Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1896-01-24
A CAPTURE.

Billy Sims was enjoying that period
Of rest and peace which comes to a man
when his wife and family go to the sea-
side and leave him in possession Of tho
house Then a person can stay out as
late DIS he likes. He may smoke in any
room in the house. He may even 90 to
bed with his boots on If it SO pleases
him.
Billy had expected to stay ut tho sea
for a couple Of weeks, but n telegram
had recalled him to town after being a
day or two away, and no came joyfully
back, for the sea bored him, and there
was nothing lively going on at the re-
sort his family had chosen. Before he
left town Billy had told the police Of
his suburb that the house would be
closed for a fortnight, and he asked
them to keep an eye on the premises.
Billy's faith in the force was somewhat
shaken when he Unexpectedly returned,
found he had left his latchkey at Ma
rineville and was thus compelled to
climb in at a window after midnight,
yet no notice was taken of him. He got
out in the same way next morning and
telegraphed for his keys. He roamed all
over the house with a lighted candle at
various periods Of the night, but the
guardians of the peace ever disturbed
him, and Billy made up his mind that
the next time he went away he would
take ont a burglar insurance and not
trouble tho guardians who guarded SO
carelessly.
On Saturday afternoon Billy, having
n day of, took a day on, as it were, and
went fer a long spin through the coun
try ON his bicycle. He Ind dinner at O
wayside inn and got home late and tired.
Putting his machine in its shed, he en-
tered the house, poured ont for himself
a glass Of cooling stimulants, and rested
his weary body in his most comfortable
armchair, slipping the gratifying mix
ture In accordance with the directions
ON the bottle.
The house was very quiet. and soon
Billy dropped off to sloep. He woke up
suddenly and found everything still
very quiet and very dark as well. yet he
had the feeling within him hat he had
been awakened by n noise. he listened
intently, sitting still in the comfortable
chair, and presently the chandelier
above his bead gave a slight rattle, as il
was in the habit Of doing when some
n was walking in the room overhead.
Billy did not believe in ghosts, for he
was a newspaper man and could hardly
be said TO believe in anything. Again
the chandelier jingled, yet there was nc
noise OF n footstep overhead, and il
dEwned upon Billy's scarcely awakened
faculties that whoever was above hin
was going around in his stocking feet
trying to bs as silent as possible. Billy
regretted that he did not own such
thing as a revolver, for he felt convinced
that at last burglars were in the house
He vaguely saw himself writing AN &C
count Of the incident, headed "Desper
ate Encounter With a Burglar. Heroic
Conduct Of Suburban Householder. +"
Fired by this thought, and in spite o
the distinct creeping of his scalp which
we exaggerate into terming the sensa
ton Of the hair standing on end, Bill!
grasped the poker that lay on the fende
by his chair and cautiously crept on
into the hall, making his way like a ca
mp the stair, f~ervently hoping that M
step would creak.
At the landing above Billy peered in
to the bedroom from which the high
issued and was appalled, TO see, not on,
burglar, but three. This exceeded Billy
most ardent expectations. He had beer
prepared for a desperate encounter witt
one, especially If he could have crept il
ON him and landed ON his head with tn,
poker before the burglar was aware tina
there was anybody else in tho house
but q fight with three was too much o
a good thing.
One Of them would be certain to hav
= pistol, which would make things evel
more interesting. Glad as he would b
to have an exclusive item for his paper
he had no desire to have some one els
writo it up and head it, "Dastardl
Murder OF a Replrter In L~onelyville.
There are some sacrifices that a ma
does not care to make, even for his pa
per. Moderation in all things VIZ
Billy's motto.
The burglars had evidently come {
the conclusion that there was no n /
the house, for no guard was set The
moved about quietly, but that merel
came from long practice in al arduou
profession where there was much nigl
work and little thanks from a Gallon
public. Billy did not pause to thin
that these men had no Saturday Nigh
on, and that they were most industriou
while other people were sound ASLEEP
We generally think that our own parti'
ular occupation has the most drawbacks
giving little heed to the discomforts {
others.
One man was holding a bag open All
the other two were creeping about i'll
ing the receptacle with various article
priced by oonnoisseurs and collectors.
II think we've got as Eauch as we ca