The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-01-01
ADVENTURES OF
n M0@N BURGLAR.

hadn's spotted the window. All 7 Sea 10
fair dos. Wen Just 80 through Ii to-
getAsr and share alike
Belts felt very uncomfortable. He was.
he acknowledged to himself in a false po-
sitson When man is atti-ea as The coa-
vsntionai bargain. Is using a ladder 10 get
In at the window OF = house ST ! In tue
morning, With a geld watch chain in his
stocking and silver forks sticking out ot
his breast pocket. appearances are against
him.
However, In his hour oe necessity Betts
thought upon sgrssagen.
Look here re said To the gentleman in
blue serge. I own up; you've got rue.
Wen share and share alike In this hush
Tess. There's no necessity whatever for
you 10 enter the house III So In. collect
everything that l can ind. and let myself
cut III the front door. Yea shall meet ma
there and We'll divide the spells Haw's
thats.'
The gentleman in blue serge was rot sm-
asdiass}y convinced His argument con-
sisted ut first OF the word Cara" re-
psated whenever Mr.. Belts urged a point.
The stronger his objections became thu
more urgont was the pleading of aletts.
He pictured the contents Of his own plate
chest before this new burglar, ia terms
wbich he would have found 1. difficult 20
justify in a court OF law. He referred. for
instance. In diamond tiaras. Now, Mrs.
Belts wss Just as far from diamond tiaras
as she was from any opportunity of ever
wearing enc, even suppossng tia. she had
possessed IL. He talked about the Beta
family plate ia a way which really dc
him good. In the midst OF his misfortune
he found il a distinct relief 20 say to the
burglar.
frxs
people. best sort OF people. / don't ssp-
pose there Is another collection az old sill
yer like the ono we shall put our hands
on tonight in any single corner of Eng
land. DO what tell you." he continued au-
tkorltB lively, and you shall stand In with
me- You shall have half. In fact. as i am.
SO far my profession allows, an honest
man. you shall have two-thirds. as you
came here first and i may he considered TO
have stood in the way Of your legitimate
enteTprise-I mean 10 say. your own par
ticular adventure
1t took Belts a long time. but at last
he iid persuade the blue serge burglar 10
wait al the front door and take his share
there. Then Belts. with one OF those tri-
umphani smiles that button at the hack
and put the top Of the head In a position
OF marked instability. climbed up the lad
der and murmurSd words of self-congratu-
iation and OF victory under his breath.
He entered his own bathroom. struck Z
match. made for his dressing room and Lit
the candle there. In three minutes he had
removed every burglarlous trace from hts
person, and was attired as a fAto~paying.
iaw-fovina. city-visiiing. season-ticket
holding, frook-coated. legitimate, commons
place, suburban. moral citizen. And then
the dark satanic cieverness OF the man
shone out. he did not go oat at the front
door. With a Machsaveliian deyiitty pect,-
liarly his own he went out at the hack
door, and the back door enabled hira 10
communicates with the main thoronshfare
without once coming in sight Of TINT front
door where his unhappy victim was, he be-
lieved still waiting. In the read. after a
prolonged search. he acquired "a policeman.
He began: Sergeant
The BATTERED constable said; ''Yes. sir.''
~ have discovered" Belts proceeded. do
ing his utmost 10 remove any trace OF ex-
citenen; from his voice and manner. that
Il burgiafious attempt upon my house 10
intended. ana that the burglar himself Is
at present stationed at my front door
waiting for his opportunity. Hy stra-
sagem OF my own l have made certain
that he win remain there until we arrive.
In the name Of the queen j command You
To seize this man"
And the constable. stilI anxious TO do
everything which was quite Tight, 0nce
nors. observed: Yes sir"
Then no pointed out "a Mr.. Belts that
these burglars were men absolutely UNI
scrupuious. who were ready 10 sel their
lives nj a moments notice. If Mr. Hatss
wished to secure the burglar II would no
ridiculous To approach the house iT their
present numbers. There were so many
chances or escape presented nil round.
What was absolutely essential was 10 sur
round the house IL Mr.. Belts would give
him half an hour he would have a SUM-
cieut force ready. and the capture of the
burglar would become a certainty. Then
police whistles were blown and messages
wers given, and quite remarkable things
happened.
In twenty-five minutes, "a he exact. there
was a policeman at Mr.. Belts back foar,
and another AZ the front door. and an
other al the end Of the garden, ard an
other in the road, and another at the foot
Of the ladder. ~ "a given signal they mHds
a rush. woke up Mrs. Retts-who was ex-
ceesinEiy annoyed-and found nobody
whatever.
This said Belts 10 tire original eonsta-
bic sis very extraordinary
The constable said little. With few
questions ne found that Belts iTaa been
To that ball and had drunk Of the chafn-
payne which f. peculiarly dedicated To suss.
scrip;ion dances. and formed his own con-
illusions
Two days later II happened that Mr..
Befss and MI Tamp.iu rslet on the station
platform. Now. as soon az Mr.. Tasupin
observed Mr. Belts he burst inio uncoatroi-
liable and inextingushab.e laughter.
Sometimes ia his more Maehiasefian
moments Belts has though: that rae bur.
giar i'm bl,se serge was nor really a bur
gar With the nuaaeity og genius he aae
even guessed thar the supposed burglar was
in reality Tamp'ln. But then The burglar
wore n beard ard Tasuplin IL clean shaved.
How are you golng ~ get over that?