The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1897-07-16


but failed to feel the wrap.
1T must be in the wardrobe after ALL"
she thought, and, accordingly, closed
the drawer with some noise, tripped
across the dark room, opened the ward
robe door with some difficulty, and
buried herself In its spacious recesses.
Maurice was heavy sleeper, and,
consequently, apt to be bit bemud-
died on first awakening-more especial
ly in the dark. OF this particular night,
after apparently dreaming for full
fortnight of excursions and alarums,"
he awoke with a violent start. The
room, to him, was pitch dark. There
was not even the suspicion of moonlight
on this side of the house. Besides, the
blinds were down. He sat up, every
nerve and sincw taut now. He was
fully awake.
'By jingo," he breathed, and he felt
the cold sweat start to his brow, 'she
was right. They've comet" He put
out his hand to wake his wife. He felt
her form under the bullying bed clothes
at his side. He could hear the
baby breathing huskily. There was
only one other person In that house I'M
accounted for. That was the little
servant maid. But why should she be
trying drawers in the spare bedroom?
No, they had come after ALL Mrs. Green
was right. 1t was burglars.
Maurice withdrew his hand, which
rested on the hillock by his side, with
the thought: "I'll not waken her. poor
soul. She'd be scared to death. I'll
know the worst Arst." So thinking, and
with a sort Of nfatuation-which was
perhaps bravery-to get glimpse Of
the marauder, he stole out of bed, but
toned up his dressing jacket, took the
little bedside chair by the back, and,
thus armed, his heart beating like a
mufI1ed drum, stealthily turned the
corner between the two rooms.
A faint light came through the land
ing skylight. Heavens! the villain was
at the other end of the room, right OPP
posite the door. What he was doing
he could not make out, for he looked
like man seen through mist. The
NICtChs u5O tACu tuC uIdukut dlOuk
the landing took Maurice shrewdly on
the bare legs. The influenza asserted
itself. He fought against 1t desperate
ly for moment. 1t but augmented
the force Of the explosion. Like a
thunderclap he sneezed.
There was muffled exclamation in
the room. Maurice rushed forward
with uplifted chair. The burglar, too,
had chair, and was making at him
with equal fury. Crash! The house
seemed to have fallen. There was a
fearful clatter OF falling glass, pierre
ing shrek, the sound of body falling
on the floor, and all was still, but for
the wall of the frightened babe in the
room he had left.
What had he done? He kneeled
down, careless of the broken glass, and
his hand rested on bare foot. Sick
with apprehension, he CROPPED else
where, and encountered plated head
and few curling pins. "A match!
"a matchl My kingdom for matchl"
he would doubtless have said, had he
not been so terribly upset.
l
just then rectangle Of light APP
| peared and increased until, pale and
trembling, stood the little maid in the
doorway, farthing dip In her hand
amazed to see the following tableau
vivant: A wardrobe door, swinging
upon it's hinges, with it's long mirror
smashed to fragments; chair, with
broken leg, lying close by; horrid
man in night shirt and dressing jack
ct, kneeling at the feet of PROSTATE
woman in dead faint, dressing gown
and plaits, who was none other than
i the Mortified mans wife.
| Maurice Green never turns the gas
off at the meter now, except when he
takes his wife and family away for the
summer holiday. Mrs. Green still
looks under the bed for possible bur
glars before retiring for the night, but
Maurice has never dared to chaff hel
since he mistook his own faint refec
ton In the wardrobe mirror for des
perate burglar-Tit-Bits.