The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-06-06
Burglars Two.

| Last autumn, toward the end Of the
Long, Hargreaves and / went down TO
Lyncaster-on-Sea TO do some reading.
The western wall of the hotel gardens
formed the eastern boundary of the park,
| ana our room was al right angles 20 the
wall Immediately beneath it, on The
| park SIDE, was a row of garden seats
| One night Hargreaves and I were lux
uriating in a lounge after dinner.
| presently was aroused by the sound Of
voices talking outside. The window was
! open and 1 drew aside the curtain and
| looked out.
Two men occupied the seat just below
me. 1 leaned forward and listened
eagerly.
Then it's all settled. We sneak up the
drive, steal a ladder and you climb in az
| the landing window. We shan't be dis
turbed; old Seatn sleeps at the back Of
| the house, so do the servants. Her room
IS in the frant-the first on the left from
| the landing window. 1 spotted it the
| other night when l was stroiling up and
| DOWN. You know what 10 do neA:.
Seize the little darling. gag her lower
| her down to me-she's mere feather
weignt-follow. and I'll manage the rest "
| You're sure this place Is empty? ne
went on. ''There'll be pretty new dye
do if we've been overheard!'
! 'Oh! come, can't back out OF IL now.
! You understand? We meet al u:O
| O'Clock at the cross roads half mile from
| Seaton Hall. Then a tramp, few min
utes' wild excitement ,then-Dora and
| blissr
Catch your hare before you cook It,
| Tom. It's a far cry from tonight's af-
| fair 20 bliss and Dora
The two men moved away. and IL
| sank back in my chair and gasped.
! I reused Heargraves with vigorous
| L. II = ~
! Thieves! Burglars! Kidnapers! Miss Sea-
ton HalI!'
! I pulled myself together with an effort,
and rapidly ran over what I had heard.
| Hargreaves listened-and scoffed. 1t
was the greatest rubbish he had eyed
heard. Garry off a girl in that desperate
/ fashion in these days! Absurd! Go 10
| sleep again, my dear fellow, and dream
| some sensei'
Believe it or not. as you like" said.
! cts true enough. I shall be at Seaton
| Hall at midnight to stop this desperate
| deed
A couple of hours later two Williams.
i armed with blackthoru cudgels. strobe
along the road from Lancaster TO Seaton
| myself and Hargreaves on the war
path
Wiping the cold preparation from my
:
| He was walking along in silent gloom,
his hands thrust into his pockets, his cap
tugged down over his eyes.
| We reached the crossroads by II o'clock,
after which ten minutes sharp walking
brought US to Seaton Hall.
The house was approached by drive
about quarter of a mile in length. This
we followed, sneaking along, and finally
into the thick shrubbery where the drive
in Of he
There we crouched side by side and
waited. Suddenly Hargreaves gripped my
arm.
I listened. Footsteps were coming
stealthily towards us Nearer and nearer
they drew-nearer and nearer.
9h-ha! There they were-the ruffans!
Thank goodness, only two CT them.
A few minutes elapsed. Then a Ian
terms red bul's-eye cleaned out close 10
| the ground. Two figures reared a ladder
against the house wall.
One of the men mounted and disap-
peared. I could hear Hargreaves' breath
coming in quick gasps. My teeth chatter
ed.
Now the fellow was at the window
again He clutched something in his
arms Miss Dora Seaton? No-not Miss
Dora Seaton--a bundle! A kicking, strug-
Cling bundled
Silently, swiftly he descended. The lad
der was removed, the red light Of the
lantern extinguished. We felt the two
coming toward US in the darkness.
We spran govt. Each hurled himself
on his man, seized him by the throat, and
hung on.
The shock Of the attack was irresista-
BILE With scarcely sound, scarcely even
a scuffe, we forced the fellows down.
Tightening my grip
II fthey struggle" I cried to an i'm
aginary comrade in the darkness; IF
they struggle, fire!"
I gagged my man, bound his unresist-
ing hands, turned on the lantern-and
staggered back in utter amazement
Graham I cried. ''GrahS-m"'
''Dagmorer calculated Hargreaves.
Tom Dagmore! by the powers
The burglars lay and glared at us, gag
ged and helpless. The mysterious bun
die struggled and plunged about our feet.
Over all !oomed the shaved of the old
hall wrapped in silent darkness.
Then Hargreaves began to laugh. He
rolled about the drive in speeches. agony,
stuffng his handkerchief into his mouth
and gurgling 1 subsidized on the ground
in silent commissions.
No wonder. Graham and Dagmore,
undergraduates OF All Souls, Oxbridge,
breaking into the house of a highly re-
spectacle country squire 10 steal-ah, yes!
to steal what?
I jumped UP. seized the bundle, and re-
1easedl-a small toy terrier, with blue
ribbon round its neck and gag stuffed
into It's mouth.
Come out Of this" 7 whispered pres
emily. I'VE shall have the household down
on us"
We crept down the drive. I hardly dared
breathe till we were outside the gates.
Now then" I said TO Graham, Eek
plain -
"Oh, after you, sir" said Graham
after you.'
Yes" echoed Dagmore, what the
dickens are you doing in this AFFAIR.""
I told them. Having stood what We con-
sidered A legitimate amount Of chat, we
put a stop to it, and babe them fire
away"
VERY interesting" I remarked. but It
hardly seemed to account for his stealing
her dog"
oh" said Graham. I'm coming to
that. Dora walks on Lancaster pier daily
after tea So does the dog. So, for the
Fortnight we have been down here, have
Dagmore and 1 Dagmore was smitten
with Dora at once. and we have tried
every dodge We know 20 get an 5ntroduc-
ton. No go. Fair means falling, We
tried foul"
I stared
We are due at OXbridge next Wsey, you
know Dagmore Is getting frantic.
AT last ne hit or a brilliant idea Dora
IS devoted 70 the dog II occurred 70 him
how convenient It would be 4 the little
beast would get itself lost or stolen, and
we could find and restore X TO her As
this dis nor seem likely 20 happen. we de-
cided as you see. % steal it ourselves.
Tomorrow there viii BE- a hue and cry
all over Iaucaster-p0sters ID. rewards
offered. Dora IN despair, Dagmore scour-
irg ne country for the dag--rssto ton