Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1899-01-31

buot uhSo u1Ms k10 SooauN ~ Asss
watch and rose from the table. "It's
nearly 10 o'clock and time to clear the
decks. We mustn't keep him waiting
too long He might get discouraged and
60 away, you know"
Five minutes later Helen kissed hes
husband good night. much ~ she might
have taken leave of him on the steps Of
Q gallows. When she had gone and
Leonard heard the bolt click on the in.
side Of her bedroom door. he realized
that she had something less Of the ar.
tistic fervor to sustain her than he had.
Then pity was swallowed up by en-.
thusiasm. and he made his prepara-
tions for the burglars reception AZ care
fully a. an astronomer about to take an
observation the time for which would
not recur for another generation.
First he unfasteued oil the windows
on the ground floor and left .she front
door ajar. Then he put opaque shades
ON one Of the incandescent globes In the
hall and two more In the parlor and
dining room. NO that when the other
lights were turned OF dim twilight
pervadcd the lower story. This done.
no dampened the mating with dull
metallic luster under the shaded lamp
and sponged the front and top Of .
small steel safe which stood between
the windows
These preliminaries arranged, be
stripped to his shirt and trousers and
lay down under the coverlet on the bed,
with his fingers touching keyboard Of
electric buttons cunningly hidden be-
meath the pillow, and settled himself to
wait with what sang froid there was In
him.
In all his imaginings Of the culminat.
ing moment In his plan he had entirely
ignored the factor Of personal unhero.
ism, but after q tense half hour Of sus-
pense he began to realize that this, too,
would have 20 10 reckoned with.
It is one thing TO be heroic by proxy
in the persons Of ones puppets ON paper
aud quite another TO face actual bat.
teries Of double shotted guns, with flesh
and blood enemies ready TO jerk the
lanyards when the proper moment ar.
rives, or TO lie unarmed and alone In nm
isolated house awaiting the incoming
Of q desperate criminal. who might be
inconsiderate enough not to listen to
explanations before putting tho apollo
gist out OF the running-which is much
the same thing In the end.
Leonard came face to face with the
reality, lying there in the semidarkness,
with his heart drumming in most un.
nerving fashion and the perspiration
txickling from every pore, making him
damp and uncomfortable.
The success Of the enterprise-nay,
possibly his life-hung upon the chance
Of q critical moment. the chance OF get
ting speech with the robber before he
should have time to commit murder.
That point safely weathered and the
man given to understand that he was
wanted for purposes OF mental and
moral vivisection and not vengeance,
Leonard thought be could see plain
sailing beyond.
But while the crucial moment re-
mained in abeyance the agony Of sus-
pense grew and waxed until it gave the
author o precious glimpse beyond into
the region Of hysteria-a glimpse which
be inade sure he could use with telling
effect in some future story II he should
win through the nights adventure
alive aud fit.
Luckily for Leonard's fortitude,
which threatened more than once to de-
sert him entirely, the time Of waiting
was not greatly prolonged. The chime
Of the hall clock was still echoiDg the
double stroke Of the half hour after 10
when he heard one Of the parlor win.
dows 60 up with noise that was any
thing but creditable TO the skill OF q
professional housebreaker.
Leonard's finger sought the button
connecting with the bell in Helen's
room while he waited breathlessly foI
Q confirmation Of the alarm. 1t did not
tarry. There was crash. as OF some
one falling over chair, followed by q
muttered imprecation, and Leonard
pressed the bell push.
Now that the battle was fairly on,
he felt equal to anything. and he an
ticipated the next move Of the enemy
with nerves a.tingle. That, too, came
quickly. Ten seconds after the crash
/ .Ln S,,rr., - m man appaarad Mt thS
open door Of the bedroom. and Leonard
saw that the intruder was carrying hi
shoes in his hand.
Stocking feet on the dampened metal
lie mating would simplify matters i'm
mensely. and the second signal went tt
Helen with no uncertain ring.
Cautiously and feeling his way will
his free hand the Tobber crept across tt
the safe. and when the -Outstretchec
hand came in contact with the damn
metal Leonard knew that the moment
had arrived.
With one touch he sent the third sig
nal to Helen and with another flooded
the room with D glare Of light from
half dozen electric lamps. The bur
glar gasped, dropped his shoes and fel
back against the safe with many emo
tions struggling for simultaneous ex
preston on his unbeautiful face. Leon
ard sat up in bed with his hand still
under the pillow and strove to be dc
Gently calm and matter Of fact.
GOOD evening"" he said Hospitality
"Don't be alarmed. You are in NJ
danger 10 long as you keep perfectl!
quiet. II you don't. however, You ar
q dead man."
The robber obeyed the injunction
though his eyes were apparently meas
uring the distance to the door in con
nection with the hand under the pill
low.
"Wot er ye givin us?" he growie'
when the factor Of escape seemed Il
have eliminated itself from the equa
tion.
| '.Cold facts" Leonard answere'
afYabiy. "In connection with the haz
ards Of your profession you have doubt
Less become more or less familiar wit
the process Of electrocution. have yo'
not!''
| The burglar nodded.
II inferred o. much. Well. the mat
ting under your feet 10 metallic, and Il
forms the electrodes of . battery TO
which the electric light plant Of Brank
Vile furnishes the power. By presein