The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1900-12-26

.nle ihohth. III ali r nj, now, though,
thank heaven -
( Pm glad TO 'ear it, sir, " respond
| ed the burglar.
"Thank you, " said Hammond.
There was a pause, during which
diamonds thoughts seemed TO stray
away, while the burglar, In a last eff
tort OF desperation, shook out once
more the papers on the desk.
1t aren't possible, " said he timid-
~, 81 that you've got il in you pocket,
sir ?"
Hammond laid the revolver on the
desk and proceeded TO search himself
thoroughly, while the burglar offered
an occasional polite suggestion. Ihe.e
were more things in Hammond's peck
cts thanin the burglars, but in the
III the matter of diamond bracelets
they stood upon an equality.
Let's go into the parlor," said
Hammond. " Perhaps | dropped it
there.
They went into the parlor and into
the dining room, but they didn't find
the bracelet. Hammond KEPT a watch
iul eye on the prisoner, and the result
OF his observation he summed up in
the words, elf that fellow Is playing a
game on me, it's the best ever seen
l on earth, and it almost deserves to
. win.
There was a sudden sound of open
ing doors.
, "My wife ~ cried Hammond in a
: hoarse whisper. What shall | do %
"About what, sir ?" discreetly in
quircd the burglar.
@ g can't let you 60" whispered
v Hammond, " and it's too late for that,
anyway. But, by lingo, | wouldn',
d have my wife know that there's beer
a burglar in The house for any money
O She'd never sleep n wink in these
apartments again."
81 might hide, sir !"
i TOO late. She's here !"
d Bert !" cried Mrs. Hammond
"IIavc you been smoking here all thi
n time ? Has this man come in anwe
d to our advertisement 2"
as yes; he's an applicant, reptile
m Hammond hastily, g. but Pm afraid h
ID won't do. His referencc''-
it. ooh, bother The refcrencesI' C,
We claimed Mrs. Hammond. "All di;
I'd honest servants have good ones, an
IN the honest servants haven't any. Ia
of ne nau e~SperleuCel
". "Ilc has been in a good many gel
lat tlemen's houses, F" said Harmon,
ID. smiling grimly, but he's never stai
ON long III n place."
on "That may not have been his fault,
lie sand the lady. 81 like his appearant
hit very much. So English! And he h;
he an noncst face.
CTS very kind of you to say so,
bt. responded the burglar with q gestu
ed of humility. 81 try to do right, and
on know a buffers duties, my lady, l
CO. indeed.N
"I think we ought to give him
he trial, " said Mrs. Hammond.
no eyes," murmured her husban
,as " he certainly ought to have a trial.
me what wages does he want ?"
as "Thirty dollars a month";, - repli
Ill, Hammond, remembering that his wi
tn. had decided not to pay above $40.
"That is more than | expected
he give" SAID the lady, whereupon Hal
set mono made an emphatic sign to t
,ht burglar.
"I couldn't possibly take less, +
be lady, F" said that individual, and the
oft were real tears in his eyes.
nd Mrs. Hammond looked at him stea
lily.
sh- "I'll take you at your valuation
an said she, kindly. "I think you W
OF prove yourself worth 1t. Why, wha
IAN the matter with him, Bert?"
The burglar was gripping the ba
by of a chair with both hands, yet he W
he Slowly collapslng, as II all the stren9
nd. were oozlng out of his limbs. Ha1
pNnnl ,N,t n % ,r,,, ,rn,nl tln cnli~,
set shoulders, and the burglar looked
1t into his face with the pitiful eyes of
or. pleading dog.
it'll "I'm starving, sir, " he said. {
nd 'aven't lad a morsel to eat since yest'
on day morning. That's Why
pc "Never mind that, " said Hal
on mond. "We'l feed you"
ne And they fed him as he had not be,
fed in many a long day, if ever. Tn
s a he was shown the buffers sleepiI
nd room, the door of which Harmon
,at secretly locked upon the outside. Yet
INF 1T was not a very strong door and a m;
nd whose ingenuity had sutliced to ma
he age the affair Of the bracelet Dug
,er not to find much trouble with it. II
Of tiecting thus, Hammond decided
m. lie awake all night and keep his ca
on the alert.
gh The situation was peculiar. |
couldn't have the man arrested wit
m out revealing the truth and giving h
m wife a fright. He couldn't send hi
h away until the bracelet was restore
o. and he certainly didn't want to ha,
at a h~ouscbreaker for a butler. The pu
.at zle thus presented should have suffice
"a. to keep Hammond awake, and |
,is thought it would certainly do so as |
.tc laid his head upon his pillow, aft,
having secretly arranged the suite
W. such a way az to favor the transmlssio
OF sounds The next thing he kne
of the light of morning was IN his eye
de had secured an exceptionally goo
"a nights rest-as will sometimes happe
mr. by resolutely I yIng to keep awak,
lie was out of bed and into his clotht
IN the quickest possible time. The doc
OF the butler's room was opcr
y CHANGING at the lock he perceived ths
If the bolt still projected. He closed th
door AMI opened it again. The loo
~oo 1nfnnt.x,n. :. ~ -