Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-10-10
A BURGLAR CAUGHT.

A BURGLAR CAUGHT.
"There is no use talking, Mr.. Wylks,
I cannot stand this much longer. You
have been out every night this week un-
til after IL, and l haven't slept a wink,
fretting and worrying about you until I
am almost tired out"
"Well, don't worry about me, dear.
Go to sleep tonight and get a good rest. Z"
"That is just like = man to talk SO.
Go to sleep, indeedl l presume you
would and leave the house to take care
Of itself, to be broken into by burglars,
and maybe the whole family would be
murdered. If you loved me as you used
to when we first were married, you
would not be willing to leave me every
evening for the clubhouse, while I wor-
ry and fret and get my nerves all un-
strung"
"It is necessary that I should attend
to these things, my dear. The country
must be governed, and it's growing
needs require constant w~atchfulness and
new laws. l don't mean to be out any
more than I am obliged to, You must
be willing to sacrifice a little for the
good Of your country. Just make up
your mind that you will go to sleep,
and you won't be troubled any further
with wakefulness.
"The idea Of me coolly making up
my mind to go to sleep while you are
out is perfectly preposterous. Iwouldn't
be so heartless.
well, l won't go out tomorrow
night. I'll stay in with you, but tonight
I must"
"Oh, dear, 1 suppose / must stand it,
but I'm sure something will happen. I
have a presentiment, and when did my
presentiments ever fail? We may never
see each other again. If you come home
and find baby and me killed, don't be
surprised"
I'll try not to be-" replied Mr..
Wylks, as he put on his overcoat and
smiled down at the troubled face Of his
wife. Then lie gave her a goodby kiss
and left her, and she hurried through
the house to make sure that the win.
dows were all fastened down and the
bolts of the doors pushed into their fas.
Jennings, and then she sat down and
read all the startling accidents, the ter.
rible burglaries and the frightful muir.
ders that the daily papers furnished SO
plentifully, and when-she had got her.
self wrought up so that she could sit
still no longer she once more visited all
the windows and doors and warned the
girls against removing q single bolt OF
bar. Then she returned to her cozy sit.
ting room and sat down in ~silance, lis.
tening for the sounding Of some thiev.
ing wretch and trying to imagine what
abe should do If one of the Villains
should confront her and demand her
jewels and the key to the silver closet.
Time went on and the clock struck
II; still she was undecided what she
had better do if anything unusual should
happen. The girls had gone up to bed
and were undoubtedly sound asleep.
Half an hour crept by. Baby cried
out in his sleep, and Mrs Wylks has
tened to him, for there was no nurse to
attend him. Mrs. Wylks never would
trust the little darling with any one but
herself. She shut and fastened the bed
room door, and lay down beside her lit
tie n TO soothe him to sleep, The clock
struck -, and then Mrs. Wylks heard
q poise. Breathlessly she listened. Soft
footsteps We're creeping up the stairs.
They paused q moment at her door and
then she heard the knob turn, but az
the door did not open the midnight ma.
rauder passed softly on. She heard him
enter the sitting room, and for q mo.
ment all was still.
Something must be done, solilo-
quized Mrs. Wylks, as she softly raised
herself from beside her sleeping infant.
II can't lie here and let everything be
carried out Of the house. | must do
something"
Softly she turned the key and gently
opened the door and noiselessly crept
into the hall, determined to do some.
thing. Tremblingly she crept toward
the sitting room door, expecting every
moment to be met by the monster Of u
lawbreaker. She gained the sitting
room door and peeped cautiously in. No
one was in sight, but she heard-yes,
she very distinctly heard-some one in
the closet. An idea suggested itself to
her mind. She clasped her hands to.
gether for q second, then springing
quickly forward she pushed the closet
door to and turned the key. Only a few
seconds work and she had him safe.
She heard his cries to be let out as she
led up the stairs to the girls room
screaming:
tive got himl I've got the burglari
Now, quick for the policeI Ann, Bridg-
eti He'll burst open the door! Quicki
Get up and runf"
Aroused from their slumbers, the
girls rubbed their eyes and failed to un.
derstand the situation.
"Oh, b quicki" cried Mrs. Wylks,
wringing her hands.
What Is II, ma'am2" asked the girls
in the same breath.
1.-THE burglarl I've got him down
stairs in the closet. Oh, hurryl He'll
break out, and then we're lostr'
At the name Of burglar both girls
hid themselves under the bedclothes