The true northerner., 1899-06-14


arm.
The room was rather dark, SO ii did
not strike Thompson that none of the
furniture or decorations were familiar.
And he had very little time TO notice
anything.
"Eliza!" he heard. sounding in a mas
culine voice from the next landing.
"Eliza!"
Amanda Carson had no male rela-
tives in her family except her father,
and that was not old Carsons voice.
"Eliza's gone out, Henry" said fe-
male voice. Il sent her to mail let
ter"
Then / wish she wouldn't leave the
front door open," said the first voice.
Hello! It's closed now. She must have
come in. Eliza!"
No answer.
Then the man growled: "It's very
strange. That door didn't blow to, or
l would have heard it bang"
OF course, by this time, Thompson re-
allied that, after all, it was not IS thst
he should have gone to, but SO.
He picked up his hat and cape and
moved quickly toward the door of the
front room, intending to make an ex-
PLANTATION and an escape-both as rapid
as possible.
"No, you DON'T" said that same mas
culine voice. "You stop right where
you are or I'll shoot"
The good man of the house, having,
as he supposed, grasped. the fact that
burglar had sneaked in at the front
door while Eliza's back was turned, now
stood, with something made of steel in
his outstretched right hand, halfway
down the stairs.
"My name is Thompson" the inno-
cent intruder began.
Il daresay it is. Stay right where you
are, Thompson"
1t was painful situation. Nothing
could induce that grim householder to
believe that Thompson was himself,
and not a particularly cunning and en-
terprising early-evening burglar, who
worked the "dress suit racket"
you Mr.. Cyril Thompson, eh? Well,
Mr.. Cyril Thompson had beard when
1 heard him sing I'll Milo Teroro.' Can
you sing?"
Under the circumstances Thompson
could not sing. Fancy warbling: III
Milo Teroro" in such predicament!
The end of it was that Eliza came
in and Immediately went out again to
get policeman.
Thompson had no better luck with
the policeman than with Mr.. Cameron
that was the householders name.
The policeman refused to look at
Ihompson's handkerchief, on which
he would have found the initials: &C.
T." elegantly embroidered. Neither
would he examine any Of Thompson's
underwear. Even if he had, he would
have found only the initials, and &C.
T." may stand for Charles Tompkins"
just as we'll as for cyril Thompson"
At the station house the minions of
the law followed the same Objectionable
course, believing nothing that Thomp-
son said about himself, and laughing TO
scorn what they called that old gag"
You say you are Mr.. Cyril Thomp-
son." said the inspector. Then what
were you doing in Mr.. Cameron's house
without ringing the bell? You don't
know anybody there, do you? ??'
That really sealed poor Thompson's
lips. He did not want TO tell this police
inspector all about his innocent little
plan for surprising Amanda Carson.
However, that part of his agony did
not last overnight. A note to friend
brought relief-and bail. And when
Thompson's lawyer came the police
cautiously began to believe something
of the story of the lost beard. But the
irate Cameron, by that time, had gone
at hand to withdraw the charge, and
the magistrate who was called up at
that late hour made the bail heavy
Cameron did finally yield-though
not until poor Thompson had spent a
sleepless night, followed by very un-
pleasant morning in the police court.
But, after all this, and after Thomp-
son had neglected to shave his newly-re-
vealed face, hoping that that beard
would quickly reappear-the worst was
yet to come. 1t came all through On
energetic and discerning reporter, who
saw in Thompson's account of himself
chance for good story" This is
how the good story" met Thompson's
haggard eyes when he looked at the
paper that morning of his appearance
in the police court:
ONE ON CYRIL!
| SLICK BURGLAR, CAUGHT IN THE
ACT, SAYS HE is "MR. THOMP-
| SON."
| THOUGH BEARDLESS. HE WOULD
IMPERSONATE THE HIRSUTE So
CIETY TENOR.
"Now, what is a man to do in a case
like this?" Thompson piteously asked
his friend who had bailed him out
II guess you'd better let it go at that,
old man." said his friend. IF you
lon't keep quiet they may come out
with another scare head: The Bur-
glar Was Thompson, After AN. What
Was He Doing in That House?' Say
nothing and let your beard grow.
That's my advice"
Thompson stayed at home for two
weeks. Then he called on Amanda and
explained matters-with freshly