The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1900-04-12

u
whiskers and grease paint, all Of which
you can conceal about your persons.
Directly the disguise business is
completed you fire a revolver. Hear
ing the report, rush up to the gallery
with long face to tell Sir Titus that
the burglar, a desperate ruftian, has
been accidentally shot. You two men
will then carry down the supposed
burglar, whose face will be covered
with a handkerchief"
Grimes drew long breath. "Weii,
I'm blowed" he exclaimed hoarsely,
as he knocked the ashes from his clay.
IF that amt the rumm est an the cut
est dodge as ever l came acrost Yer
and, govnor, yer and. It's pleasure
to commit fellerney with a bloke like
yer to boss it,
The evening Of Dec. l was a typical
foggy night. By the time st. Giles
church struck II, cab containing
Grimes, Harris and myself was on the
way to Longworth Court.
The dressing of the statue had al
ready been rehearsed a dozen times on
plaster Apollo which l had bought in
Euston road, and there was therefore
little to fear in the way of a break
down unless Sir Titus insisted on ac-
companying the supposed constables in
search of the imaginary burglars.
However, in all probability he would
do nothing of the sort; at worst, if he
did so, we would simply abandon the
business and go home.
T,nnuUOrf n Co,1rt xr,oc cn,,,,
from London, and it therefore took us
the best part of three hours to reach
| our destination.
We alighted at the end of the lane
| leading to the mansion, and babe Flow
| ers, one of my oldest and smartest
| chums, to wait till he heard our whis-
| tie before driving up to the door This
precaution was taken in case any local
police Glanced to be hanging about the
house while we were engaged inside.
We then marched boldly up the drive
and rang the bell. After an interval of
five minutes there was the sound. of
heavy bolts being drawn, and the door
swung open, disclosing a white haired
| old man whom l took to be the butler
He gave cry when the light from
his lantern fell on our faces and uni
| forms.
Calm yourself, my good man." l
| said, assuming an official voice. You
have nothing to fear. From informa-
ton received, we believe that burglars
| are in the east wing Of this house, and
we have come to catch them. Arouse
your master Immediately
Sir Titus Blaydes, thin, pinched ur
little man, appeared quickly. He was
evidently quite as scared as his butler
| and when we told him our mission he
wrung his hands.
"Be quick, officers" he screamed, his
face blanching with terror, land | will
wait here in the hall till you return
Stay, Inspector. You might stop with
me in case the blackguards should
| come this way"
During their absence Sir Titus, with
| chattering teeth, conversed with me
telling me how he had always dreaded
such an attack, and now it had come
to pass. His reflections We're inter
rupted by loud report, which rang
| out sharp and clear through the still
house.
darted from the hall and an instant
later returned, with gloomy mien.
II regret to say, Sir Titus" l cried,
''that the man has been shot dead.
There was only one of them, but he
made terrible resistance, and in the
| struggle his own weapon went off, the
| bullet entering his brain. We will take
him away at once"
thought my heart would stand still
when, after the supposed corpse had
been brought toward the door, Sir
| Titus came forward and exclaimed in
quick, hurried tone: "Stop! Set il
down. Strangely enough, in all my IS
years, l have never seen a dead man.
Let me see the face of this one"
There was nothing to be done but tC
I let the morbid baronet have his way
and trust to luck and to the deception
of wig, paint and beard
The baronet knelt beside the statue
and raised the handkerchief from the
blood stained face. Then a look of dis
| gust crossed his patrician features, and
he rose, having carefully replaced the
handkerchief.
'"Take it away, officers" he said. "a
more repulsive and ruftianly looking
countenance l never saw. Crime Is
stamped on every feature"
| And that was how the millionaire
collector of the antique characterized O
statue for which he had refused $3.50,
OOO.-London Tit-Bits.