The St. Johns herald., 1900-12-08

distinction that awaited him down stairs.
 In the meantime, the ehterprising .tYcung lady with the smudgy face and ragged clothes had seized an old duel ing pistol and intrenched herself in the rear or the sofa. from which she couid obtain an uninterrupted view of the proceedings within the room. There she propped herself up, with ore arin extending over the back of the sofa. pointing an unioaded pistol fri a raeuaciHg manner. md there she meant 10 fight and die, as she had heard Ter uncle tell of brave men in the trenches, for it was a desperate matter new. and it was scarcely real izaole that such terrible plight could ever have originated in a harmless lit tie joke.
 man crept stealthily into the room through the half-open window end cast the light of his lantern in all d;reetions. Then, upon sign that all was right. another long-legged villain followed, and the two conferred in mufled tones. Then they carefully shut the window, closed the shutters, lit the gas and bounced upon the safe. That was Beats opportunity.
 Hands up!"
 If an electric wire had been connect ed with the automatic figures. and a button, had been pressed, the upper limbs could not have responded more promptly than did the hands of those two desperate burglars. Scared and bafied as they were, they staggered round on their heels. to discover the source of that sudden command, and encountered the frowning muzzle of pistol. It. was enough. The younger man groared and the older one said something beneath his breath.
 Five minutes passed. and not word was spoken. Two pairs of hands still moved aloft and two pairs of cowed eyes fearfully watched the muzzle of the pistol But it never moved. The aim was deadly!
 'Urry up, guv'norl" at last groaned the younger >man. Ring for the serv-
 
 us get cold in our armpits!"
 Tn support of which the older man again swore, but the victorious one said nothing. Only the pistol contin- ued to frown threateningly.
 Two more minutes that seemed like hours to the captured men passed by, and the older burglar commenced to swear more loudly The younger man also began to indignantly assert his rights 10 humane treatment, and mat ters were just becoming strained when the door opened. and poker, followed by the white face of Jack Winchfeld, appeared upon the scene.
 It was the first time Jack had taken an. active part in burglary case. and he was considerably nonplussed to find two hard-featured villains straining their arms to the ceiling at sight of a common domestic poker. But he concluded # must be the usual thing among such gentry, and his face re- gained some of it's color as he took the cord from his dressing-gown and requested one of the men to hold down his hands to be bound, which he did with grateful glance. A curtain cord served for the other, and the two soon stood side by side, trussed like cock erels.
 Now, then, guv'nor, tell the bloke behind the sofy to shift that pistol. don't like itl" exclaimed one.
 Pistol? What pistol?"
 Jack looked round in the direction indicated. and staggered back as he encountered the frowning muzzle. The dea suddenly occurred to him that his was another burglar in hiding. and hat he had been outfanked. as the colonel would probably have called it. But as he moved the pistol held stead astly in its place, and at ,ast be ma neuvered round and discovered a slight form. dressed in ragged mems clothes, and propped up with cushions and ,hairs.
 Now. young 'un, put up that gun. t's all over. Why. look herel Great scott! It's BeatriceI And she's ainted!"
 "Fainted?" echoed the two trussed nen in chorus. Painted? Painted? Ere, guv'nor, let us loose to kick our selves and we'll go quiet"
 "A smart capture, Jack. and a bold 'enture on your part" said the colonel. You ought to have been a soldier. ny boy. There's a career waiting for 'ou in the army!"
 "Yes," said Jack, but"
 A vicious tug at his coat tail stopped jim, and at that moment the colonel vas called away.
 If you mention my disgraceful part n the affair" said Beat. "Tn expose our cowardice on the spot. Unc.e would have a fit if he knew I had been qasquerading in boys clothes!"
 But what on earth were you doing with that pistol?"
 "Oh. never mind. Perhaps I was re- earsing a play, and the burglars en- cred at an inconvenient time. The est of the comedy went fairly well, hough only the poker was little But the audience appear o be well satisfied. and the colonel in 'articu.ar is delighted with the hero. )o your best for those poor villains then you defend them, for they did ct their parts most beautifully! Now o to Mary. She's dying to scold you," Chicago Herald.