Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1899-12-07
6-@--W-W-W-%-% -V-V-W-V-V-<
J BURGLARS TWO. !
= 900
Y They We're Overheard Concoct-
4 ing Diabolical Plot and Were .
7 Caught In the Act by Two Of
o Their Friends.

| y IEelr crienuS. "
| &-~-&-%-~-@- %-~-@-%%-@@
| Last autumn Hargreaves and l went
down to Lyncaster-on-sea to do some
reading. The western wall of the hotel
gardens formed the eastern boundary of
| the park, and our room was at right an
giles to the wall. Immediately beneath il
on the park side was a row Of garden
seats.
One night Hargreaves and were luz
irritating in a lounge after dinner. The
room was in darkness, and we were cniet
for once, enjoying a smoke and half doz-
ing. Presently l was reused by the
sound of voices talking outside. The
window was open, and l drew aside the
curtain and looked out. Two men occu-
pied the seat just below me, on the park
side of the wall-decent looking fellows
as far as could tell in the dusk. look
ed carelessly at them for moment and
was about to return to my pipe when a
word OF two caught my ear. l 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 l was
strolling up and DOWN
| "Oh, never mind that! Hurry upw
| "Well, you know what to do next.
Seize the little darling, gag her, lower
| her down to me-she's mere feather
weight-follow, and I'll manage the
rest"
"Sh-sh! Not so loud"
The speaker glanced apprehensively
over his shoulder at the hotel.
You're sure this place is empty" he
went on. "Therell be pretty how dye
do if we've been overheard"
| "Of course it's empty. How funky you
arew
| "Well, don't care about the business.
IT'S Internally risky, and''-
| "Oh, come, you can't back out of it
now! You understand! Meet me at
| 11:30 o'clock at the crossroads half a
mile from Seaton Hail. Then tramp,
few minutes wild excitement, then
Dora and bliss"'
Catch your hare before you cook it,
Tom. It's far cry from tonight's affair
to bliss and Dora
ooh, shut up! I'm Off"
| $50 am l."
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 break
ing into a mans house and stealing his
daughter under his very nose? 1t was
incredible, impossible; it was
| l reused Hargreaves with vigorous
shake. wake up" l shouted, wake
up! Thieves! Burglars! 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 effort
and rapidly ran over what l had heard.
Hargreaves listened and scoffed. 1t
was the greatest rubbish he had ever
heard. Garry off a girl in that desper
ado fashion in these days! Absurd! Go
| to sleep again, my dear fellow, and dream
| some sense"
This was irritating. If there had been
time, / should have been annoyed with
| Hargreaves, but there was not. l as
| sumed lofty Indifference.
"Believe it or not, as you like" said,
l
| 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 Har-
greayes. Seeing which, l followed it up
with a hint of ignoring the LANCASTER
police and capturing the burglars off our
own bat.
Hargreayes was fetched"
A couple Of hours later two villains
armed with blackthorn cudgels strobe
along the road from lancaster to Seaton
myself and Hargreaves on the war
path.
We were horribly nervous-at least
was. A four mile walk in mud and a
thick mist had cooled my enthusiasm,
and nervous tremors trickled down my
spine as ! thought Of attacking those
| ruffians alone and unaided.
Visions 1oated before me in frightful
procession. saw myself and Har-
greaves a pair of mangled corpses well
tering in our gore. Horrible! Wiping the
| cold perspiration from my forehead, /
stole glance at Hargreaves.
He was stalking along in silent gloom,
his hands thrust into his pockets, his cap
tugged down over his eyes.
"Hargreaves," / began. He started as
though he had been shot. This was en-
couraging.
III Hargreayes," l said. trying to get
the nervous culver out OF my voice
al Hargreaves, DIDO you think they
have acccmplices? Perhaps there is
ggang of them"
Rubbish" from Hargreaves savagely.
"Bosh! How goes the enemy?'
Half past TO-" l suffered and resign
ed myself to fate.
We reached the crossroads by II
o'clock. after which ten minutes sharp
walking brought us to Seaton Hail.