The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1900-03-09

lift them on the iron uprightS they're
hung on, and transpose them. 1t won't
take a minute
IT could he DONE assented Joe,
refiectively, but even then the bloke'd
notice that "The Films" is empty
Not he, there's caretaker in the
house, and the hall gasll be lit as it
was tonight
The caretaker might spot us
We must risk that; there are plen-
ty of trees in the garden, and we're
net likely to make any great noise,
are wef'
But there's the notice board on the
tree
I know: but we can get that down
without much trouble.
i don't say as we couldn't. Go
on
Well. directly the man with the
picture comes through the gate. We'll
take him ly surprise, throw chloro-
formed handkerchief over his face be-
fore he has time to cry out, and then
rush off and cab 1t to Liverpool Street
If there are two men, we must treat
them both the same way
"Clumber hummed and hawed q
good bit, but at last | convinced him
that my scheme was feasible; prom
Using, however. that if the man who
brought The picture should happen af-
ter all to elude us and deliver it at
The LindenS' instead of THE Elms,'
| would agree to the place being bur-
gled. But l did not anticipate that
any such contingency would Use.
well. next day we made arrange
ments for a pal to look after our
rooms. sent what little luggage we re
quired to Liverpool Street to wait for
us. and by six O'Clock were once more
Mt Cockermouth Gardens. 1t was a
first-class night for our purpose very
dark and very wet, and l, at least
had no apprehensions as to the result
of the enterprise.
1--WE walked straight to The Eims,'
and Clumber who had a quick eye,
whispered, excitedly:-
Blessed if that notice board hasn't
gomez
6 so it has, l replied, the place
must have been sold, suppose. Any
how, that's one job saved us, Joe.
"Clumber gave sullly assent. and l
then suggested that we should at once
proceed to carry out the Interchange
of gates.
All right said Joe and, as l had
anticipated the matter was effected
without much difficulty.
'"Then Joseph crept into the garden
Of THE Elms' (Which we had just
transformed into THE LindensO while
l kept watch without. At last, just
as l heard church clock striking the
half-hour, l saw what caused me to
hrrriedly join my partner in the gar
den.
'Now's the time | murmured
hoarsely. The chap with the pictures
coming along. and he's alone. Get the
handkerchief ready
"Clumher nodded silently, and we
crouched down behind the hedge close
to the gravel path leading from The
gate to the house.
'The mans footsteps came nearer
and nearer, and eventually he stopped
outside. There was a moments pause
and ! began to fear that for some
reason or other he was going to pass
by, and so avoid the trap AFTER all.
But, no; another moment, and swing
ing open the gate he strobe I'D the
pathway.
what next ensued | need not de
scribe. 1t is enough to say that Clum-
Der did his work noiselessly and in
Simultaneously, and that in something
under fifty minutes we had borne our
/ prize in triumph to Liverpool Street
| Fifteen hours later, having landed at
Antwerp, we stood with out luggage
awaiting the Customs examination.
1--WE had never taken the picture
from it's brown paper covering. and
had certainly no wish to do so now.
But the Customs officer insisted on
looking into every package, and, Of
course. it wouldn't have done to op-
pose him. So l cut the string, undid
the paper, and exposed to view hand
some house agents nOtce-board with
frame-like ridge, the principal fea-
ture of which was the word
| SOLD