The Lambertville record., 1901-03-06
AFTER TWELVE
MIDNIGHT


The man who speaks loudly In public
places of the valuation of his sldehoard
and the insecurity of his front door
may safely be put down as an amiable
idiot. Yet Thomas Nedham of the firm
of Nedham & wilkins was no fool. He
was reputed TO be cute man OF busl-
ness, who knew how 10 keep his coun-
sci when his money was at stake. aud
yet here he was tonight, on the front
seat OF crowded omnibus, boasting to
his neighber that his silver plate WAS
the heaviest in all Hampstead
"BurGlarsi he laughed in answer TO
a question Il have been 80 years
householder, and never one of the gen.
try has deigned TO visit me. | often
think that the man who takes no pre-
caution comes OFF best In this matter
have known some men spend II fortune
In locks and bolts and have II house
breaker in as regularly as ii chimney
sweep. You did not know my partner,
wilkins? He's been dead these dozen
years, and before things went wrong
with him and bought him out he had
a collection of coins worth fl,000. Well,
he kept the treasure in II room whose
windows We're sheathed nightly in
heavy shutters, bolted and bolted
again. Rut of course he rose one fine
morning 10 find the lot gone. That
broke the old fellows heart, aud from
then till they placed him in Norwood
cemetery he was never off the rocks"
As the old gentleman proceeded IN
n lower voice to tell stories Of the
burglaries that lie had known TO befall
his friends the tall Young fellow i'm
medlately behind him showed signs of
Dervousness lie shifted uueasily In
his seat, anl "a ever and anon the gas
lights were passed his plnehed face
showed white. and his big eyes SEEM
ed riveted on the jovial Nedham. When
the merchant left the bus with hear
ty good night" TO all and sundry. the
STRIPPING rose and slipped off too.
Twelve midnight had long since
doomed from the church steeple oppo-
site, and still Thomas Nedham, city
merchant and importer, lay wide
awake. Usually he was heavy sleep
er, but tonight slumber had deserted
him, though before coming to bed he
had done his best to WOO her by the
subtle aid Of two tumblers Of strong
toddy.
His active brain lnsisted on scruti-
Milling and dlssectlng the stock aud
share list of the previous day and
gambollng through his now silent city
warehouse. The old gentleman chuc-
kled as he held his eyes tight and
conjured before him the thousands or
great bales that numbered every inch
of his stores.
"Wonderfulw he said audibly. What
a great thing may sometimes grow
from small one, to be sure! Only
80 years ago and | was wondering how
| could meet bill for e. 15s. Now
new blocks added, six and 6fty ware
housemen, piles Of paying work and
still growing, growing, growing. Won
der what wilkins would think of It
all II he were looking up nowf Poor
wilkins! They tell me he died declar-
Ing that | had robbed him. That was
hard thing to say. No robbery, say
/, but business transaetion-a smart
business transaction. Besides, In any
case, 1t was question Of tit for tat.
But for wilkins should not have
been bachelor"
Nedham moved uneaslly IN bed, and,
through doorway arched with trou-
bled memory, he stole to the land Of
forgetfulness.
How long he slept he hardly knew,
but he woke with start. He had the
distinct impression that he felt warm
breath on his face, and, springng out
of bed, he switched on the electric
light No trace OF an intruder was In
the room, but the door. which Nedham
felt sure he had shut stood partly ajar.
Hastily pulling on his dressing gown
and showing his bare feet into slippers,
he reached n heavy riding crop from
the wall and stumbled down stairs. AS
he opened the drawing room door there
was the shutting Of hasty feet, and
when the Hight went up tall young
fellow shabbily dressed stood revealed.
The two men faced each other across
the table, Nedham gripping tight the
whip handle.
"Now," he said in wonderfully com
posed voice, "I'Ye caught you clean.
What In all the world may you want
hereT
The youngster removed his battered
hat, and his eyes fell rs tinge of color
rose to his cheek.
"a straight question demands
straight answer" he replied. Il am In
quest Of some Of the silver plate you
boasted about on the top Of the Hamp-