Evening journal., 1899-07-24
BURGLARS TWO


I Asst autumn. toward the end OF the
Long" Hargreaves and / went
down 10 Lyncaster-on-Sea 10 do some
reading.
The season was over, and we found
ourselves almost the onlyyisitors in the
place-quite the only ones, in fact, at
the Park hotel. Consequently we had n
choice of rooms, and it was purely acci-
dental that we chose the corner sitting
room on the second floor front" over
looking the grounds Of the hotel and
also the Peoples park.
The western wall Of the hotel gardens
formed the eastern boundary of the
park, and our room was at right angles
to the wall. Immediately beneath it, on
the park side, was a row of garden
seats.
One night Hargreaves and l were
luxuriating in lounge after dinner.
The room was in darkness and we were
quiet for once-enjoying smoke and
half doing.
Presently l was reused by the sound
of voices talking outside. The window
was open and / drew aside the curtain
and looked out.
Two men occupied the seat just below
me, on the park side of the wall-decent
looking fellows, as far as l could tell
in the dusk / looked carelessly at
them for moment, and was about TO
return 10 my pipe when a word or two
caught my car. ! leaned forward and
listened eagerly.
"Then it's all settled. We sneak up
the drive, steal ladder and you climb
in at the landing window. We shan't
be disturbed; old Seaton sleeps at the
back of the house, so do the servants"
go on"
"Her room is in the front-the first
on the left from the landing window. /
spotted it the other night when was
strolling up and down"
"Ohl never mind that. Hurry up"
"Well. you know what to do next.
Seize the little darling, gag her, lower
her down to me-she's a mere feather
weight-follow, and I'll manage the
rest"
"Sh-sh! Not so loud"
The speaker glanced apprehensiyely
over his shoulder at the hotel.
you're sure this place is empty?" he
went on. "There1l be pretty how dye
do if we've been overheard"
"Of course it's empty. How funky
you are."
"Well, don't care about the business.
'Tis Internally risky, and"
"Oh come, you can't back out of il
now. You understand? Meet me at
1880 o'clock at the crossroads half q
mile from Seaton hall. Then a tramp.
a few minutes wild excitement. then
Dora and blissl"
Catch your hare before you cook II,
Tom. It's a far cry from to-night's af-
fair to bliss and Dora"
"Oh, shut up I'm off,"
The two men moved away. and IL
sank back in my chair and gasped.
What could it mean? Did these cold
blooded ruffians really contemplate
breaking into a mans house and steal
ing his daughter under his very nose
1t was incredible, impossible; it was
reused Hargreaves with a vigorous
shake. "Wake upl" shouted, "wake
up Thievesl Burglarsl Kidnapers
Miss Seaton of Seaton HALL"
"What the deuce are you talking
about?" cried Hargreaves, starting up.
"Are you mad?"
pulled myself together with an ef-
fort, and rapidly ran over what ] hac
heard.
Believe it or not, as you like"
said, ''it's true enough. / shall be al
Seaton hall at midnight to stop this
desperate deed, and if lose my life
in the interest OF my fellow creatures
my blood be on your head"
This rhetorical display impressed
Hargreaves. Seeing which, ! followed
it up with n hint of ignoring the Lyn-
easter police, and capturing the bur
glars off our own bat
Hargreaves was fetched.