that when Abbie, the cook. ap-
pcared excitedly before her she was
slow tolrealize that this particular day
might prove an exception.
''The stables afire, Miss Baloom!" the
cook proclaimed.
''Is it?" the mistress absently an
swered. TELL Henry to put it out,
please. Oh, remember; l allowed
Henry to visit his sister," She closed
her UyritinO-daSl< a nd St0nd ron sidariOO