The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-07-25
A Fortunate Forgetting

| confession IS good for the SOUL l forgoL
all about that window"
His wife looked at him with reproach-
ful brown eyes. 20. George. am so
sorry"
so am I. Marie. If it worries you, but
don't see that few days can MAKE
much difference
But, George, it is already dangerous.
besides the risk of breaking that great
glass and having to poy for it. Don't you
remember how the sash fell when Jane
was washing the window? 1t might have
killed her If I hadn't caught it"
| Yes, but you did. and now that she
knows the danger, there is no longer any
risk. If you want the window open you
can put a stick under the sash; but
We don't use the room, you know"
mo, We don't" sighed Marjory. 1t
was one of her grievances. carefully kept
TO herself, that they could not afford TO
| furnish their drawing-roon1. She and her
husband had left the clearinghouse in
| the city, where they had lived for three
years, and moved out 10 the suburbs,
chiefly on account of the baby. They
were charmed with the change, delighted
| to have home. Tho pretty two-stories
| cottage, with veranda and half-acre lot.
was great improvement on the one
| room at the boarding house, where Mar
| jory had quaked if her child so much as
whimpered. She and George took much
satisfaction in gardening, and studied
| horticulture with zeal.
| No earthly paradise is perfect. George
| and arjory had determined not to run
in debt, and the drawing-room Of their
| house was bare, excepting for a few
chairs and the window curtains. The
| window occupied the whole front OF the
room, and was merely two huge panes
| of plate glass. The owner had built
row Of similar cottages, commodious
villas ne called them in his advertise
ment, and these front windows were the
pride of his heart. Marjory detested
! them. She declared they made the houses
look like shops, in spite of the verandas,
and she was in continual fear lest the
costly glass might be broken. Since the
| discovery that the lower sash was not
properly hung, this fear fas incr5 ased.
The sash went UP all right, but, after
little while, came down with a sudden
rush George had been promising to
write the landlord about II, but had for
gotten from day TO day. She had felt
sure that he would remember when ne
paid the rent, and she was dreadfully
disappointed, although she told herself
that it really did not matter much; the
sash would be fixed long before they
could afford to furnish the room.
The baby was restless that night, and
kept Marjory awake long after George
was sound asleep. 1t was warm and the
windows n their chamber were wide
open. At last the child slept well, but
its wakefulneSs seemed transformed 10
its mother. She lay with eyes shut, try
ing her best to fall asleep, when sud
denly she heard a stealthy step on the
porch. She was out OF bed and at the
u-in in
all her might Surely she heard the
catch Of the drawing-room window turn
and the window gently raised. Then the
heavy sash came down with a thud,
there was a groan and a muttered
curse.
Marjory was thoroughly frightened now
and ran to wake her husband. George,
George" she cried, shaking him. Wake
up, somebody is breaking in down
stairs!"
1t was quite a little while before she
could rouse him sufficiently to make him
understand, then he had to get his pis-
tol, and Marjory feared lest the dining
room should be looted and the thief
gone before they arrived on the scene.
In spite of Georges protests she followed
close at his heels. She need not have
worried, the drawing-room window was
to serve her in good stead. There across
the sill, pinned down by the sash, lay
the burglar, with his head in the room
and his feet barely touching the floor of
the veranda- On the drawing-room floor
were a burglar kit and a dark lantern.
The mans face was covered with a
black mask. For Gods sake, let me
out of tis,'' ne implored when he saw
the two.
60 George, he will be killed." Marjory
cried, and she started forward, then stop
ped. afraid to touch the prisoner. At the
same moment her husband held her
back.
NO, no, my man. you must wait
awhile he said. 81 think you are safe
for the present" Then he went to the
hall door, and whistled sharply three
times. Fortunately policemtn was with
in ear-shot and soon appeared on the
scene.
Let me out of this" growled the bur-
glar to the officer, do you want to Kill
me?"
20. no." answered the policeman. cheer
fully, there is a good deal of life in
you yet. Here, put on the bracelets,
first" He drew pair of handouts from
his pocket and fattered his prisoner be-
fore he went around on the porch to
raise the sash.
George followed him and held the win
dow, while the officer pulled the thief to
mis- feet and removed his mask AS the
blaze of light from the chandelier fell
on the mans face the officer gave low
whistle of surprise and pleasure. slip
perry Dick, by all that is good and holy
he exclaimed We'll, that IS a good
haul"
20, no" sneered the captive, I'm
J,ll,
you my back IS broken with that cursed
window. I'm half read already, so you
may shoot IL you like. / won't walk
20, we'll said the policeman. the re-
ward is for you, alive or dead, but you'u
live to be hung. don't you fear. I guess
this gentleman viii help me support you
to the nearest drug store 1t isn't far
off, and 1 don't mind riding from there
20 accommodate you"