The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-10

Ass i Bans -Th jsmy Bride" "lhe Mlonasa "Ihe
Fatal Gin" &c. Etc

BY T. FRANKFORT MOORE.

Npus On 9ous IuT8ltc no 4uOu AHVWSsS
Oh. Lord God. Thou knowest that don't
do It for myself, but for them--for them.
oh. my observation-disclosures"
He remained on his knees for o long time
after that. and then. with what sounded
very much like q sob. he sprang TO his
room. was about to follow him when he
returned to the han In q hurried way that
suggested he had forgotten something. He
won't down the hall to the kitchen door.
and then Into the kitchen and the larder.
! heard the faint atle OF crocksfy.
After rejecting for . moment what /
should do came to the conclusion. that
whatever might happen later on. the hall
lamp should be lighted without delay. !
got match from the box on the hall
table and struck II noiselessy on the stair
carpet Then stood on tho chair and the
hall was flooded with light. This DONE I
picked up my revolver and stood pointing It
othcr ten seconds was pointing 1t at the
white face OF the man, who had taken
step out from the kitchen. thereby putting
himself into my range.
THAT Is far enough" said You see
! have covered you. II you make the least
move I'll plug you with lead"
thought It well to make use Of the
fdioms Of a revolver shooting community.
1t would make the man fancy that was
used to handle weapons Of deadly precision.
heard a sound upstairs and little cry.
TITS all right. my dear" / shouted up.
when i FIRE blow your police whistle out
or the window. Now, my man. what's
yotr business In my house at this hour Of
theSuisAt?'
He was tall and very spare man. He
wore an ordinary bowler hat, not the pro-
fesslonal moleskin cap IN which had al
ways understood q burglar went about his
business. could no moro understand q
"crib" being cracked" by q. man in a
bowler hat than I could understand the
''job"-all these are. ! believe ordinary
technical expressions-be done by gen.
tlemart in dressing gown.
II have nothing to say to you. sir" said
the man, In a low voice.
felt more ashamed OF him every min
ute. He did not make the smallest al.us-
ion to fair cop" He was clearly ignor-
ant of the elementary etiquette Of the pro-
fession which he had disgraced by his In
competence.
"You mean to say" began "You
mean to tell me that-What do you mean
by breaking the lock OF my dining room.
and why--why the--Weli, did nobody ever
tell you that all the valuables in house
like this are invariably kept in the side
board In the dining-roomT'
IT did not come for such valuables. sir"
said the fellow. THE child can't eat silver
cups"
II suppose it can't" acquiesced. "well
silverw
'.F'or this" he said. taking out of the
left-hand pocket Of hts Jacket the remain
der of the turkey we had had for our
Christmas dinner. This, and this"--0ut OF
his right-hand pocket Game half loaf OF
bread--"and this"-he actually produced
from his breast pocket the greater part OF
- ~ hxstt
II never saw anything flthier In my
life,' said. 1.-THE idea OF carrying butter
at one-and EIGHT a pound In ones breast
pocket! Oh, you're fool-youve no sense
of what's decent. And there are dozens
Of newspapers on the larder floor Who
do you expect will eat butter that has come
out of your pocket neatT
oh, the Lord forgive me-the Lord forgive
me-"
The idiot dropped the turkey. the bread
and the butter on the hall floor. and,
throwing himself on the SETTLE that stood
at the end Of the hall, wept and sobbed
like any child.
thought it better not to say anything to
him at that moment laid down the re-
xolver on the stairs, pushing 1t between
the banisters felt somehow that look
ed foolish with the thing in my hand just
then. If the man were to show signs OF
violence would shoot him later on. The
night was still young.
He continued sobbing for some time: then
with startling suddenness he ceased, and
pulled himself together and got upon his
feet, saying in low tone:
"Now. sir, I'm ready"
''Are you really?" said. II hope I
haven't hurried you. Must you really got"
go? Go? / mean I'm ready for you to
call the police swear to You that
won't stir till they come" he said.
"You mean that am to give you into
custody" said /. "Well, you have some
cheek Do you fancy that I will run the
chance of getting my death Of cold fetch
ing q policeman just to oblige you at this
hour of the night? Are you so ignorant
of the legal procedure in. such cases as
this of yours eh?'
He stared at me for some time, and
then said:
THANK God know nothing about such
matters"
"Well, I'll enlighten you," said I. EN-
the first instance I should have to at
tend at the police court at II tomorrow,
and wait there for perhaps three hours
until your case came forward for hear
ing. The police would undoubtedly ask
for remand, and you would be returned
for trial at the next assizes, and should
have to attend day after day in a drafty
and evil-smelling court. And yet You
have the effrontery. after breaking into
my house and taking the lock off my din
ing room door, to suggest that / send
for the police. I don't know that ever
came across such an impudent fellow"
/ greatly fear that the man had no
sense of humor. He continued staring
at me.
"who are you, anyway" I asked him
at last.
He made no reply for some time. had
to repeat my question.
MY name is Hugh Cairns" he said, In
low voice. but you could never have
heard it. This is the twelfth week of the
strike. We're notwithstanding. I've
wife and children-one of the girls is
deicate-ordered jelly and port wine.
Jelly and port wine, when we can't get
bread and butter!''
you've only yourself to blame" said
I severely. If you hadn't been such a
consummate bungler, making a noise,
first at the catch of the window, then