The Washington weekly post., 1899-12-26

would be interrupted hy sn eAp3oSioh IhaA
would wreck the house. As last expe-
dent he determined 20 bang the oyerccat
with It's dangerous burden on the hat rack
In the hall The chances were that ihe
maid would not NEEDLE with it, especially
IL he could manage 10 conceal 4 heh'ha
some other coat
This the clergyman found IL easy 10 DO
An immense fur-linsd overcoat hung in
the hall ard Mr.. Bennett folded this
around his own lighter oyercoat. 80 that
the latter was completely out Of sight
For the first time since the bomb came
into his possession he felt sense OF
temporary safety He coull at least
eat his dinner in peace. and without fear
that it would be disturbed by an ex-
plosion.
Jest before dinner was announced Mr..
Bennett slipped INTO the hall to satisfy
himself that the coat was still safe. 1t
had vanished-togeiher with the coat
hats. and umbrellas belonging to the
colonel. Investigation showed that
sneak thief had made his way into the
hall, and had left the front door of TIE
apartment still ajar Il would have been
useless to pursue him. and while the
colonel sympathized with Mr. Bennett
over his loss. he attempted to console
him by suggesting that he had !nvolun-
tarily contributed toward making the
thieTs Christmas a happy one. Mr.. Ben
nett was not 20 be consoled. He had
very grave doubts as 10 the thiefs pros
pect Of happiness. Mr.. Bennett oid not
like thieves. but ;le sincerely wished that
the overcoat had been stolen by police
man, rather than by a casual vaSabond.
The dinner was not 2 social success.
The choice American dishes that the col
Onel had provided could not tempt Mr..
Benefits appetite The conversation Of
the colonel and the ladies could not dis
tract his mind from Thac infamous bomb.
Would the thief blow himself up by ac-
cideGt. or would he use the bomb to as
sassinate some personal enemy? In
either case would not the inevitable po-
lice investigation show that the thief
was in possession of Mr. Bennetts over
coat, and thus lead to the belief that he
and the thief were fellow-anarchists
When the colonel reminded Mr. Bennett
that the day was Christmas, and tried 10
draw from him some appropriate express
sion of good will toward all mankind,
the clergyman failed 10 respond. With
him 1t was most certainly not a season
of good will. How could a clergyman
who was mixed up with bombs, thieves,
and anarchists, and in constant dread OF
the police, find -oom for Christmas gen.
iality? For that occasion the very mean
ing Of the words peace, charity, and good
will had faded from him.
When the dinner was over and the
ladies had withdrawn the colonel as ne
lighted his cigar, suddenly said: 'Now,
my dear fellow, out with it. What's gone
wrong with yeu?"
Mr.. Bennett told tho whole story, and
the colonel listened with an amused face.
When it was ended he said: "What an
amazing piece of luck for you the steal
ing of your coat has been. / could not
have helped you to get rid of the thing,
for ! haven't an inch of ground where
it could be buried. Now the thief has
the responsibility of getting rid of it,
and it will teach him a lesson on the |
sinfulness of stealing overcoats."
But" urged the clergyman, "who can |
tell what mischief it may do in his hands |
perhaps at this very moment it is about |
to blow the poor wretch into eternityr'
IF it does, / guess eternity can stand |
It," replied the colonel. Don't you wor-
ry about him. You've got rid of the bomb |
in the only possible way, and if l was a |
clergyman, / should look on the occur |
renee as providentiaI"
Il suppose" said Mr. Bennett. resign |
edly, that 1 ought to feel thankful, but |
can't help feeling nervous and miser- |
able. / shall get away from Altberg |
early tomorrow, and / do hope that no |
body will be blown up while l am mere"
At that moment a maid entered. "If |
you please, SIR she said, addressing the |
colonel, II found this in the hall. and |
mistress said L should bring it to you |
at once"
1t was the bomb. and Mr.. Bennett. |
speech ess with terror lest the maid |
should drop it, turned nearly as white |
as the tablecloth. The colonel did not |
lose his presence of mind. He placed it |
on the table beside him, and when the |
maid had left the room, he said with a
laugh: 1T seems that we were in too big
a hurry. We haven't got rid of your bomb
yet?"
For heavens sake be careful!' cried
Mr.. Bennett IF you drop it there will
be an explosion
81 rather think not" replied the colonel,
examining the bomb. There are no per-
cussion caps on the ends of these tubes,
and / can't see how the thing can be
exploded without them. Besides, judging
from the weight of it, 1 doubt If it is
loaded"
So saying. he put his lips TO one of the |
tubes and blew smartly through it. The |