The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-09-01

rs ASSs
propose that we three disguise our
selves MS police officers, you two as
constablcs and ! as inspector. We
arouse Sir Titus Blaydes one night AMI
inform him that we hive reason to be-
lieve That burglars are In the house.
"While he Is waiting and | am there
to keep him company, you two fellows
make track for the gallery, and when
you get there you proceed to make up
the statue In the gulse OF n modern
burglar by means Of coat. trousers.
mufficr. overcoat. cap. shoes, beard,
whiskers and grease paint. all Of which
you can conceal about your persons.
Directly the disguise business Is
completed you fire n revolver. Hear
Ing the report, rush up to the gallery
with Il long face to tell Sir Titus that
the burglar, II desperate ruttinn. has
been accidentally shot. You two men
will then carry down the supposed
burglar, whose face will be covered
with a handkerchief"
Grimes drew a long breath. well.
I'm blowed!' he exclaimed hoarsely.
as he knocked the ashes from his clay.
III that amt the FUNNIEST an the cut.
est dodge ny ever | came ncrOst. Yer
and. gov'nor. yer and. It's Il pleasure
to commit Il fellerney with a bloke like
yer to boss It,"
The evening Of Dec. | was Il typIcnl
foggy night. BY the time 81. Giles
church struck II, n cab containing
Grimes. Harris and myself was on the
way to I1ongworth Court.
The dressing Of the statue had NJ
ready been rehearsed a dozen times on
a plaster Apollo which | had bought In
EustOn road. and there was therefore
little to fear In The way of Il break.
down unless Sir Titus insisted on nc-
companying the supposed c%onstablrs In
search Of the imaginary burglars.
However. In oil probability he would
do nothing of the sort: at wort, Il hr
did 80, we would simply abandon the
business and 70 home.
Longworth Court was some 10 miles
from London. and It therefore took us
the best part Of three hours to reach
our destination.
We allghted at the end Of the lane
leading to the mansion, and babe Flow.
ers. one Of my Oldest and smartest
chums. to wait till he heard our wills.
tie before driving up to tho door. This
%precautiOn was taken In case any local
police CHANGED to be hanging about the
house while we were engaged inside.
We then marched boldly up the drive
and rang the bell. After an Interval Of
Hyn enynIrfAu f1AAssN sayn t1, e,. ~
heavy bolts being drawn. and the door
swung open, disclosing n white haired
old man whom | took to be the butler.
He gave a cry when the light from
his lantern fell on our faces and uni
forms.
"Calm yourself. my good man."
said, assuming an official voice. you
have nothing to fear. From informa.
ton received, we believe that burglars
are In the east wing of this house, and
we have come to catch them. Arouse
your master Immediately"
Sir Titus Blaydes. a thin. pinched up
little man, appeared quickly. He vas
evidently quite as scared as his butler.
and when we told him our mission he
wrung his hands.
BE quick. officers he screamed, his
face blanching with terror, land l will
walt here In the hall till you return.
Stay, inspector. You might stop with
me In cas- the blackguards should
come this way"
During their absence Sir Titus, with
c%hattering teeth, %conversed with me,
telling me how he had always dreaded
such M attack, and now 1t had come
to pass. His reflections were inter.
rupted by a loud report. which rang
out sharp and clear through the still
house.
darted from the hall and an instant
later returned. with a gloomy mien.
II regret to say. Sir Titus" | cried.
that the man has been shot dead.
There was only II Of them. but he
made terrible resistance. and In the
struggle his W weapon went of, the
bullet entering his brain. We will take
him away at once"
! thought my heart would stand still
when, after the supposed corpse had
been brought toward the door. Sir
Titus came forward and exclaimed In
a quick, hurried tone: stop! Set It
down. Strangely enough, In all my 80
years, | have never seen a dead man.
Let me see the face Of this one"
There was nothing to be done but to
let the morbid baronet have his way
and trust to luck and to the deception
OF wig, paint and beard.
The baronet knelt beside the statue
and raised the handkerchief from the
blood stained face. Then IA look Of dis,
gust crossed his patriclan features. and
he rose, having carefully replaced the
handkerchief,
"Take 1t away. officers" he said. "A
more repulslve and rufianly looking
c0untenance never saw Crime Ia
stamped on every feature"
And that al how tho millionaire
collector of the antique characterized q